Msw Combat System

msw-combat-system

The full MSW combat pipeline. Covers only items in the common 2D combat layer that have MSW native API support, regardless of genre. Excludes formulas/theory. API signatures are based on Environment/NativeScripts/**/*.d.mlua.

0. Coverage matrix

0.5 References — where to go

This SKILL.md covers only the system flow and native API surface. Actual model JSON, full script code, and variation patterns are in the references/* files below — Read them directly.

Priority: this SKILL.md (concepts + API tables) → the relevant references/ (full implementation)*.

1. Attack Resolution

1-1. Shape & Attack trigger

HitComponent.ColliderType supports only Box / Circle / Polygon. Other shapes must be approximated by composition.

AttackComponent:
  Attack(Vector2 size, Vector2 offset, string attackInfo, CollisionGroup? cg)    → table<Component>
  Attack(Shape shape, string attackInfo, CollisionGroup? cg)                     → table<Component>
  AttackFast(Shape shape, string attackInfo, CollisionGroup? cg)                 → void   (for mass resolution, bullet hell)
  AttackFrom(Vector2 size, Vector2 position, string attackInfo, CollisionGroup? cg) → table<Component>
  emitter EmitAttackEvent(AttackEvent)

• Shapes: CircleShape(position, radius) / BoxShape(position, size, angle) / PolygonShape(position, points, angle). For an axis-aligned rectangle, use BoxShape(center, size, 0) — there is no RectangleShape type. Pass angle = 0 to BoxShape / PolygonShape when no rotation is needed.
• Polygon hit surface: HitComponent.PolygonPoints: SyncList<Vector2>
• AttackFast does not build a hit table → better performance for bullet hell / mass resolution

1-2. Target filter

If either returns false → the hit is excluded. The super call is __base:IsAttackTarget(...) (mlua-specific).

⚠ Do not add @ExecSpace when overriding — both IsAttackTarget and IsHitTarget have an unspecified ExecSpace (=All) on the parent. Adding an annotation like @ExecSpace("ServerOnly") in the child triggers LEA-3014 SignatureMismatch at runtime. Even without the annotation, the call path runs through the server-side hit pipeline, so actual execution happens on the server. Details: msw-scripting/SKILL.md §9 "Method override".

• The cg argument of Attack*(..., cg) is an exact-match filter on the defender's HitComponent.CollisionGroup (defaults to CollisionGroups.HitBox). It does not consult the collision matrix, and the attacker's own group is irrelevant. nil (omitted) = every HitComponent is a candidate. A valid group that differs from the defenders' actual group hits 0 targets with no error (silent); a group reference that does not exist in this world's collision group set behaves like nil (all groups). When passing a group (e.g. CollisionGroups.Monster), first set the target monsters' HitComponent.CollisionGroup to that same group — the sample workspace monsters override it to Monster, which is why the sample attack scripts work. A model imported from another world whose group id is missing from this world's set silently registers under the Default group — reach it with nil or CollisionGroups.Default.
• Duplicate-hit prevention / pierce / max hits: not native. Manage in script via the table returned by Attack + a table<Entity, boolean> cache.

1-3. attackInfo tagging

A string extension point that propagates into CalcDamage/IsHitTarget/GetDisplayHitCount. Value conventions are up to the project. A namespace style such as "melee.light", "dot.poison" is recommended.

1-4. ⚠️ IsLegacy

ColliderType/ColliderOffset/PolygonPoints are only valid when HitComponent.IsLegacy = false. BoxOffset/ColliderName are deprecated.

1-5. Shape mapping per attack form

There is no MSW-specific projectile system — implemented as an entity + AttackComponent combo.

1-6. Continuous movement — common rules for projectiles, monsters, and AI

Continuous movement (chase, flight, auto-move) is per-frame OnUpdate(delta)-based. Moving via a timer (SetTimerRepeat(0.1~0.15s)) produces 6~10Hz teleportation that looks choppy.

Recommended API per target

For the actual velocity conversion of MovementComponent.InputSpeed per map type, see msw-general/references/platform.md §10 (MapleTile=×1, RectTile=÷1.2, SideView=×1.5).

Forbidden patterns

⚠ Be cautious with the official msw-search antipattern

mlua_Document_Retriever returns a high-scoring "Entity Movement Control Using MovementComponent" document, but the body is an antipattern that moves every frame inside OnUpdate with MovementComponent:SetPosition(...) — ignore that document and use MoveToDirection / Translate from the table above. FlappyFish Remake, Stopping the Taxi, and Making a Moving Foothold also show missing-delta or direct-Position assignment, so be careful when referring to them.

MovementComponent attachment — monsters / NPCs

Not included in the monster model by default. The .model must contain all of the following components.

Cross references

• Knockback (1-shot impulse) is not continuous movement, so use §3-1 directly.
• Body selection per map type / InputSpeed conversion: msw-general/references/platform.md §4·§10

1-7. Collision-based hit — pick the detection method (do not hand-roll distance)

When the request is "collision / contact-based hit" (player↔monster touch damage, hazard zone, trap, overlap), pick by intent. Per-frame distance math is not the default — reaching for it when the design asked for collider-based contact is the most common requester↔implementer mismatch.

• ❌ Per-frame math.sqrt(dx*dx+dy*dy) < r for player↔monster or multi-target collision: it silently approximates one circle centered on the transform (ignores each collider's shape / size / ColliderOffset), skips CollisionGroup filtering, and costs O(attackers × targets) every frame. "Collision-based hit" means native colliders, not distance polling.
• CollisionGroup defaults to CollisionGroups.TriggerBox. OnStayTriggerBody fires every frame while overlapping — gate damage with a cooldown, don't apply per tick.
• Detection ≠ damage application: after a native overlap fires, still deal damage through HitEvent / AttackComponent — never subtract HP directly.

2. Damage Model

AttackComponent:
  method integer CalcDamage(attacker, defender, attackInfo)        -- default 1     (ExecSpace=All)
  method boolean CalcCritical(attacker, defender, attackInfo)      -- default false (ExecSpace=All)
  method float   GetCriticalDamageRate()                           -- default 2.0   (ExecSpace=All)
  method int32   GetDisplayHitCount(attackInfo)                    -- default 1     (ExecSpace=All)
  method void    OnAttack(defender)                                                 -- (ExecSpace=All)

HitComponent:
  method void OnHit(Entity attacker, integer damage, boolean isCritical, string attackInfo, int32 hitCount)
  emitter EmitHitEvent(HitEvent)

⚠ All hooks above have an unspecified ExecSpace (=All) on the parent. Adding @ExecSpace("ServerOnly") etc. when overriding triggers LEA-3014 SignatureMismatch. Drop the annotation and declare just method .... Details: msw-scripting/SKILL.md §9 "Method override".

2-1. HitEvent payload

AttackCenter:   Vector2
AttackerEntity: Entity (nilable)
Damages:        List<integer>    -- multi-hit split
Extra:          any              -- ★ extension slot (knockback/stun/element/tags)
IsCritical:     boolean
TotalDamage:    integer
FeedbackAction: HitFeedbackAction  -- ⚠ entire enum deprecated

Carry auxiliary info (knockback vector, stagger time, element) on the Extra table.

2-2. AttackEvent payload

A single field, DefenderEntity: Entity. The attacker is the handler's self.

2-3. ⚠️ Antipattern: direct HP subtraction — do not bypass HitEvent

Subtracting the defender's HP directly, such as monster.Hp -= damage / target.MonsterAI.HP -= damage, does not emit HitEvent — damage skin, hit effect, IsHitTarget immunity, and OnHit overrides all silently skip.

For player-side custom damage (channel / aura / DoT), the bypass also breaks avatar animation: AvatarStateAnimationComponent only reacts to StateChangeEvent, so the player avatar stays in idle even though the HP bar drops. If you must apply damage without HitEvent, also manually call StateComponent:ChangeState("HIT") (UPPERCASE key — see §10) and, for death/revive, PlayerComponent:ProcessDead() / ProcessRevive(). Otherwise hit/dead motions silently miss with no error.

3. Hit Reaction

3-1. Knockback — API per Body

• Rigidbody is auto-damped by the engine. Kinematic/Sideview must be damped manually inside OnUpdate (MoveVelocity *= 0.9).
• Wall bounce: subscribe to FootholdCollisionEvent and flip the velocity.
• Knockback is a 1-shot impulse — do not confuse it with continuous movement (chase, flight). For continuous movement see §1-6.
• ⚠ Forbidden: assigning TransformComponent.Position directly on an entity with an active Body → network sync is blocked. body:SetPosition(...) is a teleport method, so do not call it inside an OnUpdate loop (§1-6).

3-2. i-frame

Standard pattern: deadline check based on _UtilLogic.ElapsedSeconds + returning false from HitComponent:IsHitTarget. The DefaultPlayer default PlayerHit.mlua provides this pattern as-is (§9-4).

Alternative: while invincible, swap HitComponent.CollisionGroup to a separate group → the resolution itself is excluded. This is better for frame-accurate precision.

3-3. Status effects (Buff/Debuff)

No native support. Implement a @Component BuffComponent directly + tick with _TimerService:SetTimerRepeat + broadcast custom StatusAppliedEvent/StatusExpiredEvent.

For a single simple stun, StateComponent:ChangeState("STUN") + input/AI block flags is enough.

4. Game Feel — all native

PlayEffect options keys: FlipX, FlipY, SortingLayer, OrderInLayer, Alpha, StartFrameIndex, EndFrameIndex, PlayRate, SyncFlip, Color, MaterialID, IgnoreMapLayerCheck, LitMode

Get the current camera: _CameraService:GetCurrentCameraComponent().

ParticleService — built-in particles

General-purpose particle effects driven by enum values only, no RUID. 3 categories:

-- BasicParticle: general-purpose presets (no RUID needed)
integer _ParticleService:PlayBasicParticle(BasicParticleType, Entity instigator, Vector3 pos, number zRot, Vector3 scale, boolean isLoop, Dictionary options)
integer _ParticleService:PlayBasicParticleAttached(BasicParticleType, Entity parent, Vector3 localPos, number localZRot, Vector3 localScale, boolean isLoop, Dictionary options)

-- SpriteParticle: custom sprite as a particle (spriteRUID required)
integer _ParticleService:PlaySpriteParticle(SpriteParticleType, string spriteRUID, Entity instigator, Vector3 pos, number zRot, Vector3 scale, boolean isLoop, Dictionary options)
integer _ParticleService:PlaySpriteParticleAttached(SpriteParticleType, string spriteRUID, Entity parent, Vector3 localPos, number localZRot, Vector3 localScale, boolean isLoop, Dictionary options)

-- AreaParticle: environmental particles over a wide area (areaSize added)
integer _ParticleService:PlayAreaParticle(AreaParticleType, Vector2 areaSize, Entity instigator, Vector3 pos, number zRot, Vector3 scale, boolean isLoop, Dictionary options)

void _ParticleService:RemoveParticle(integer serial)

options keys: Color, SortingLayer, OrderInLayer, ParticleSize, ParticleCount

Looping particles (isLoop=true) must be cleaned up via RemoveParticle(serial). Store the serial in self._T so it can be removed later.

Full BasicParticleType list

Full SpriteParticleType list (8)

Full AreaParticleType list (12)

Choosing between EffectService and ParticleService

Standard pattern for server event → client effect: @Sync property change → detected in OnSyncProperty(ClientOnly) → call EffectService/ParticleService.

5. Death / Revive

Tracking the killer: DeadEvent has no payload → cache self.LastAttacker = event.AttackerEntity in HandleHitEvent and use it in HandleDeadEvent.

For player-specific death/revive, prefer §9-1 PlayerComponent.Respawn/ProcessDead/ProcessRevive.

6. Event Bus

6-1. Custom event rules

• Definition: @Event script XxxEvent extends EventType + property declarations
• Receiving: the handler keyword (not method), @EventSender("Self" | "Service","XxxService" | "Logic","XxxLogic")
• Connect/disconnect: entity:ConnectEvent(XxxEvent, self.Handler) / call DisconnectEvent in OnEndPlay (the engine does not auto-disconnect)
• Global: @Logic CombatEventBusLogic singleton + @EventSender("Logic","CombatEventBusLogic")

7. AI — FSM(StateComponent) + BT(AIComponent) + custom-script (Pattern A), all native-compatible

7-1. FSM — StateComponent (summary)

StateComponent + @State script XxxStateType extends StateType (lifecycle OnEnter/OnUpdate/OnExit/OnConditionCheck). The only auto-registered states are IDLE/DEAD (+ HIT if a HitComponent exists, MOVE if an AIChase/AIWander exists) — ATTACK/PATROL/STUN/PHASE2 etc. must all be pre-registered via AddState("name", XxxStateType) in OnBeginPlay. Auto transitions use AddCondition(from, to) + per-frame OnConditionCheck().

⚠ State names must be UPPERCASE; unregistered names immediately produce [LEA-3005] InvalidArgument : 'stateName'. Registering a key in AvatarStateAnimationComponent.StateToAvatarBodyActionSheet does not auto-register it in StateComponent — the two are separate.

Full implementation → ../msw-general/references/animation-state.md (FSM authoring, ChangeState failure matrix, standard PATROL/CHASE/ATTACK/HIT/DEAD monster pattern, and the state→animation pipeline live together — the two are the same underlying system viewed from two angles)

7-2. BT — AIComponent (summary)

AIComponent + SequenceNode/SelectorNode/RandomSelectorNode/ParallelNode + @BTNode Action Nodes + native AIChaseComponent/AIWanderComponent. All 4 Composite types are native, and a custom child-flow policy can be scripted via @BTNode ... extends CompositeNode (ChildCount/ChildBehave); Decorator/Memory(Blackboard)/Threat Table must be implemented by hand.

⚠ When using custom BT, remove AIChaseComponent/AIWanderComponent from the .model.

Full implementation → references/ai-bt.md

Full monster entity composition → ../msw-general/references/monster.md

This SKILL.md only covers combat-specific aspects (ATTACK/HIT/DEAD + DeadEvent/ReviveEvent + BT entry point). For general mlua state machine / scripting patterns see msw-scripting.

8. UI natives

Worldspace HP bar (overhead): no native support. Two implementation options:

9. DefaultPlayer combat natives

The player entity has HP, revive, and input natively. Do not create custom Hp/MaxHp properties — use PlayerComponent.

The full property/method tables for PlayerComponent / PlayerControllerComponent are in msw-defaultplayer/SKILL.md. Only combat essentials here.

9-1. Core combat APIs

⚠ Auto-attack / AI-triggered attack must set facing first. LookDirectionX is a writable @Sync property — assigning 1/-1 flips the player avatar to face that way. The default input pipeline only updates it from movement input, so an attack fired without movement (auto-battle loop, AI tick, skill button) keeps the last facing (default left) — the avatar looks the wrong way and the LookDirectionX-based attack box (§1-5) resolves on the wrong side. Before such an attack, point it at the target: controller.LookDirectionX = target.TransformComponent.WorldPosition.x >= self.Entity.TransformComponent.WorldPosition.x and 1 or -1. Assign the sign only (±1), never the raw position delta — the attack offset multiplies LookDirectionX, so a non-unit value scales/mislocates the hitbox.

9-3. PlayerActionEvent

property string ActionName       -- "Attack" / "Jump" / "Crouch" / ...
property Entity PlayerEntity

The default pattern is PlayerAttack extends AttackComponent that receives @EventSender("Self") handler HandlePlayerActionEvent(...) and branches on event.ActionName == "Attack".

9-4. Default templates (RootDesk/MyDesk/)

Copy-paste without modification. Override as needed:

9-5. Time reference

_UtilLogic.ElapsedSeconds is recommended (world clock, consistent across pause/restore). Do not use os.clock().

9-6. Standard CollisionGroups

10. Avatar motion — AvatarStateAnimationComponent

Auto-links StateComponent transitions to avatar animations.

@Sync property SyncDictionary<string, AvatarBodyActionElement> StateToAvatarBodyActionSheet  -- IsLegacy=false
@Sync property SyncDictionary<string, string>                  ActionSheet                    -- IsLegacy=true (deprecated)

method void   SetActionSheet(string key, string animationClipRuid)
method void   RemoveActionSheet(string key)
method string StateStringToAnimationKey(string stateName)
emitter EmitBodyActionStateChangeEvent(BodyActionStateChangeEvent)

• ChangeState("HIT") → the mapped MapleAvatarBodyActionState.Hit plays automatically
• Combat-relevant state values: Attack=3, Hit=14, Dead=10, Alert=4, Heal=13
• IsLegacy=false fixed; use only StateToAvatarBodyActionSheet

The full avatar component coverage (AvatarRendererComponent etc.) is in msw-defaultplayer. This section covers only combat motion mapping.

11. Damage skin (number display)

Default RUIDs

11-1. Auto mode (component-based)

On Attack/AttackFast, if all 3 components below are present, damage numbers are displayed automatically:

Include all 3 in the .model and damage numbers appear with zero script code.

DamageSkinSettingComponent (attacker)

DamageSkinTweenType: Default (popup) / Volcano (fan) / Blade (overlap) / each *Mini (75% scale)

DamageSkinSpawnerComponent (defender)

11-2. Manual mode — DamageSkinService

Cases not caught by auto mode (heal, Miss/Guard, non-standard damage sources) call _DamageSkinService directly.

_DamageSkinService:Play(targetEntity, skinRuid, delay, damages:List<int>, tweenType, isCritical, offset, scale, playRate, alpha, litMode)
_DamageSkinService:PlayTextDamage(targetEntity, skinRuid, textType, tweenType)
_DamageSkinService:PreloadAsync(skinRuid, callback(success))    -- ClientOnly

DamageSkinTextType: Miss / Guard / Resist / Shot / Counter

⚠ _DamageSkinService:Play is in the Client space — to call it from server logic (HP subtraction, etc.) wrap it in an @ExecSpace("Client") method or change a @Sync property and trigger from OnSyncProperty.

⚠ Play() has 6 required parameters. Passing only some of the 5 optional ones triggers LEA-3005 InvalidArgument.

11-3. Recipes

(a) Critical emphasis — auto mode + dynamic scale

Auto mode renders red font automatically when IsCritical=true. To emphasize further, temporarily increase the attacker-side scale:

-- ⚠ AttackComponent hooks (CalcDamage/CalcCritical/GetCriticalDamageRate/GetDisplayHitCount/
--   IsAttackTarget/IsHitTarget/OnAttack) have an unspecified ExecSpace (=All) on the parent.
--   Adding @ExecSpace when overriding triggers LEA-3014 SignatureMismatch.
--   Details: msw-scripting/SKILL.md §9 "Method override → LEA-3014"
method integer CalcDamage(Entity attacker, Entity defender, string attackInfo)
    return 100
end

method boolean CalcCritical(Entity attacker, Entity defender, string attackInfo)
    return math.random() < 0.3
end

method float GetCriticalDamageRate()
    return 2.5     -- 100 → 250
end

Differentiate criticals visually with DamageSkinSettingComponent.TweenType = Volcano (fan scatter) or Blade (overlap).

(b) Heal / recovery — manual call

local HEAL_RUID = "d58b67cf0f3a4eaf9fe1ad87c0ffac8a"

@ExecSpace("Client")
method void ShowHeal(Entity target, integer amount)
    _DamageSkinService:Play(
        target, HEAL_RUID, 0,
        { amount },                            -- damages
        DamageSkinTweenType.Default,
        false,                                 -- isCritical
        Vector2(0, 0.5),                       -- offset (above head)
        Vector2(1, 1), 1.0, 1.0, LitMode.Default
    )
end

(c) Miss / Guard / Resist text

local HIT_RUID = "02c22d93421b4038b3c413b3e40b57ec"

@ExecSpace("Client")
method void ShowMiss(Entity target)
    _DamageSkinService:PlayTextDamage(
        target, HIT_RUID, DamageSkinTextType.Miss, DamageSkinTweenType.Default
    )
end

Call this when AttackComponent:IsAttackTarget returned false → "miss animation + damage 0".

(d) Multi-hit — split into N with a single call

If you pass a List as the damages argument of _DamageSkinService:Play, the numbers are shown sequentially at DelayPerAttack (attacker component value) intervals:

_DamageSkinService:Play(target, ATTACK_RUID, 0, { 12, 8, 14, 11, 9 },
    DamageSkinTweenType.Default, false, Vector2(0,0), Vector2(1,1), 1, 1, LitMode.Default)

Auto mode behaves identically with HitEvent.Damages (List) — override GetDisplayHitCount(attackInfo) to control the split count.

(e) Preload — prevent first-display stutter

The first use of a skin RUID may have texture loading lag. Preload on map entry:

@ExecSpace("ClientOnly")
method void OnBeginPlay()
    _DamageSkinService:PreloadAsync("3271c3e79bf04ecba9a107d55495970d", function(ok) end)
    _DamageSkinService:PreloadAsync("02c22d93421b4038b3c413b3e40b57ec", function(ok) end)
    _DamageSkinService:PreloadAsync("d58b67cf0f3a4eaf9

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