🟦Logic Basics

To make high quality content, all creators need to know what is possible in The Sandbox metaverse, and level designers need technical resources to carry it out. Find these resources here.

Logic Basics

Logic in our no-code Game Maker is all about creating a system of communication that provides interactive possibilities so players can choose a flow of cause & effect.

Logic can be linear with a single path of events for players or branching with many possibilities. It can range from simple to a complex chain of events depending on the desired gameplay.

An object is a unique instance of an asset placed in your Experience. Choose an Asset and place as many objects with it as you like, then apply logic to bring it to life and make in interactive.

About

OBJECT LOGIC

Behaviours are the DNA governing the actions of game objects.

Components add characteristics to deepen an object's interactive potential.

Behaviours and components "listen" for and "speak" Messages to trigger logic sequences with other objects, Quests, and Game Rules.

Tags are labels on objects used to:

• Direct messages to specific objects

• Detect specific objects and respond

An object may have:

• One Behaviour

• Many Components

• Multiple Tags

GLOBAL LOGIC

Objectives/Quests inform and guide an individual player through your game's flow using an attractive user interface (for single and multiplayer games).

Player Settings allow you to choose a custom avatar, set starter equipment, enable optional mechanics, and control settings related to player health.

Game Rules allow you to create custom mechanics with variables from scratch or using presets.

The Gameplay menu includes Game Rules as well as start screen, camera, and ambience settings. Override ambient lighting with Weather Switcher behavour.

SELF-COMMUNICATION

An object can now send a message to itself. You can specify the Broadcast Type as Self to ensure no other objects receive it.

CREATE AN EXPERIENCE QUICK START

Create a custom game fast using Player settings, Objectives/Quests, Camera, Ambiance and adding characters with behaviours of common archetypes.

ADD DEPTH

Integrate object logic:

• Direct players to quest items with the Indicator component

• Customise the player camera settings and modify appearance with Post Processing Effects behaviour

• Transition or switch ambient lighting with Weather Switcher behaviour

• Use Avatar Teleport and Avatar Checkpoint components

• and more!

CREATE GLOBAL MECHANICS

Define your global mechanics, create variables, and track and relay them from the Game Rules system to game objects. Use the Logger to debug your Rules if needed.

Flexible Utility

Make Any Asset Interactive

Assets can be NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, purchased via Marketplace or custom content you create in VoxEdit for use in your own Experiences.

Assets have very flexible utility depending on the interactive logic set up via Game Maker.

Example:

Video by TomVoxel

External Integrations

Display Videos & 2D Image NFTs

Uploading custom content for use with Video and Audio Streaming behaviours is limited to The Sandbox and select partners. These features are in development for public use.*

Frame Assets assets made in VoxEdit can be used for displaying:

• 2D image NFTs (Ethereum blockchain) using the NFT Image Display component

• premade images provided by The Sandbox with the Image Display component

• videos (using video streaming*)

Open NFT Marketplace Information

The NFT Details Display component can be can be set to open for any NFT made for The Sandbox in VoxEdit or any external NFT displayed in a frame asset. Visitors can be redirected to The Sandbox or OpenSea marketplaces via browser.

Example projects using NFT information:

• Build a virtual shop for players to buy your NFTs

• Showcase your NFT collections in a gallery, virtual home setting, etc.

Cause & Effect

Messages are an essential method of communication in Game Maker. There are many simple ways to send a Message using logic and trigger something to happen. Use Tags on objects to direct Messages specifically.

Broadcast

Broadcast

Send a message on start of the Experience or when triggered, once or repeatedly.

Example:

• Add a Message Broadcaster behaviour to a logic actor or object and set desired parameters.

Detect

Object/Player Avatar Detection

An object can send a message when an expected tag is detected. It can also be set to play one of its animations.

Examples:

• Add a Speaker component and choose what to detect and detection range (avatars, tags, or a specific actor).

• To trigger an asset's animation and send a message when an avatar is detected or a message is received, use Animated Decoration behaviour.

Destroy

Object Destruction

Send a message or drop (spawn) a new object (e.g. loot, smaller enemies, etc). Currently single player only.

Example (direct):

• Send Message - Add a Health component to the object that will be destroyed. Set a Message sent on death. Optionally, you can trigger this with an Instant death message.

Example (indirect):

• Drop (spawn) object - Add a Drop component to the object that will be destroyed. Choose Behavior (default asset settings) or Preset (custom settings for one or more objects to spawn). Select the asset or preset to spawn.

  • Other objects nearby with a Speaker component can detect a tag that is included in your spawned object.

  • A spawned object, such as a Message Broadcaster, could instantly send a message.

Collect

Object Collection

Can be set as collectible by one player or every player, send a message, and/or play a sound.

Examples:

• Singleplayer - Add a Collectable component to an object and set a message to send.

• Multiplayer - Add a Collectable component to an object and set a message to send. Then choose the Global setting:

  • True - One instance of the object can be collected in the Experience

  • False - One instance of the object per player can be collected in the Experience

Interact

Object Interaction (E)

Press E to send the “Interact” Message. This can trigger a wide variety of events depending on logic setup.

Examples:

• Open a door

• Turn on a machine or platform

• Play video or audio

• Start a timed parkour race or other challenge

• Trigger a blacksmith to "make" and spawn a special item

• Set off a blast with dynamite

• Trigger a seasonal change, restore a wasteland, etc

• Talk to an non-player character (NPC)

• Begin a new quest

• "Use" a magical potion or spell at the right moment in the story

• View NFT information for The Sandbox assets or an external PFP NFT on display (includes a marketplace link)

• Make blocks or assets appear or disappear

• Collect or pick up an item

• Trigger a complex sequence of logic

Quest

Quests/Rules

Can send a message when completed.

Example:

• Create a Quest/Objective. In the Action After Completion dropdown, choose Send Message. Use the dropdown below this to select an existing message or create a new one. Any object in your Experience will be able to receive this message.

SWITCH OBJECT PHYSICS DURING PLAY

Send a message to an object with Actor Property Switcher behaviour to change the visibility and/or collisions of other objects in range.

SEQUENCES & LOOPS

Use Timed Events behaviour for repeatable sequences, such as weather cycles.

COLLABORATION

Use Crowd Event behaviour to progress toward a collaborative goal with emotes or messages, finishing with a success or failure message.

Life & Death

Multiplayer combat/health is coming soon to Game Maker. Equipment can be worn in multiplayer Experiences, but currently has no effect on the health of the player or other actors.

Equipment Effects

Equipment Attributes Impact Gameplay

The Rarity & Attributes of an Asset determines how it may impact gameplay.

In Player Settings:

• Set starter equipment

• Choose to allow players to use their own NFT equipment in your Experience

Damage & Recovery

Damage & Recovery

Impact health of any actor (avatar, NPCs, etc) by specific amounts:

• Blocks set to damage or heal the player via the avatar's Component settings

• Blocks damage or heal any object via their Health component

• Objects with Healer behaviour, with specific targets by tag

• Health message with positive or negative values in the argument sent to the Avatar or other objects from any behaviour or component

Death

Avatar Death

If players aren’t set as invincible, they’ll die when life total is 0, then:

• Respawn to checkpoint with full health, while quests & inventory remain active... unless you build more sophisticated Consequences for Death into your Experience logic

• Game over if Defeat condition is triggered, and if restarted, quests & inventory are cleared of items and the Experience is reset

Customise what happens when the player dies in the Controller tab.

Any object with a Health component can be destroyed if the Invincible parameter is set to false. It can send a Message upon death to trigger other logic in your Experience. You can also add a Drop component to spawn something when it is destroyed, such as collectible loot!

Transitions: Messages with Arguments

You can now create custom messages with arguments.

Sending Messages with Arguments allow you to transition audio, light, camera, weather, and video* instead of making an immediate change with a normal message. A parameter to customise the transition will appear when you choose a message with yellow text.

Apply this to add polish to your Experience's ambience and effects.

Quests

Quests/Objectives are one-time-use player objectives that can be used for:

• guiding players

• meeting important characters

• special achievements

• mass item collection

• points of interest to encourage exploration

• guiding players through a linear game flow

• optional side-quests

• branching logic based on player actions

• defending a character or survival during a time limit

• killing a certain number of enemies or a specific one

• and more

Add an Indicator component to objects to direct players with quest icons, which appear depending on the state of the quest and the assignments you make: quest giver, objective, or receiver.

Keep all quests visible by having no more than 3 active quests at a time.

Quests are Client-Only

Quests only apply to an individual player's actions in Single and Multiplayer Experiences and can be used to track player progression in Seasons and Events.

Crowd Event behaviour can be used in Multiplayer Experiences for a collaborative goal completed through emotes (such as dances) or messages received. It also works in Single Player Experiences.