Sentientaxe

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

Overview

Sentientaxe enables Lucy, Woodie's sentient axe, to react dynamically to gameplay events such as owner changes, chopping actions, carving recipes, and Werebeaver transformations. It manages speech delivery via lucy_classified (if present), schedules timed conversations, and responds to proximity-based triggers when the axe is held, equipped, or on the ground. The component relies heavily on the equippable, health, and inventoryitem components to assess context for its behavior.

Usage example

local inst = CreateEntity()
inst:AddComponent("sentientaxe")
-- Once assigned an owner (e.g., via `axepossessedbyplayer` event):
inst.components.sentientaxe:SetOwner(player)
-- Conversations and contextual lines are scheduled automatically.

Dependencies & tags

Components used: equippable, health, inventoryitem, lucy_classified (optional, used conditionally) Tags: Checks wereplayer, playerghost; uses transform state tag via owner's stategraph.

Properties

Property	Type	Default Value	Description
owner	Entity or nil	nil	The current owner of the axe (typically a player).
convo_task	Task or nil	nil	Scheduled task for the next conversation.
say_task	Task or nil	nil	Scheduled task for the next speech line.
warnlevel	number	0	Unused in current implementation.
waslow	boolean	false	Unused in current implementation.
_lastcarvingtalks	table	{}	Tracks cooldown timestamps for carving-related speech entries.

Main functions

SetOwner(owner)

• Description: Assigns a new owner to the axe, updating internal state and attaching/detaching event callbacks based on the previous and new owner. Resets conversation/speech scheduling and clears tracking tables.
• Parameters: owner (Entity or nil) – the new owner entity, or nil to unset.
• Returns: Nothing.
• Error states: No operation occurs if the new owner is identical to the current one.

Say(list, sound_override, delay)

• Description: Triggers speech delivery using the lucy_classified component (if present) and schedules a follow-up conversation if an owner is assigned.
• Parameters:
  • list (table of strings) – array of possible speech lines to choose from.
  • sound_override (string or nil) – optional custom sound path.
  • delay (number or nil) – optional delay (in seconds) before speaking; if provided, scheduling is deferred.
• Returns: Nothing.
• Error states: If say_task is already active, it is cancelled before scheduling a new one.

OnBuildItem(recipename)

• Description: Triggers a carving-specific speech line when the owner completes a recipe that matches a configured STRINGS.LUCY.carve_... entry, respecting a cooldown defined in TUNING.LUCY_CARVING_TALK_COOLDOWN.
• Parameters: recipename (string or nil) – name of the recipe just built; returns early if nil.
• Returns: Nothing.

OnFinishedWork(target, action)

• Description: Triggers speech when the axe (if currently equipped) finishes a work action. Only fires for ACTIONS.CHOP actions.
• Parameters:
  • target (Entity) – the work target.
  • action (Action) – the completed action type.
• Returns: Nothing.

OnWereEaterChanged(old, new, istransforming)

• Description: Alerts the owner when their Werebeaver transformation progress changes (earlier than full transformation). Only speaks on decremented levels and when the axe is held.
• Parameters:
  • old (number) – previous werebeaver level.
  • new (number) – current werebeaver level.
  • istransforming (boolean) – whether currently mid-transformation.
• Returns: Nothing.
• Error states: Returns early if istransforming, new <= old, or the axe is not held (inventoryitem:IsHeld() returns false).

OnBecomeHuman() and OnBecomeWere()

• Description: Triggers transformation-specific speech when the owner transitions between human and Werebeaver forms, but only if the owner is nearby (TALK_TO_OWNER_DISTANCE = 15). Cancels pending speech if the owner is out of range.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

ShouldMakeConversation()

• Description: Determines whether a conversation line can be safely spoken—e.g., the owner exists and is alive, not transforming, not a ghost.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: boolean – true if conversation is allowed; otherwise false.

ScheduleConversation(delay)

• Description: Schedules the next generic conversation line (e.g., talking about being in backpack, equipped, or on the ground) after a randomized interval.
• Parameters: delay (number or nil) – optional override delay in seconds; defaults to 10 + random * 5.
• Returns: Nothing.

MakeConversation()

• Description: Chooses and speaks a context-aware line based on the axe's current state (grounded, equipped, or in container), then reschedules the next conversation.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

Events & listeners

• Listens to:
  • "axepossessedbyplayer" – triggers SetOwner(player) via external handler.
  • "axerejectedowner" – triggers Say(STRINGS.LUCY.other_owner).
  • "axerejectedotheraxe" – triggers speech and cancels pending speech on the conflicting axe.
  • "ondropped" – triggers ground-based speech.
  • "equipped" – triggers speech upon pickup if the owner matches.
  • "builditem" (on owner) – reports carving actions.
  • "finishedwork" (on owner) – reports chopping actions.
  • "wereeaterchanged" (on owner) – warns about transformation progression.
  • "startwereplayer" / "stopwereplayer" (on owner) – reports transformation transitions.
• Pushes: None directly (uses internal tasks for scheduling; events are dispatched via inst:PushEvent(...) only in related handlers outside this component).