Skip to main content

Walrus

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-03-07

Overview​

The walrus prefab defines a playable and wild NPC character in DST. It uses the Entity Component System (ECS) to implement combat, locomotion, inventory, sleep, and AI behaviors via its brain and state graph. The walrus can switch between normal and "little" (juvenile) variants, with the latter behaving as a follower. Key behaviors include retargeting nearby entities, sharing aggro with nearby walruses on attack, equipping a blowdart projectile on spawn, and returning to its home at the end of the day (if located in a non-home area).

Usage example​

-- Create a normal walrus
local walrus = Prefab("walrus", create_normal, assets, prefabs)
local inst = walrus()

-- Create a little (juvenile) walrus
local little_walrus = Prefab("little_walrus", create_little, assets)
local child = little_walrus()

-- The component setup is handled internally by the prefab factory functions.
-- No manual component addition is needed by the caller.

Dependencies & tags​

Components used: locomotor, drownable, sleeper, eater, combat, health, lootdropper, inventory, inspectable, leader, follower
Tags: Adds character, walrus, houndfriend, and conditionally taunt_attack (for little walrus). Checks flare_summoned (during save/load), ndeath, debris.

Properties​

PropertyTypeDefault ValueDescription
flare_summonedbooleanfalseTracks whether the walrus is summoned by a flare. Stored in save data.

Main functions​

create_common(build, scale, tag)​

  • Description: Internal helper that constructs the base walrus entity with shared functionality (physics, animations, components, behaviors).
  • Parameters:
    build (string) – anim build name (e.g., "walrus_build" or "walrus_baby_build").
    scale (number) – transform scale factor.
    tag (string or nil) – optional additional tag to add (e.g., "taunt_attack" for little walruses).
  • Returns: The fully configured entity instance.
  • Error states: Returns early with non-master-sim entity if TheWorld.ismastersim is false.

create_normal()​

  • Description: Factory function to create a standard adult walrus.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: Entity instance of normal walrus (1.5 scale, high health, standard stats).

create_little()​

  • Description: Factory function to create a juvenile little walrus, which behaves as a follower and has different stats.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: Entity instance of little walrus (1.0 scale, faster movement, lower damage, follower component, wee_mctusk soundgroup).

EquipBlowdart(inst)​

  • Description: Adds a temporary, non-persistent blowdart to the walrus's inventory and equips it.
  • Parameters:
    inst (entity) – the walrus entity.
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Error states: Skips equip if inventory slot is already occupied.

Retarget(inst)​

  • Description: Callback used by the combat component to find a new valid target.
  • Parameters:
    inst (entity) – the walrus entity.
  • Returns: Entity (or nil) if a suitable target is found within TUNING.WALRUS_TARGET_DIST.
  • Error states: May return nil if no valid target exists within range or tags.

KeepTarget(inst, target)​

  • Description: Determines whether the walrus should keep the current target or drop it.
  • Parameters:
    inst (entity) – the walrus entity.
    target (entity) – the current target.
  • Returns: true if target is still within TUNING.WALRUS_LOSETARGET_DIST, else false.

ShareTargetFn(dude)​

  • Description: Predicate used when sharing aggro with other walruses.
  • Parameters:
    dude (entity) – candidate helper entity.
  • Returns: true if the candidate is a non-dead walrus; false otherwise.

OnAttacked(inst, data)​

  • Description: Event handler that reacts when the walrus is attacked.
  • Parameters:
    inst (entity) – the walrus entity.
    data (table) – contains attacker and other combat-related fields.
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Effect: Sets the attacker as the combat target and summons up to 5 nearby walruses to assist within a 30-unit range.

DoReturn(inst)​

  • Description: Removes the walrus from the world if it has a valid home and executes a home-return event.
  • Parameters:
    inst (entity) – the walrus entity.
  • Returns: Nothing.

ShouldSleep(inst)​

  • Description: Determines if the walrus should fall asleep (default logic unless home is valid).
  • Parameters:
    inst (entity) – the walrus entity.
  • Returns: true if no home exists and default sleep conditions apply; otherwise false.

OnStopDay(inst)​

  • Description: World-state watcher callback triggered at day's end.
  • Parameters:
    inst (entity) – the walrus entity.
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Effect: Calls DoReturn(inst) if the walrus is currently asleep.

OnEntitySleep(inst)​

  • Description: Executed when the entity enters the sleep state.
  • Parameters:
    inst (entity) – the walrus entity.
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Effect: Calls DoReturn(inst) if the world is currently night (not TheWorld.state.isday).

OnSave(inst, data)​

  • Description: Save data serializer.
  • Parameters:
    inst (entity) – the walrus entity.
    data (table) – save data table to populate.
  • Returns: Nothing.

OnLoad(inst, data)​

  • Description: Save data deserializer.
  • Parameters:
    inst (entity) – the walrus entity.
    data (table or nil) – loaded save data.
  • Returns: Nothing.

Events & listeners​

  • Listens to: attacked – triggers OnAttacked to set and share target.
  • Watches world state: stopday – triggers OnStopDay for day-end sleep logic.
  • Listens to entity sleep event: OnEntitySleep – triggers DoReturn at night.