Aoecharging

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-03-03

Overview

AOECharging manages the charging process and visual reticule for area-of-effect (AOE) attacks in Don't Starve Together. It tracks charge state via ischarging, enabled, and chargeticks networked properties, and coordinates the spawn/update of the ChargingReticule prefab when a player begins charging. The component operates differently on server (ismastersim) and client, handling synchronization, input polling, and event handling for the charging lifecycle.

Usage example

local inst = CreateEntity()
inst:AddComponent("aoecharging")
inst.components.aoecharging.reticuleprefab = "my_reticule"
inst.components.aoecharging.pingprefab = "my_ping"
inst.components.aoecharging:SetAllowRiding(false)
inst.components.aoecharging:SetRefreshChargeTicksFn(function(self, reticule, ticks)
    reticule:SetChargeTicks(ticks)
end)

Dependencies & tags

Components used: inventoryitem, equippable, playercontroller, chargingreticule Tags: None identified.

Properties

Property	Type	Default Value	Description
inst	Entity	—	The entity instance this component belongs to.
ismastersim	boolean	—	Whether this instance is running on the master simulation (server).
reticuleprefab	string?	nil	Prefab name for the reticule to spawn.
pingprefab	string?	nil	Prefab name for the charge-release ping effect.
reticule	Entity?	nil	Reference to the active ChargingReticule entity, if spawned.
owner	Entity?	nil	The player entity currently charging the attack.
allowriding	boolean	true	Whether charging is allowed while riding.
enabled	net_bool	true	Networked property controlling whether charging is enabled.
ischarging	net_bool	—	Networked property indicating if charging is active.
chargeticks	net_byte	—	Networked property tracking charge duration in ticks.
syncdelay	number	0 (server), not used (client)	Delay counter before sending full sync on server.
refreshchargeticksfn	function?	nil	Callback when charge ticks are updated.
onchargedattackfn	function?	nil	Server-only callback when a charged attack is released.

Main functions

OnRemoveEntity()

• Description: Cleans up when the owner entity is removed. Cancels any active charge and removes the reticule.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

SetAllowRiding(val)

• Description: Sets whether charging is allowed while the owner is riding another entity.
• Parameters: val (boolean) — if false, riding while charging is disallowed; otherwise allowed.
• Returns: Nothing.

IsEnabled()

• Description: Returns whether the charging system is currently enabled for this item.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: boolean — current value of the enabled networked property.

GetChargeTicks()

• Description: Returns the current number of charge ticks.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: number — current chargeticks value.

SetRefreshChargeTicksFn(fn)

• Description: Sets a callback function used to propagate charge tick updates to the reticule.
• Parameters: fn (function) — signature fn(inst, reticule, chargeticks).
• Returns: Nothing.

OnRefreshChargeTicks(reticule)

• Description: Invokes the refreshchargeticksfn callback (if set) to notify subscribers of a charge tick update.
• Parameters: reticule (Entity) — the reticule entity to update.
• Returns: Nothing.

SetChargingOwner(owner)

• Description: Starts or stops the charging process for a given owner. Spawns or destroys the reticule and manages server/client state.
• Parameters: owner (Entity?) — player entity to begin charging as, or nil to cancel.
• Returns: Nothing.
• Error states: If the owner lacks HUD or reticuleprefab is nil, no reticule is spawned.

OnUpdate(dt)

• Description: Called each frame while charging. Validates ownership, updates charge ticks, handles input, updates rotation, and triggers release on input release.
• Parameters: dt (number) — delta time in seconds.
• Returns: Nothing.
• Error states: Exits early if owner is no longer valid (not equipped, no longer owner, or SG tag lost).

UpdateRotation()

• Description: Syncs the reticule's rotation to the owner's transform and, on clients, sends the rotation to the server.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

SetEnabled(enabled)

• Description: (Server only) Sets the enabled state and triggers dirty event.
• Parameters: enabled (boolean).
• Returns: Nothing.

SetChargeTicks(ticks)

• Description: (Server only, for debugging/overrides) Manually sets the charge tick count during an active charge.
• Parameters: ticks (number).
• Returns: Nothing.

SetOnChargedAttackFn(fn)

• Description: (Server only) Sets the callback executed when a charged attack is released.
• Parameters: fn (function) — signature fn(item, doer, chargeticks).
• Returns: Nothing.

ReleaseChargedAttack(doer, chargeticks)

• Description: (Server only) Triggers the onchargedattackfn callback for the charged attack.
• Parameters:
  • doer (Entity) — the entity performing the attack (typically the owner).
  • chargeticks (number) — final tick count at release time.
• Returns: Nothing.

Events & listeners

• Listens to (client only):
  • enableddirty — handled by OnEnabledDirty to cancel charge if disabled.
  • ischargingdirty — handled by OnIsCharging to link owner if local player charges.
  • chargeticksdirty — handled by OnChargeTicksDirty to refresh reticule ticks.
• Pushes: None (does not fire custom events internally; relies on owner’s stategraph to push "chargingreticulereleased" or "chargingreticulecancelled").