Skip to main content

Signgenerator

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-03-10

Overview​

Signgenerator is a standalone utility function that constructs a randomly generated descriptive phrase for in-game signs. It pulls from predefined linguistic components (QUANTIFIERS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS by tile type, DEFAULT_NOUNS, ADDITIONS) defined in STRINGS.SIGNS, and applies formatting rules to produce grammatically plausible sign text. This function is not an ECS component, but a pure function exported for reuse across prefabs that create signs.

Usage example​

local inst = CreateEntity()
inst:AddComponent("sign")
-- ... after setup ...
local sign_text = require("signgenerator")(inst, player)
inst.components.sign:SetDescription(sign_text)

Dependencies & tags​

Components used: None identified
Tags: None identified
Dependencies: Requires strings module and STRINGS.SIGNS table (populated via localization).

Properties​

No public properties.

Main functions​

GenerateRandomDescription(inst, doer)​

  • Description: Constructs a randomized sign description string by combining a quantifier (with 40% probability), an adjective, a noun based on the doer's current tile type (or a default noun), and optionally an addition phrase (with 20% probability), using localized format strings.
  • Parameters:
    • inst (TheaterEntity) — The entity the sign is attached to (unused in current implementation but passed for context).
    • doer (Entity with GetCurrentTileType()) — The entity whose current tile type informs noun selection.
  • Returns: string — A formatted descriptive text string, e.g., "The Very Shiny Swamp".
  • Error states: May return nil if subfmt fails (e.g., missing format string keys in STRINGS.SIGNS), though this is prevented by fallback defaults.

Events & listeners​

Not applicable.