Skip to main content

Alterguardian Summon Fx

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-03-04

Overview​

alterguardian_summon_fx is a client-side prefab responsible for rendering the summoning visual sequence for the Alterguardian boss. It manages a multi-phase animation (summon_pre → summon_loop → summon_pst) and dynamically adjusts light intensity, radius, and falloff using frame-specific modulation tables. On non-dedicated clients, it also spawns and synchronizes a separate "back effect" entity (alterguardian_summon_backfx) that plays in parallel. The component is non-persistent and self-deleting after the full animation completes.

Usage example​

This prefab is created internally by the game engine via Prefab("alterguardian_summon_fx", fn, assets) and is not typically added manually by modders. A typical usage pattern would be:

-- Not intended for direct instantiation by modders.
-- The game spawns this prefab as needed during Alterguardian summoning.
-- Example (internal use only):
local fx = SpawnPrefab("alterguardian_summon_fx")
fx.Transform:SetPosition(pos)

Dependencies & tags​

Components used: transform, animstate, light, network Tags: Adds FX; self-removes on animation completion.

Properties​

No public properties.

Main functions​

CLIENT_MakeBackFX()​

  • Description: Creates and returns a standalone "back" FX entity (alterguardian_summon_backfx) used for layered visuals behind the main FX. It plays summon_back_pre followed by a looping summon_back_loop.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: inst (Entity) — the created back FX entity, or nil if creation fails.

set_lightvalues(inst, val)​

  • Description: Updates the entity’s light properties (intensity, radius, falloff) and animation light override based on a scalar val.
  • Parameters:
    • val (number) — a modulation factor in (0, 1] used to scale light parameters.
  • Returns: Nothing.

periodic_light_update(inst)​

  • Description: Called periodically (every FRAMES) to update light values based on the current animation frame. It selects the appropriate modulation table (pre-loop-post) and applies the corresponding val.
  • Parameters:
    • inst (Entity) — the FX instance.
  • Returns: Nothing.

on_endloop(inst)​

  • Description: Triggered by the endloop event when the loop animation finishes. Plays the post-animation (summon_pst), signals completion via _end_loop event, and registers cleanup on animover.
  • Parameters:
    • inst (Entity) — the FX instance.
  • Returns: Nothing.

pre_over(inst)​

  • Description: Marks the pre-animation phase as finished by setting _pre_finished = true, which influences light modulation table selection.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: Nothing.

CLIENT_end_backfx(inst)​

  • Description: Ends the back FX sequence by playing summon_back_pst and scheduling removal after animation ends.
  • Parameters:
    • inst (Entity) — the main FX instance (used to access _back_fx).
  • Returns: Nothing.

CLIENT_start_back_fx(inst)​

  • Description: Spawns the back FX entity at the same position as inst, and registers a listener to end the back FX when the main FX loops.
  • Parameters:
    • inst (Entity) — the main FX instance.
  • Returns: Nothing.

Events & listeners​

  • Listens to:
    • endloop — triggers on_endloop when the summon_loop animation completes.
    • animover — triggers Remove to clean up the entity after animation finishes (set in on_endloop).
    • alterguardian_summon_fx._end_loop — triggers CLIENT_end_backfx on the main entity (client-side only).
  • Pushes:
    • alterguardian_summon_fx._end_loop — networked event fired via inst._end_loop:push() at loop completion.