Shadow Harvester Trail

Based on game build 722832 | Last updated: 2026-04-28

Overview

shadow_harvester_trail.lua defines a visual effect prefab used to render a shadowy trail around an entity (typically associated with the Shadow Harvester or WX-78 nightmare fuel effects). The prefab attaches animation and sound components but relies on client-side logic for the trail generation. It uses an object pooling system (trailfx_pool) to recycle effect entities rather than spawning new ones continuously. The trail logic is skipped on dedicated servers (TheNet:IsDedicated()).

Usage example

-- Spawn the trail effect at a specific position:
local inst = SpawnPrefab("shadow_harvester_trail")
inst.Transform:SetPosition(10, 0, 10)

-- The trail logic initializes automatically on non-dedicated clients:
-- No manual function calls required; effects persist until entity removal.

Dependencies & tags

Entity built-ins:

• Transform -- position and parenting
• AnimState -- animation playback and layering
• SoundEmitter -- audio playback (attached but unused in source)
• Network -- entity replication metadata

Tags:

• CLASSIFIED -- added to child fx entities to hide them from debug selection

Properties

Property	Type	Default Value	Description
assets	table	{...}	Array of Asset entries loaded with the prefab.
trailfx	table	{}	Array of active trail effect entities currently visible. Assigned in fn() on non-dedicated sims.
trailfx_pool	table	{}	Pool of inactive effect entities available for recycling. Assigned in fn() on non-dedicated sims.

Main functions

fn()

• Description: Prefab constructor. Creates the base entity, attaches components, and configures animations. On non-dedicated simulations, initializes the trail effect system (trailfx, trailfx_pool) and starts the generation task. Returns inst for both client and master simulations.
• Parameters: None
• Returns: entity instance
• Error states: None.

CreateOneshotFx() (local)

• Description: Creates a child entity used for supplementary visual effects (shadow breath). Configures animation bank, build, and randomizes initial animation frame. Sets persists = false so it does not save.
• Parameters: None
• Returns: entity instance (child fx)
• Error states: None.

InitializeFx(inst, fx) (local)

• Description: Configures a trail effect entity for playback. Adds fx to inst.trailfx, queues the animation sequence (blob_decal_pre -> blob_decal_loop -> blob_decal_pst), and randomizes the scale of the child oneshot fx.
• Parameters:
  • inst -- parent entity owning the trail system
  • fx -- trail effect entity to initialize
• Returns: None
• Error states: Errors if inst.trailfx is nil (should be initialized in fn()).

CreateTrailFx(inst) (local)

• Description: Recursive task. Retrieves an effect entity from trailfx_pool or creates a new one if the pool is empty. Positions the effect randomly within a small radius (0.1 to 0.2 units) around inst. Initializes the fx and schedules the next call via DoTaskInTime (3-5 frames delay).
• Parameters: inst -- parent entity
• Returns: None
• Error states: Errors if inst.Transform is missing (required for GetWorldPosition).

ExpireTrailFx(inst) (local)

• Description: Cleanup function called on entity removal. Marks all active effects in trailfx for finalization (finalize = true) and removes all pooled effects in trailfx_pool.
• Parameters: inst -- parent entity
• Returns: None
• Error states: Errors if inst.trailfx or inst.trailfx_pool is nil.

Events & listeners

• Listens to: onremove (on inst) -- triggers ExpireTrailFx to clean up all trail particles when the parent entity is removed.
• Listens to: animqueueover (on fx children) -- triggers recycling logic; if fx.finalize is true, the entity is removed, otherwise it is returned to trailfx_pool.