Gestalt

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-03-05

Overview

The gestalt prefab constructs the Brightmare Gestalt boss entity—a dynamic, player-targeting enemy that tracks the nearest viable player within a defined range, respects sleep/protected states, and adjusts its visual transparency based on observer sanity. It integrates the brightmarespawner component for target selection and employs the gestaltcapturable component to handle capture logic. The prefab also spawns an associated gestalt_trail FX entity on creation.

Usage example

--Typical use is via Prefab("gestalt", fn, assets, prefabs), not manual instantiation.
--However, to reference its core properties after spawning:
local gestalt = SpawnPrefab("gestalt")
if gestalt ~= nil and gestalt.components then
    --Example: manually update tracking target
    gestalt:SetTrackingTarget(some_player, 2)
    --Example: inspect sanity-based alpha value via client-only component
    if gestalt.components.transparentonsanity then
        gestalt.components.transparentonsanity:ForceUpdate()
    end
end

Dependencies & tags

Components used: inspectable, sanityaura, locomotor, combat, gestaltcapturable, transparentonsanity (client-only), brightmarespawner (accessed via TheWorld.components).
Tags added: brightmare, brightmare_gestalt, NOBLOCK, lunar_aligned, gestaltcapturable, scarytoprey (added/removed dynamically with combat state).

Properties

Property	Type	Default Value	Description
inst._level	net_tinybyte (replica)	1	Networked level value for replication.
inst.tracking_target	entity or nil	nil	Current entity the Gestalt is tracking.
inst.behaviour_level	number	1	Behavioral context level used for brain/state logic.
inst._can_despawn	boolean	false (until timeout)	Enables despawn after GESTALT_TIMEOUT.
inst.blobhead	entity or nil	nil (server-only)	Head FX entity parented to the Gestalt (client-only).
inst.OnTrackingTargetRemoved	function or nil	nil	Callback set on target removal events.

Main functions

FindRelocatePoint(inst)

• Description: Requests a new relocation point for the Gestalt using the brightmarespawner component.
• Parameters: inst — the Gestalt entity instance.
• Returns: Vector3 or nil — world position for relocation, or nil if none available.
• Error states: Returns nil if TheWorld.components.brightmarespawner is missing or fails.

SetHeadAlpha(inst, a)

• Description: Sets the alpha (transparency) of the blobhead FX if present.
• Parameters: a — alpha value (0 = invisible, 1 = opaque).
• Returns: Nothing.
• Error states: No-op if inst.blobhead is nil.

SetTrackingTarget(inst, target, behaviour_level)

• Description: Updates the Gestalt's tracking target, removing old listeners and adding new ones for target removal/death.
• Parameters:
  target — the entity to track (or nil to clear).
  behaviour_level — numeric context level used by the AI.
• Returns: Nothing.
• Error states: Gracefully handles nil target and duplicate assignments.

UpdateBestTrackingTarget(inst)

• Description: Queries brightmarespawner:FindBestPlayer(inst) to locate and set the optimal tracking target.
• Parameters: inst — the Gestalt entity instance.
• Returns: Nothing.

Retarget(inst)

• Description: Validates the current tracking_target for targeting eligibility: checks cooldown, range, sleeping state, and gestalt protection.
• Parameters: inst — the Gestalt entity instance.
• Returns: entity or nil — the valid target, or nil if invalid.
• Error states: Returns nil if the target is missing, in cooldown, out of range, sleeping, or protected.

OnNewCombatTarget(inst, data)

• Description: Listener for newcombattarget event; adds inspectable and scarytoprey tags on first combat activation.
• Parameters: inst — the Gestalt entity instance.
  data — event payload (unused).
• Returns: Nothing.
• Error states: Adds inspectable only if not already present.

OnNoCombatTarget(inst)

• Description: Listener for droppedtarget/losttarget events; resets combat cooldown and removes inspect tags.
• Parameters: inst — the Gestalt entity instance.
• Returns: Nothing.

OnCaptured(inst, obj, doer)

• Description: Callback invoked when the Gestalt is captured; removes the entity entirely.
• Parameters: inst — the Gestalt entity instance.
  obj — captured object (unused).
  doer — capturing entity (unused).
• Returns: Nothing.

Events & listeners

• Listens to: newcombattarget — triggers OnNewCombatTarget.
• Listens to: droppedtarget — triggers OnNoCombatTarget.
• Listens to: losttarget — triggers OnNoCombatTarget.
• Listens to (per target): onremove, death — triggers OnTrackingTargetRemoved to clear tracking target.

The transparentonsanity component (client-only) uses its own event system but is not directly listened to by gestalt.lua; it updates on sanity changes via ForceUpdate.