How to still detect input events with _input(event) when engine is paused?

zapposh

I have a script for remapping keyboard inputs, that sets get_tree().paused = true to pause all other game activity while the player redefines the keys.
The process mode of the scene is set to "Always", so that it runs even when the tree is paused.

Everything works fine, including menu navigation which relies on reading Inputs directly, so all is working as intended even in paused mode, except for the _input(event) function, on which the remapping of keys relies.

Is there a way to force func _input(event) to work when the process mode is set to Always?

DaveTheCoder

zapposh Is there a way to force func _input(event) to work when the process mode is set to Always?

The description of the SceneTree.paused property implies that _input() will work when the Scene Tree is paused but process mode is set to Always:
https://docs.godotengine.org/en/latest/classes/class_scenetree.html#class-scenetree-property-paused

except for the _input(event) function, on which the remapping of keys relies.

Can you explain that in more detail? Is it possible that you're doing the remapping with a Control whose process mode is not Always?

cybereality

You can try looking into unhandled input. Read this document.

https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/tutorials/inputs/inputevent.html

zapposh

cybereality Thanks for your help. I'm getting the same behaviour as with _input(event).
I'll probably pause the process of the underlying scene manually to bypass the problem somehow.

cybereality

You can control the processing. See these functions.

https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/classes/class_node.html#class-node-method-set-process

zapposh

DaveTheCoder You have just solved the issue, thanks a lot!

My node and script were both set to process "Always", leading me to think they would also process when paused, since they do not inherit process behaviour.

Setting the tree root node also to "Always" now leads to the correct behaviour.

zapposh

Ok, so in RC6 this is broken again and the workaround does not work anymore.

DaveTheCoder

Setting the tree root node also to "Always" now leads to the correct behaviour.

I didn't understand that solution, but didn't comment because you said it worked.

Are there any other Control nodes in the tree that might be "paused"?

zapposh

DaveTheCoder I'm honestly also surprised it worked in RC4. :-)

I'm obviously doing something wrong.
I've attached a screenshot of my project structure.

The root node, as well as the "game_settings" and "input_remap" nodes have Process set to "Always".
The ViewportContainer, which contains the actual game under the "scene_manager", has Process set to "Pausable".
Every other node/scene in the tree is set to "Inherit".

The concept here is that when I open the game_settings or input_remap at any time during gameplay, the game is paused, using:
get_tree().paused = true

This works fine. The gameplay pauses, and I can still navigate the menus and buttons in the two aforementioned panels, and if I close them, the gameplay resumes as expected.

What does not work within all this, is the
_input(event)
function, which seems to get paused too. And as my remapping code relies on these events, it does not work.

kaikairos

hello! nice to meet you!

i had a remarkably similar issue wherein the input singleton node being created to capture control rebinding was working (including the _physics_process function !) but not getting to use _input . same need, nearly the same problem--the only difference being that my controls menu also exists on my main menu and worked there, where get_tree().paused = true isn't being set.

I seem to have solved it by making a good chunk of the tree process mode always, and leaving the ux portion of my tree as always, but making the actual "playspace" pausable.

so as best as I can figure, from having NEARLY exactly the same issue, in my case it was that a Subviewport and Subviewportcontainer needed to be in a mode where they could pass the inputs along or something. I don't know I'm just relieved I won't have to redirect the player out to the main menu to set controls, LOL.

Here's my scene tree. The architecture should maybe be revamped anyway to allow for higher-res fonts to be in the UX and speech bubbles, but I'm not about to worry about that right this moment.

hopefully you've found a satisfactory solution at some point in the last couple years but in case you haven't or in case it helps anyone else having this remarkably specific problem, there it is.

{my scene tree}

best of luck in your coding journey!