Creating a New Entity Class

Small Tutorial

The following sample will create an entity class called Fan.

Create a new file with the extension .ent, for example GameSDK\Entities\Fan.ent. This entity definition file will be used to expose the entity to the engine.

<Entity
  Name="Fan"
  Script="Scripts/Entities/Fan.lua"
/>

Create a new .lua, for example GameSDK\Entities\Scripts\Fan.lua. The lua file will define the entity logic.

Fan = {
  type = "Fan",                                            -- can be useful for scripting

  -- instance member variables
  minrotspeed = 0,
  maxrotspeed = 1300,
  acceleration = 300,
  currrotspeed = 0,
  changespeed = 0,
  currangle = 0,

  -- the entries of the following table become automatically exposed to the editor and serialized (load/save)
  -- the type is defined by the prefix (for more prefix types search for s_paramTypes in Sandbox/Editor/Objects/EntityScript.cpp)
  Properties = {
   bName = 0,                                            -- boolean example, 0/1
   fName = 1.2,                                          -- float example
   soundName = "",                                       -- sound example
   fileModelName = "Objects/box.cgf",                    -- file model
  },

  -- optional editor information
  Editor = {
   Model = "Editor/Objects/Particles.cgf",               -- optional 3d object that represents this object in editor
   Icon = "Clouds.bmp",                                  -- optional 2d icon that represents this object in editor
  },
}


-- optional.  Called only once on loading a level.  Consider calling self:OnReset(not System.IsEditor()); here
function Fan:OnInit()
  self:SetName( "Fan" );
  self:LoadObject( "Objects/Indoor/Fan.cgf", 0, 0 );
  self:DrawObject( 0, 1 );
end


-- OnReset() is usually called only from the Editor, so we also need OnInit()
-- Note the parameter
function Fan:OnReset(bGameStarts)
end


-- optional.  To start having this callback called, you should activate the entity like this:
-- self:Activate(1); -- Turn on OnUpdate() callback
function Fan:OnUpdate(dt)
  if ( self.changespeed == 0 ) then
   self.currrotspeed = self.currrotspeed - System.GetFrameTime() * self.acceleration;
   if ( self.currrotspeed < self.minrotspeed ) then
    self.currrotspeed = self.minrotspeed;
   end
  else
   self.currrotspeed = self.currrotspeed + System.GetFrameTime() * self.acceleration;
   if ( self.currrotspeed > self.maxrotspeed ) then
    self.currrotspeed = self.maxrotspeed;
   end
  end
  self.currangle = self.currangle + System.GetFrameTime() * self.currrotspeed;
  local a = { x=0, y=0, z=-self.currangle };
  self:SetAngles( a );
end


-- optional serialization
function Fan:OnSave(tbl)
  tbl.currangle = self.currangle;
end


-- optional serialization
function Fan:OnLoad(tbl)
  self.currangle = tbl.currangle;
end


-- optional
function Fan:OnSpawn()
end


-- optional
function Fan:OnDestroy()
end


-- optional
function Fan:OnShutDown()
end


-- optional
function Fan:OnActivate()
  self.changespeed = 1 - self.changespeed;
end

Documentation

Creating a New Entity Class

Small Tutorial

See Also