Play Montage

Official Documentation: docs.unrealengine.com.

Description

Play Animation Montage on the character mesh. Returns the length of the animation montage in seconds, or 0.f if failed to play.

tip

Useful to Play an Animation for a certain Event or as an Action, like a Attack Animation.

Define Variables

YourCharacter.h

class AYourCharacter : public ACharacter
{
...
  // Some Function to Play the Montage from
  // In this example we're playing a Attack Animation
  // This fucntion is bound to the Left Mouse Button, please check out EnhancedInput Example to implement Input
  void Attack(const FInputActionValue& Value);

  // For this example, we'll use an Array, but you can use a single UAnimMontage:
  // UAnimMontage* SingleAnimation;
  UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, Category = "YourGame|Animation")
  TArray<UAnimMontage*> YourAnimations;

  // These variables will help us define, which Animation to play
  UPROPERTY(VisibleAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, Category = "YourGame|Animation")
  int32 ComboCount = 0; // current animation playing
  UPROPERTY(VisibleAnywhere, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "YourGame|Animation")
  int32 MaxCombo = 4; // the number of animations in your array
  
  // Build your project in Visual Studio

  // Next, go to Unreal's Editor - in your Character Blueprint
  // under `YourGame|Animation` set as many Animation Montages as you want in that Array 
  // or just select the one if you defined a single animation montage
  // 
  // You can also just use a single AnimMontage: UAnimMontage* YourMontage;
...
}

YourCharacter.cpp

void AYourCharacter::Attack(const FInputActionValue& Value)
{
  // call PlayAnimMontage, which is inherited from Character.h
  // In the Arguments either add the Single AnimMontage of yours
  // or the Array with multiple Animations as I did here:
  PlayAnimMontage(YourAnimations[ComboCount]);
  // Single AnimMontage:
  // PlayAnimMontage(SingleAnimation);

  // after playing the animation increase the ComboCount by 1
  ComboCount++;
  // if ComboCount is bigger or equal to MaxCombo, reset ComboCount to 0
  if (ComboCount >= MaxCombo)
  {
    ComboCount = 0;
  }
}

Optional: Hit detection and dealing Damage with Animation Notifies in C++ and minimal BP:

1. In the Editor: Create an Animation Montage from your Animation Sequence, if you didn't already.

2. Add Notifiers, by right-clicking your Notifies Track and select New Notify...:

In my case I added Hit and HitEnd. You can call them however you want, but keep the naming in mind for later.

3. In your Characters Animation Blueprint you can now add the Notifiy Events. Target is YourCharacter Class, you can just Cast to your Character Class.

@Note AnimNotify_[DefinedNameFromBefore]:

4. Where is this Function OnNotifyBegin coming from and whats it for?

In your Character Class add the following:

YourCharacter.h

class AYourCharacter : public ACharacter
{
  // define the function that should execute when the Notifies hit
  UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable)
  void OnNotifyBegin(FName NotifyName);
}

Finally, lets implement some logic, when the Animation Notifiers "Hit". (no pun intended)

YourCharacter.cpp

void AYourCharacter::OnNotifyBegin(FName NotifyName)
{
  if (NotifyName == "Hit")
  {
      // do something when the Notify "Hit" hits
      // in my case I enable and disable the collision of my characters sword
      if (EquippedSword)
      {
        EquippedSword->bIsCollisionEnabled = true;
      }
  }
  if (NotifyName == "HitEnd")
  {
      // do something when the Notify "HitEnd" hits
      // and disable collision on "HitEnd"
      if (EquippedSword)
      {
        EquippedSword->bIsCollisionEnabled = false;
      }
  }
}

This was an example on how to Play Montages in Unreal Engine C++.