Update Mode

Every action has an Update Mode, giving you precise control over when and how it updates.

Hover the Update Mode icon to see a natural language summary:

UpdateMode

Update Modes

Each mode is indicated by a unique icon and color:

Icon	Update Mode	Description
	Update	Runs in Unity’s `Update()` loop. Most common choice.
	Fixed Update	Runs in `FixedUpdate()` - used for physics-related behavior. (Green)
	On Animator Move	Runs during `OnAnimatorMove()`, after animation evaluation but before IK. (Blue)
	Late Update	Runs in `LateUpdate()` - often used for tracking objects after physics. (Red)
	Every Frame	Runs continuously every frame.
	Blocking	Prevents the next action from starting until this one finishes. See Blocking Actions.
	On Event	Listens for an event instead of updating per frame.

Editing Update Mode

Click the Update Mode icon to open a detailed popup:

Update Mode Popup

Use this popup to edit the Update Mode settings.
A summary updates as you make changes.

Every Frame

When Every Frame is enabled, the action repeats every frame.
If unchecked, the action runs once, then finishes.

Per Second

Some actions have a Per Second toggle when Every Frame is enabled:

Update Mode Per Second

This lets the action use deltaTime for consistent timing across frame rates.
For example, Translate uses Per Second to interpret input as speed instead of distance.

Blocking Actions

Blocking actions delay the start of following actions until they finish.

Other already running actions continue as normal.
When a blocking action ends, PlayMaker stops all running actions and begins the next action in the list.

This creates simple action sequences without needing additional logic:

Blocking Actions

In this example, the FSM moves toward Target 1, then Target 2, one after the other.

The Blocking option is only available on actions that can finish.

Upgrade Tip

Blocking actions replace Action Sequences from PlayMaker 1 with a more flexible per-action setting.