Lobbyscreen

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-03-09

Overview

LobbyScreen is the primary screen component that orchestrates the multiplayer lobby UI in Don't Starve Together. It handles character selection, skin customization (loadouts), waiting for other players, and post-match summary panels (e.g., XP and MVP cards). It organizes its UI into a sequence of panels (e.g., CharacterSelectPanel, LoadoutPanel, WaitingPanel, WxpPanel, ServerLockedPanel, LavaarenaFestivalBookPannel) and switches between them based on game mode and server state. It interacts heavily with network and world components (e.g., worldcharacterselectlobby) to coordinate player readiness and server shutdown status.

Usage example

local LobbyScreen = require "screens/redux/lobbyscreen"
local profile = TheFrontEnd:GetProfile()

-- Construct and push the lobby screen, passing in a callback to execute on game start
local screen = LobbyScreen(profile, function(char, skin_base, body, hand, legs, feet)
    -- Start the game with the selected character and skins
    StartGameWorld(char, {base=skin_base, body=body, hand=hand, legs=legs, feet=feet})
end)

TheFrontEnd:PushScreen(screen)

Dependencies & tags

Components used: worldcharacterselectlobby (via IsServerLockedForShutdown), TheNet, TheWorld, Settings.match_results, TheSkillTree, TheSim, TheMixer, TheFrontEnd, TheInput, TheGlobalInstance, Client_IsTournamentActive. Tags: None identified.

Properties

Property	Type	Default Value	Description
profile	table	nil	User profile containing character ownership, loadouts, and XP data. Passed at construction.
cb	function	nil	Callback invoked when the game is started. Receives (char, skin_base, clothing_body, clothing_hand, clothing_legs, clothing_feet).
lobbycharacter	string	nil	Currently selected character for lobby display (before final game loadout).
character_for_game	string	nil	Final character prefab chosen for the upcoming match.
currentskins	table	nil	Table containing base, body, hand, legs, feet skin overrides.
panels	table	{}	Ordered list of panel constructors (e.g., {panelfn = WxpPanel}). Populated at construction.
current_panel_index	number	0	Index of the currently active panel in panels.
panel	widget	nil	Instance of the currently active panel widget.
panel_title	Text widget	nil	Title text element displayed above panels.
back_button	Button widget	nil	Back/Disconnect button; its action changes based on panel position.
next_button	Button widget	nil	Next/Start button; triggers panel-specific logic (e.g., switching panels or starting the game).
chat_sidebar	ChatSidebar widget	nil	Chat widget used to display and manage lobby chat.
issoundplaying	boolean	false	Tracks whether lobby music is currently playing.

Main functions

StartGame(lobby)

• Description: Immediately stops lobby music and invokes the cb callback passed at construction, effectively transitioning from the lobby to the game world. Disables the start button if present.
• Parameters: lobby (table) – the LobbyScreen instance.
• Returns: Nothing.

ToNextPanel(dir)

• Description: Switches to the next or previous panel based on dir (1 for forward, -1 for backward), skipping disabled panels if defined. Handles cleanup, focus reassignment, and UI updates for the new panel.
• Parameters: dir (number) – direction to move (1 or -1).
• Returns: Nothing. May call TheFrontEnd:PushScreen to show a quit confirmation dialog if at the first panel.

OnBecomeActive()

• Description: Called when the screen becomes active. Starts lobby music and invokes the OnBecomeActive method on the active panel if present.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

OnDestroy()

• Description: Called when the screen is destroyed. Stops lobby music and cleans up the base screen state.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

StartLobbyMusic()

• Description: Plays lobby-themed music and sound effects if not already playing. Uses the mixer to set the master level and push the "lobby" mix.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

StopLobbyMusic()

• Description: Stops lobby music and sound effects, and pops the "lobby" mix from the mixer.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

DoConfirmQuit()

• Description: Shows a confirmation dialog before quitting the lobby. The dialog text differs if the local client is the server (host) or a client.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing. Calls DoRestart(true) if confirmed.

DoFocusHookups()

• Description: Configures focus navigation between the chat sidebar and the current panel, allowing keyboard/controller navigation between chat and the panel UI.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

Events & listeners

• Listens to: lobbyplayerspawndelay on TheWorld – triggers StartGame(self) when data.active is true and data.time == 0; disables back button when data.active is true.
• Pushes: None.