HUDElement

Abstract base class for individual HUD panels. Subclass to create new HUD components that are auto-discovered and managed by the parent HUD container. Provides virtual lifecycle callbacks for activation and deactivation.

Definition

Namespace: Paragon.Townskeep.HUD Assembly: Townskeep.dll

public abstract class HUDElement : ParagonUIBehaviour

Inheritance: SerializedMonoBehaviour → ParagonBehaviour → ParagonUIBehaviour → HUDElement

Remarks

HUDElement is intentionally minimal — it provides a back-reference to the parent HUD and two lifecycle hooks. Subclasses should place their initialization logic in Unity's Awake()/Start() or in a custom Initialize() method, and use OnActivated()/OnDisabled() for visibility-related logic (e.g., refreshing displayed data, pausing animations).

The hud field is set by HUD.Awake() before any Start() calls, so subclasses can safely access hud in Start().

Quick Lookup

Goal	How
Create a new HUD panel	Subclass HUDElement and place on a child GameObject under HUD
React to HUD shown	Override OnActivated()
React to HUD hidden	Override OnDisabled()
Access parent HUD	Use this.hud
Access sibling element	hud.TryGetHUDElement<OtherElement>(out var other)

Fields

hud (protected)

protected HUD hud;

Back-reference to the parent HUD container. Set by HUD.Initialize() during Awake(). Use this to access sibling elements via hud.TryGetHUDElement<T>().

Methods

Initialize

public void Initialize(HUD hud)

Called by the parent HUD during Awake(). Stores the back-reference.

Parameter	Type	Description
hud	HUD	The parent HUD container

OnActivated (virtual)

public virtual void OnActivated()

Called when the parent HUD is activated via HUD.Activate(). Override to refresh displayed data, start animations, or subscribe to events.

Default implementation: Empty (no-op).

OnDisabled (virtual)

public virtual void OnDisabled()

Called when the parent HUD is disabled via HUD.Disable(). Override to pause animations, unsubscribe from events, or release resources.

Default implementation: Empty (no-op).

Extension Points

Optional Overrides

Method	Purpose
OnActivated()	React to HUD becoming visible
OnDisabled()	React to HUD being hidden

Implementation Requirements

When subclassing, you MUST:

1. Place the component on a child GameObject under a HUD-bearing GameObject

2. Mark the class as non-abstract (concrete)

You SHOULD:

• Use OnActivated() to refresh UI state, not OnEnable() — the HUD may be enabled without Activate() being called

• Access sibling elements through hud.TryGetHUDElement<T>() rather than GetComponentInParent or direct references

• Use Unity's Awake() / Start() for one-time setup, and OnActivated() / OnDisabled() for repeated visibility changes

Common Pitfalls

Do not call Initialize() manually Initialize() is called automatically by HUD.Awake(). Calling it again will overwrite the hud reference, which is harmless but unnecessary.

hud is null before Awake() completes If your subclass accesses hud in its own Awake(), it may be null depending on script execution order. Use Start() instead, which is guaranteed to run after all Awake() calls.

Examples

Minimal HUD element

public class ScoreHUD : HUDElement
{
    private TextMeshProUGUI scoreText;

    void Awake()
    {
        scoreText = GetComponentInChildren<TextMeshProUGUI>();
    }

    public override void OnActivated()
    {
        RefreshScore();
    }

    public void RefreshScore()
    {
        scoreText.text = $"Score: {GameManager.Score}";
    }
}

Accessing sibling elements

public class InventoryHUD : HUDElement
{
    public override void OnActivated()
    {
        // Access the chat HUD from a sibling element
        if (hud.TryGetHUDElement<ChatHUD>(out var chatHUD))
        {
            chatHUD.Unfocus();
        }
    }
}

See Also

• HUD — parent container that manages elements

• ChatHUD — concrete element implementation for chat