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Oldager

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

Overview​

The OldAger component implements a legacy aging system where entities accumulate "time damage" that gradually translates into health damage over time. This mimics natural aging by converting damage events (typically negative health deltas) into a damage-per-second (damage_per_second) value that scales with accumulated damage, which is then applied to the entity's health component at a fixed base rate. It works closely with the health component and the player_classified component to synchronize aging progress across clients.

Usage example​

local inst = CreateEntity()
inst:AddComponent("oldager")
inst.components.oldager:AddValidHealingCause("food") -- e.g., healing via food reverses aging slightly
inst.components.oldager:FastForwardDamageOverTime() -- e.g., to rapidly age an entity

Dependencies & tags​

Components used: health, player_classified Tags: None identified.

Properties​

PropertyTypeDefault ValueDescription
base_ratenumber1/40Base aging rate in years per second.
ratenumber1Multiplier applied to base_rate for effective aging rate.
year_timernumber0Fractional year counter; full integer parts trigger health damage.
damage_remainingnumber0Accumulated unprocessed time damage; positive means aging forward, negative means aging backward.
damage_per_secondnumber0Current rate of aging, derived from damage_remaining.
valid_healing_causestable{}Set of healing causes that reverse aging instead of causing it.
_taking_time_damagebooleanfalseInternal flag to prevent recursive aging during aging-induced health changes.

Main functions​

AddValidHealingCause(cause_name)​

  • Description: Registers a healing cause that, when applied, reduces accumulated age damage (i.e., reverses aging).
  • Parameters: cause_name (string) — identifier for the healing cause (e.g., "food", "healing_potion").
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Error states: None.

OnTakeDamage(amount, overtime, cause, ignore_invincible, afflicter, ignore_absorb)​

  • Description: Handles incoming damage or healing to update the aging meter. Negative health changes (damage) increase aging; valid healing causes reduce aging. This method calculates the new damage_per_second and updates damage_remaining.
  • Parameters:
    • amount (number) — health delta (negative = damage, positive = healing).
    • overtime (boolean) — unused in this implementation.
    • cause (string) — source of damage/healing (e.g., "fire", "food").
    • Other parameters (ignore_invincible, afflicter, ignore_absorb) are ignored.
  • Returns: true — always, allowing the damage event to proceed normally.
  • Error states: Early return with false if _taking_time_damage is already true (prevents recursion).

OnUpdate(dt)​

  • Description: Processes frame-by-frame aging: converts damage_remaining into damage_per_second, updates year_timer, and triggers health damage when accumulated years reach integer thresholds. Syncs aging progress to clients via player_classified.
  • Parameters: dt (number) — delta time in seconds.
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Error states: None. Handles edge cases such as crossing zero in damage_remaining, entity death, and zero damage scenarios.

StopDamageOverTime()​

  • Description: Immediately ends all ongoing aging damage by resetting damage_remaining, damage_per_second, and year_timer. Forces a health update event to refresh UI badges.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: Nothing.

GetCurrentYearPercent()​

  • Description: Returns the fractional year component of year_timer, representing progress within the current year of aging.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: number — value in [0, 1).

FastForwardDamageOverTime()​

  • Description: Immediately processes all accumulated damage_remaining by applying aging at full rate until all damage is resolved.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Error states: Early return with no effect if damage_per_second <= 0 or damage_remaining <= 0.

GetDebugString()​

  • Description: Returns a formatted string with debugging info: current year timer, damage meter, DPS, rate, and delta.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: string — e.g., "Year timer: 0.750, Meter: 120.00, DPS: 30.000, Rate: 1.000, delta 0.02500".

Events & listeners​

  • Listens to: None (the component is self-scheduling via inst:StartUpdatingComponent(self)).
  • Pushes: healthdelta — indirectly via health:DoDelta(); used for UI updates (e.g., badges).