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Megaflare

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

Overview​

The megaflare is a deployable item prefab that serves as a high-impact visual signal device. When ignited, it triggers a detonation sequence that plays sound effects, updates the HUD overlay for nearby players, notifies other players via speech, and spawns temporary minimap markers. It uses components like burnable, propagator, and inventoryitem, and interacts with the minimap and HUD systems via specialized client-side functions. It does not function as a damage-dealing propagator — its heat and damage output are explicitly disabled.

Usage example​

local flare = SpawnPrefab("megaflare")
flare.Transform:SetPosition(x, y, z)
flare:DoTaskInTime(5, function() 
    if flare ~= nil and flare:IsValid() then
        flare.components.burnable:Ignite()
    end
end)

Dependencies & tags​

Components used: burnable, propagator, tradable, inspectable, inventoryitem, hauntable
Tags: donotautopick (added on spawn)
Notable external components accessed: talker (via player.components.talker:Say()), minimap (via MiniMapEntity), hud (via ThePlayer.HUD)

Properties​

No public properties are exposed directly by the prefab constructor or component functions. State is managed via local variables (inst._megaflarecooldown, inst._small_minimap, inst.flare_igniter) and component-backed fields (e.g., inst.components.propagator.heatoutput).

Main functions​

flare_fn()​

  • Description: The core prefab factory function that creates and configures the main megaflare entity. It sets up animation, physics, inventory behavior, and component hooks, including attaching the burnable component with on_ignite as its ignition handler.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: inst — The fully configured entity instance.
  • Error states: Returns early on the client if TheWorld.ismastersim is false (i.e., non-authoritative simulation).

flare_minimap()​

  • Description: Factory function for the minimap marker entity used during detonation — spawns megaflare_minimap prefabs to enhance local minimap visibility.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: inst — The minimap marker entity.
  • Error states: None identified.

on_ignite(inst, source, doer)​

  • Description: Callback registered via burnable:SetOnIgniteFn(). Initiates the detonation process when the flare is lit: disables saving, disables sleep, plays fire animation, registers animover listener, and plays launch sound.
  • Parameters:
    • inst (Entity) — The megaflare instance.
    • source (Entity or nil) — The source of ignition (e.g., fire).
    • doer (Entity or nil) — The entity that directly ignited the flare (e.g., player).
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Error states: Assigns inst.flare_igniter to doer or source or nil — may be nil if both are missing.

on_ignite_over(inst)​

  • Description: Callback triggered after the "fire" animation completes. Finalizes detonation: spawns minimap flash indicators, notifies nearby players via speech, emits global event megaflare_detonated, and removes the flare entity.
  • Parameters: inst (Entity) — The megaflare instance.
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Error states: inst.flare_igniter is cleaned up if invalid before event push.

show_flare_hud(inst)​

  • Description: Client-side function that plays detonation sound if not on cooldown and updates the HUD overlay based on player proximity. Invokes SetupHudIndicator() for longer-distance detection.
  • Parameters: inst (Entity) — The megaflare instance.
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Error states: Returns early if ThePlayer is nil.

show_flare_minimap(inst)​

  • Description: Client-side (and master sim) function that spawns and configures a globalmapicon entity to mirror the flare’s minimap presence. Also schedules periodic minimap icon swapping via do_flare_minimap_swap.
  • Parameters: inst (Entity) — The megaflare instance.
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Error states: None identified.

Events & listeners​

  • Listens to:

    • animover — fires on_ignite_over after the "fire" animation completes.
    • ondropped — triggers on_dropped (plays "place" animation then reverts to "idle").
    • floater_startfloating — plays "float" animation.
    • floater_stopfloating — plays "idle" animation.
    • onremove — triggers RemoveHudIndicator to clean up HUD indicator.

  • Pushes:

    • startflareoverlay — client event (via ThePlayer:PushEvent()) to trigger HUD overlay (only if close enough).
    • megaflare_detonated — global world event with {sourcept, pt, igniter} payload upon detonation.