Props can't do anything, right? Wrong!
With the Prop Manipulator device, you can customize your props in many of the same ways you would a device. Read on for some innovative ideas on how you can apply this device to the props on your island!
Basic Hidden Prop
The Prop Manipulator can easily hide and show props, making them very useful for connecting to other devices!
Devices Used
1 x Prop Manipulator device
1 x Player Spawner device
1 x Conditional Button device
Set Up the Gameplay
Start with an island that has trees, such as the Temperate Island starter island.
Place a Player Spawner device near some trees.
Place a barrel from the Spire Prop Gallery.
Place a Prop Manipulator device connected to the barrel.
Customize the Prop Manipulator as follows:
Option Value Start Hidden
On
Modify Prop Health
Yes
Is Prop Invulnerable
Yes
Place a Conditional Button device in front of the barrel and register Wood to the device.
Customize the Conditional Button as follows:
Option Value Interact Time
1.0 Seconds
Interact Text
Build a Barrel
Disable After Use
On
Key Items Required
100
Visible During Game
Hologram Only
Configure the following event on the Conditional Button device so that when the player spends 100 Wood, the Prop Manipulator shows the barrel.
Event Select Device Select Function On Activated Send Event To
Prop Manipulator
Show Prop
You now have the basic functionality for a basic hidden prop that can be shown with a Conditional Button purchase!
Design Tip
You can use this core functionality in many different gameplay situations. For example, showing and hiding props is useful for allowing players to unlock unique props at specific gameplay moments, or for creating custom powerups that should be hidden when the player picks them up!
Resource-Dispensing Props
Use the Prop Manipulator to customize how a prop gives resources when hit.
In this example, you’ll create rocks that drop gold!
Devices Used
2 x Prop Manipulator devices
1 x Player Spawner device
1 x Conditional Button device
1 x Item Granter device
Set Up the Rocks
Place a Player Spawner device.
Customize the Player Spawner as follows:
Option Value Visible in Game
Off
Place five rocks from the Resource Prop Gallery.
Place a Prop Manipulator device in the center of the area of rocks.
Customize the Prop Manipulator as follows:
Option Value Override Resources
On
Resource Node Available
10
Resource Node Given
2
Resources Node Type
Gold
Resource Node Depletion Mode
Restock Over Time
Affect All Objects in a Zone
On
Zone Width (Tiles)
5.0
Zone Depth (Tiles)
5.0
Modify Prop Health
Yes
Is Prop Invulnerable
Yes
Place another much larger rock in the same area.
Place a Prop Manipulator device connected to the rock.
Customize the Prop Manipulator as follows:
Option Value Description Start Hidden
On
Override Resources
On
Resource Node Available
100
Resource Node Given
5
Resource Node Type
Gold
Priority
1
This ensures that the prop is affected by this Prop Manipulator instead of the previous one.
Modify Prop Health
Yes
Is Prop Invulnerable
Yes
Configure the Purchases
Place a Conditional Button and register Gold to the device.
Customize the Conditional Button as follows:
Configure the following event on the Conditional Button so that when the player spends 50 Gold, they unlock the ability to harvest the larger rock.
Option Value Interact Text
Unlock the Big Stone!
Key Items Required
50
Place an Item Granter and register a Jewel to the device.
Place another Conditional Button.
Customize the Conditional Button as follows:
Option Value Interact Text
Buy the Jewel!
Key Items Required
150
Configure the following event on the Conditional Button so that when the player spends 150 Gold, they receive the Jewel!
Event Select Device Select Function On Activated Send Event To
Item Granter
Grant Item
Modify Island Settings
Make the following modifications to the island settings.
Go to Island Settings > User Interface.
Under HUD, change Show Gold Resource Count to On.
You now have the functionality for a system that overrides prop resource settings!
Design Tip
In this example, you used the priority setting to decide which Prop Manipulator a prop would be affected by when it was touched by multiple Prop Manipulators. This functionality can be very helpful when designing complicated systems with multiple Prop Manipulators doing different things to different props!
Build an Aim-Training Game!
The Prop Manipulator can send events when props are damaged or destroyed. Use this for unique damage triggers!
Devices Used
5 x Prop Manipulator devices
1 x Player Spawner device
1 x Item Granter device
1 x Random Number Generator device
5 x Trigger devices
2 x Score Manager devices
1 x Timer device
1 x Button device
Set Up the Basic Gameplay
Place a Player Spawner device.
Customize the Player Spawner as follows:
Option Value Visible in Game
Off
Place an Item Granter device and register a Pistol to the device.
Customize the Item Granter as follows:
Option Value Receiving Players
All
Grant on Game Start
On
Configure the Targets
Place a Random Number Generator device. This device will randomly select the next target.
Customize the Random Number Generator as follows:
Option Value Value Limit 2
5
Roll Time
Instant
Pick Each Number Once
Yes (Reset on Game Start)
Zone Direction
Forward
Length
2.5
Visible During Game
No
Place a Trigger device in the first sequencer area of the Random Number Generator.
Customize the Trigger as follows:
Option Value Visible In Game
Off
Triggered by Player
Off
Triggered by Vehicles
Off
Triggered by Water
Off
Trigger VFX
Off
Trigger SFX
Off
Place a sphere from the Primitive Shapes Gallery in the sky in front of the Player Spawner device.
Place a Prop Manipulator device connected to the sphere.
Customize the Prop Manipulator as follows:
Configure the following event on the Trigger device so that when it’s triggered by the Random Number Generator, it shows the sphere.
Event Select Device Select Function On Triggered Send Event To
Target Prop Manipulator 1
Show Props
Configure the following events on the Prop Manipulator so that when it's shot, it hides itself and shows a new random target.
Event Select Device Select Function On Damaged Send Event To
Target Prop Manipulator 1
Hide Props
On Damaged Send Event To
Random Number Generator
Activate
Duplicate and place the sphere, Trigger, and Prop Manipulator together four more times.
Place the Triggers in each of the sequencer spaces of the Random Number Generator.
Place each of the sphere and Prop Manipulator pairs spread in the sky in front of the Player Spawner.
Configure the Score and Game Flow
Place a Score Manager device.
Configure the following functions on the Score Manager so that when a target is hit, the player is awarded a point.
Function Select Device Select Event Activate When Receiving From
Target Prop Manipulator 1-5
On Damaged
Place another Score Manager. This Score Manager will reset the player’s score when starting a new training session.
Customize the Score Manager as follows:
Option Value Score Value
0
Score Award Type
Set
Place a Timer device.
Customize the Timer as follows:
Option Value Duration
15.0 Seconds
Can Interact
No
Completion Behavior
Reset
Visible During Game
Hidden
Timer Color
White
Display Time In
Seconds Only
Configure the following event on the Timer so that when the training session ends, all of the targets are hidden.
Event Select Device Select Function On Success Send Event To
Target Prop Manipulator 1-5
Hide Props
Place a Button device in front of the Player Spawner.
Customize the Button as follows:
Option Value Interact Time
1.0 Second
Reset Delay
15.0 Seconds
Interaction Text
Start Aim Training
Visible During Game
No
Interaction Radius
2.0 Meters
Configure the following event on the Button so that when the player presses it, it resets their score, starts the Timer, and shows the first target with the Random Number Generator.
Event Select Device Select Function On Interact Send Event To
Random Number Generator
Activate
On Interact Send Event To
Reset Score Manager
Activate
On Interact Send Event To
Timer Device
Sta
You now have the core functionality for an aim-training game!
Design Tip
This example could easily be extended in a number of ways.
From a gameplay perspective, try adding different types of targets that award different points, and put the higher point targets further away, or increase the game’s polish by adding additional VFX and SFX when hitting a target with the VFX Spawner and Audio Player, respectively.
