🟦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.

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:

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.

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

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

Example:

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 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

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.

Last updated

Logo

Copyright © 2012- 2023 The Sandbox. All Rights Reserved.