GGMax Bug - Safe CineGuru Cutscenes With HUD Editor Screen Blocking

[Maro32]

Overview

cutscene_hud_blocker.lua.txt

This script prevents HUD Editor-based screens (such as inventory, journal, or map) from interfering with CineGuru cutscenes.

It ensures that:

• no HUD screen can be opened during a cutscene
• any already open HUD screen is automatically closed/replaced
• the camera remains stable and does not lose its focal point

Problem

When using CineGuru cutscenes together with HUD Editor-based custom screens, pressing a bound HUD key during a cutscene can break the camera behavior.

This applies to any custom HUD screen assigned to a key, for example:

• I → Inventory
• J → Journal
• M → Map

Additionally, if a cutscene starts while one of these screens is already open, it can also cause camera issues.

Cause

HUD Editor screens are fully user-defined and can be opened at any time via key bindings.

CineGuru cutscenes do not block these inputs by default, which allows UI elements to interfere with the camera system.

Solution

The solution uses two key steps:

1. Disable HUD keys

DisableBoundHudKeys()

This prevents any HUD Editor-based screen from being opened during the cutscene.

2. Force a blank HUD screen

ScreenToggle("YourBlankHUD")

This replaces any currently open HUD screen.

This is important because:

• if the player already has a menu open (inventory, journal, etc.)
• it will be forcibly closed/replaced at cutscene start

Restore after cutscene

ScreenToggle("")
EnableBoundHudKeys()

Key Idea

• DisableBoundHudKeys() → blocks opening new HUD screens
• ScreenToggle(blank) → closes/replaces any already open screen

Together, they make CineGuru cutscenes stable.

Notes

• Works with any HUD Editor-based screen
• Independent from specific key bindings
• Can be triggered by:
  • zone
  • spawn/start
  • external activation (switch, script, etc.)
• Designed specifically for CineGuru cutscene stability

Suggested Use

Use this script whenever:

• you have cutscenes
• you use custom HUD Editor menus
• you want to prevent UI from breaking immersion or camera behavior

Setup

Create a blank HUD screen

This script requires a blank HUD screen created in the HUD Editor.

Steps:

1. Open the HUD Editor
2. Create a new HUD screen
3. Do not add any elements (leave it completely empty)
4. Give it a name (for example: BlankHUD)
5. Save it

Assign it in the script

Set the HUD screen name in the script properties:

ScreenToggle("BlankHUD")

Or via the script parameter:

USER_HUD_SCREEN = "BlankHUD"

Why this is required

The blank HUD screen is used to force-close or replace any currently open HUD screen.

If the player has a menu open (inventory, journal, map, etc.) when the cutscene starts:

• the blank HUD screen will replace it
• preventing camera issues caused by active UI

Without this step:

• already open HUD screens may remain active
• and still break the cutscene even if keys are disabled

File Format

The script is uploaded as:

cutscene_hud_blocker.lua.txt

This is because some platforms do not allow uploading .lua files directly.

Important

Before using the script in GameGuru MAX, you must make the file back to .lua format:

cutscene_hud_blocker.lua

Additional Notes

Cutscene skip behavior

When DisableBoundHudKeys() is active, all HUD Editor-bound keys are disabled.

This includes any key used to skip the cutscene, meaning the player will not be able to skip it while the script is running.

The HUD keys are automatically restored at the exact moment when the configured SHOW_TIME duration has fully elapsed.

Because of this, it is important to keep the script timer aligned with the intended cutscene duration.

This is a trade-off between cutscene stability and player control.

The replacement HUD does not have to be blank

Although a blank HUD screen is the most obvious setup, it is not strictly required.

Any HUD Editor-based screen can be used as the replacement screen, depending on the effect you want.

For example, instead of a blank HUD, you could use:

• a TV screen overlay
• a letterbox overlay
• any other custom visual screen

The important part is that it replaces the currently open HUD screen when the cutscene begins.

[LeeBamberTGC]

@Necrym59 As our resident script expert, can you confirm whether we don't already have a script that performs this function, and if time, check it out and see if it best fits as a global or per-level script, thanks!

[Necrym59]

There already was code in one behavior from memory to deal with trurning off somthing when CiniGuru ran somthing. Hence why the 'DisableBoundHudKeys()' and EnableBoundHudKeys() commands were created in the first place. Better for this to be passed along to Amen and made part of CineGuru as a option - its not technically a Max problem as such, you cant account for every known use case scenario.

[AmenMoses]

Well my latest version of Cine|Guru calls 'DisableBoundHudKeys()' and EnableBoundHudKeys() where appropriate, not sure if those changes have been delivered though, should have been because I made those changes ages ago.

[LeeBamberTGC]

@AmenMoses @Necrym59 I did a scan of the latest CineGuru scripts in MAX and could not find any calls to either of these functions:

@AmenMoses Do you still have a copy of the latest as I can include them in the next build, thanks!

[AmenMoses]

cg_cinematic_camera.zip