Game Manager

The Game Manager is the root component of every GS_Play project. It controls the game lifecycle from startup through shutdown: spawning and initializing all Manager components in the correct order, providing systemic navigation (New Game, Load Game, Return to Title, Quit), and coordinating standby mode for pausing gameplay during level transitions or other blocking operations.

Every level in your project should contain the same Game Manager prefab. In debug mode it stays in the current level on start; in release mode it navigates to your title stage.

For usage guides and setup examples, see The Basics: GS_Core.

The Game Manager component in the Entity Inspector, with added manager prefabs in the Startup Managers list.

Contents

• Design Intent
• Dependencies & Interactions
• Setup
• Core Concepts
• Inspector Properties
• API Reference
• SC ↔ C++ Quick Reference
• Usage Examples
• Extending the Game Manager
• See Also

Design Intent

Extend the Game Manager when you need project-wide changes to startup ordering, custom post-startup logic (analytics sessions, online service initialization), or additional global lifecycle events. For most projects, the built-in component is sufficient as-is. Do not move gameplay logic here — the Game Manager orchestrates systems, it does not run game rules.

Dependencies & Interactions

Setup

Game Manager Entity

The Game Manager wrapper entity set as Editor-Only inside Prefab Edit Mode.

1. Create an entity and attach the GS_GameManagerComponent (or your extended version).
2. Turn the entity into a prefab.
3. Enter prefab edit mode. Set the wrapper entity (the parent of your Game Manager entity) to Editor Only. Save the prefab.
4. Create Manager prefabs for the systems you need (Save, Stage, Options, or custom managers).
5. Add each Manager .spawnable to the Game Manager’s Startup Managers list in the Entity Inspector.
6. Push your overrides into the prefab to propagate across all levels.

Place your Game Manager prefab at the top of every level in the Entity Outliner.

The premade manager prefabs for each GS_Play gem are located in that gem’s Assets/Prefabs directory.

Core Concepts

Startup Sequence

When the project starts, the Game Manager executes a three-stage startup:

1. Spawn Managers — The Game Manager instantiates every prefab in its Startup Managers list. Each manager component runs its Activate() and reports back via OnRegisterManagerInit().
2. Startup Managers — Once all managers report initialized, the Game Manager broadcasts OnSetupManagers(). Managers now connect to each other and report back via OnRegisterManagerStartup().
3. Startup Complete — Once all managers report started up, the Game Manager broadcasts OnStartupComplete(). The game is fully initialized and ready to run.

At each stage, the Game Manager counts reports and only proceeds when every spawned manager has reported. This guarantees safe cross-referencing between managers in Stage 2.

Systemic Navigation

The Game Manager provides the high-level game flow methods that drive your project:

• NewGame / NewGame(saveName) — Starts a new game, optionally with a named save file.
• ContinueGame — Loads the most recent save and continues.
• LoadGame(saveName) — Loads a specific save file.
• ReturnToTitle — Returns to the title stage, tearing down the current game session.
• SaveAndExitGame / ExitGame — Saves and/or exits the application.

These methods coordinate with the Save Manager and Stage Manager automatically.

Standby Mode

Standby is a global pause mechanism. When the Game Manager enters standby, it broadcasts OnEnterStandby() to all managers, which propagate the signal to their subsystems. This halts timers, physics, gameplay ticks, and other simulation while a blocking operation (like a stage change) completes. Calling ExitStandby reverses the process.

Debug Mode

When Debug Mode is enabled in the Inspector, the Game Manager skips navigating to the title stage and remains in the current level. This allows rapid iteration — you can start the game from any level without going through the full title-to-gameplay flow. If save data and unit management are enabled, it loads default save data but overrides position data with the current level’s default spawn point.

Inspector Properties

API Reference

Request Bus: GameManagerRequestBus

Commands sent to the Game Manager. Singleton bus — single address, single handler.

Notification Bus: GameManagerNotificationBus

Events broadcast by the Game Manager. Multiple handler bus — any number of components can subscribe.

ScriptCanvas Nodes

These methods and events are available as ScriptCanvas nodes.

Request Nodes

Notification Nodes

Listen for these events on GameManagerNotificationBus.

Virtual Methods

Override these when extending the Game Manager. Always call the base implementation.

SC ↔ C++ Quick Reference

Usage Examples

ScriptCanvas: Title Screen Workflow

Calling new or load game proceedes to start the gameplay and systems. Begin Game event fires to start all systems across the game.

Debug Mode automatically begins the game.

ScriptCanvas: Standby Logic

C++: Reacting to Events

A gameplay component that listens to the full startup and standby lifecycle:

#include <GS_Core/GS_CoreBus.h>

class MyGameplayComponent
    : public AZ::Component
    , protected GS_Core::GameManagerNotificationBus::Handler
{
protected:
    void Activate() override
    {
        GS_Core::GameManagerNotificationBus::Handler::BusConnect();
    }

    void Deactivate() override
    {
        GS_Core::GameManagerNotificationBus::Handler::BusDisconnect();
    }

    void OnStartupComplete() override
    {
        // Safe to access all managers and begin gameplay logic
    }

    void OnEnterStandby() override
    {
        // Pause your gameplay systems
    }

    void OnExitStandby() override
    {
        // Resume your gameplay systems
    }
};

C++: Custom Manager Integration

A manager that receives the startup handshake from the Game Manager. Add this class’s prefab to the Game Manager’s Startup Managers list:

#include <GS_Core/GS_CoreBus.h>
#include <Source/Managers/GS_ManagerComponent.h>

class MySystemManager
    : public GS_Core::GS_ManagerComponent
    , protected GS_Core::GameManagerNotificationBus::Handler
{
public:
    AZ_COMPONENT_DECL(MySystemManager);
    static void Reflect(AZ::ReflectContext* context);

protected:
    void Activate() override
    {
        GS_Core::GS_ManagerComponent::Activate();                        // Required: registers with Game Manager
        GS_Core::GameManagerNotificationBus::Handler::BusConnect();
    }

    void Deactivate() override
    {
        GS_Core::GameManagerNotificationBus::Handler::BusDisconnect();
        GS_Core::GS_ManagerComponent::Deactivate();                      // Required: deregisters from Game Manager
    }

    // Called during Stage 2 — safe to reference other managers here
    void OnSetupManagers() override
    {
        // Connect to other managers, set up cross-system references
    }

    // Called when the full startup sequence completes — safe to begin gameplay
    void OnStartupComplete() override
    {
        // Initialize systems that depend on all managers being ready
    }

    void OnEnterStandby() override { /* pause your systems */ }
    void OnExitStandby()  override { /* resume your systems */ }
};

Extending the Game Manager

Extend the Game Manager to add custom startup logic, additional lifecycle events, or project-specific behavior. Extension is done in C++.

Header (.h)

#pragma once
#include <GS_Core/GS_CoreBus.h>
#include <Source/Managers/GS_GameManagerComponent.h>

namespace MyProject
{
    class MyGameManager : public GS_Core::GS_GameManagerComponent
    {
    public:
        AZ_COMPONENT_DECL(MyGameManager);

        static void Reflect(AZ::ReflectContext* context);

    protected:
        void InitializeManagers() override;
        void StartupManagers() override;
        void CompleteStartup() override;
        void BeginGame() override;
    };
}

Implementation (.cpp)

#include "MyGameManager.h"
#include <AzCore/Serialization/SerializeContext.h>

namespace MyProject
{
    AZ_COMPONENT_IMPL(MyGameManager, "MyGameManager", "{YOUR-UUID-HERE}");

    void MyGameManager::Reflect(AZ::ReflectContext* context)
    {
        if (auto serializeContext = azrtti_cast<AZ::SerializeContext*>(context))
        {
            serializeContext->Class<MyGameManager, GS_Core::GS_GameManagerComponent>()
                ->Version(0);

            if (AZ::EditContext* editContext = serializeContext->GetEditContext())
            {
                editContext->Class<MyGameManager>("My Game Manager", "Custom game manager for MyProject")
                    ->ClassElement(AZ::Edit::ClassElements::EditorData, "")
                        ->Attribute(AZ::Edit::Attributes::Category, "MyProject")
                        ->Attribute(AZ::Edit::Attributes::AppearsInAddComponentMenu, AZ_CRC_CE("Game"));
            }
        }
    }

    void MyGameManager::InitializeManagers()
    {
        // Call base to spawn the standard manager list
        GS_GameManagerComponent::InitializeManagers();
        // Custom initialization logic here
    }

    void MyGameManager::StartupManagers()
    {
        // Call base to handle standard startup
        GS_GameManagerComponent::StartupManagers();
    }

    void MyGameManager::CompleteStartup()
    {
        // Call base to broadcast OnStartupComplete
        GS_GameManagerComponent::CompleteStartup();
        // Post-startup logic here (e.g. connect to analytics, initialize online services)
    }

    void MyGameManager::BeginGame()
    {
        GS_GameManagerComponent::BeginGame();
        // Custom game start logic
    }
}

See Also

For scripting patterns and SC-first usage:

• The Basics: GS_Managers

For related components:

• Manager Base Class
• GS_Managers Overview
• Save Manager
• Stage Manager
• Templates

Get GS_Core

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