{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-target-lock","type":"mechanic","id":"boss-fight-atlas--boss-target-lock","lang":"en","title":"Target lock","summary":"The boss tracks its target until an explicit direction-lock moment.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-target-lock/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-target-lock.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-target-lock.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Boss fights","Targeting and rhythm"],"sourceIds":["source-588b516a15af722e","source-7657348ee9e76d22","source-938d01176a1635ea","source-3d98aa5b859ad11b","source-d88e73d9030adb59","source-baf38070a8989361","source-945019fe5d82d809","source-a5ed4b8db6620df1"],"sources":[{"id":"source-588b516a15af722e","title":"Boss Fight Atlas: Target lock (RU)","url":"https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/ru/mechanics/target-lock/","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-7657348ee9e76d22","title":"Boss Fight Atlas: Target lock (EN)","url":"https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/en/mechanics/target-lock/","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-938d01176a1635ea","title":"Shriek · Ori and the Will of the Wisps","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvuB8cImPIg&t=1165s","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-3d98aa5b859ad11b","title":"Absolute Radiance · Hollow Knight","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgh04-wCRyk&t=20s","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-d88e73d9030adb59","title":"Phrike · Returnal","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdBbTMFLFIo&t=32s","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-baf38070a8989361","title":"Enemy Attacks and Telegraphing · Mike Stout","url":"https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/enemy-attacks-and-telegraphing","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-945019fe5d82d809","title":"Boss Up: Boss Battle Design · GDC Vault","url":"https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1024921/Boss-Up-Boss-Battle-Design","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-a5ed4b8db6620df1","title":"Cuphead","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6anMOwVo7tc&t=12s","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The boss tracks its target until an explicit direction-lock moment."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### How the technique works\n\n<a id=\"boss-target-lock-rule\"></a>\n\n- The boss tracks its target until an explicit direction-lock moment. <a id=\"boss-target-lock-definition\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"A concise reference to all 124 Boss Fight Atlas mechanics across its 14 source sections. Each entry includes a definition, full RU/EN lesson links, game references and further reading retained from the source. Animations and detailed rules remain in the atlas."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"boss-fight-atlas","id":"boss-target-lock","title":"Boss fights","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/boss-fight-atlas/#boss-target-lock","categoryIds":["catalog-part-7"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Target lock","description":"The boss tracks its target until an explicit direction-lock moment.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/boss-frame-6anmowvo7tc-12.webp","width":854,"height":480,"game":"Cuphead","sourceUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6anMOwVo7tc&t=12s","originalUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6anMOwVo7tc","sourceFrameSeconds":12,"credit":"Studio MDHR; gameplay capture by Boss Fight Database","rights":"Game graphics © Studio MDHR. Gameplay recording by Boss Fight Database. Visible source markings preserved. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"An aiming line defines the upcoming dangerous lane","alt":"An aiming line defines the upcoming dangerous lane","markers":[{"x":37,"y":56,"label":"The targeting line makes the upcoming beam direction explicit"}]},"tips":["Use distinct cues for tracking, locking and attack execution."],"examples":[{"title":"Cuphead","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6anMOwVo7tc&t=12s"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Editorial reference index based on the 124 public Boss Fight Atlas mechanic pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; source categories, game/boss associations and reference URLs retained from the atlas. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/boss-fight-atlas"}}