Add a visual clue to indicate the projectiles are about to dissapear by Salonso928 · Pull Request #2801 · endlessm/threadbare

Salonso928 · 2026-08-28T00:46:37Z

Affected scene: res://scenes/quests/template_quests/NO_EDIT/2_NO_EDIT_combat/NO_EDIT_combat_components/NO_EDIT_projectile.tscn
Affected script: res://scenes/game_elements/props/projectile/components/projectile.gd

When a projectile has spent the 80% of its duration, a dissapear animation will start. While this animation is playing the proyectile can be interacted with the repel comand and all Area2D nodes if posible, but this will no longer reset its duration.
An AnimationPlayer was added to the projectile scene and imported using the @onready annotation in the projectile.gd

Videocaptura.de.pantalla_20260827_193240.mp4

Fixes #2442

github-actions · 2026-08-28T13:56:12Z

Test build no longer available.

manuq

The work you did looks good for the NO_EDIT_combat.tscn, which uses the NO_EDIT_projectile.tscn. But not with other projectiles, like ink_blob_projectile.tscn or any other projectile in StoryQuests.

I have more to comment about the visual clue (which is a great start, by the way), but let's fix this first!

manuq · 2026-08-28T13:57:19Z

+	time_passed+=_delta	
+	if time_passed>= time_to_dissapear && not is_dissapearing:
+		is_dissapearing=true
+		animation_player.play("dissapear")


This crashes the game if you play res://scenes/quests/lore_quests/quest_000/4_ink_combat/tutorial_ink_combat.tscn with:

E 0:00:08:038 projectile.gd:71 @ @implicit_ready(): Node not found: "%AnimationPlayer" (relative to "/root/TutorialInkCombat/InkBlobProjectile"). E 0:00:12:055 Projectile._process: Cannot call method 'play' on a null value.

…effect is only controlled by the projectile.gd script

Salonso928 · 2026-08-28T17:11:32Z

Hi @manuq I made some changes. I removed the AnimationPlayer node, now the blink effect is only controlled by the projectile.gd script, therefore all the scenes that use this script should display the effect.
Here is a video playing ink_combat_round_4.tscn

Videocaptura.de.pantalla_20260828_120009.mp4

manuq

This looks good, although I think that the projectile should blink a predictable amount of times, let's say 3 blinks by default before dissapearing. Sorry that it wasn't part of the specification!

I understand that you switched from AnimationPlayer to make the blink programmatically because, as you saw, your first attempt changed only one of the 18 projectile scenes currently in the game.

There are pros and cons of doing it programmatically: the main benefit is that changing the script changes all 18 at the same time, great! But it leaves all the projectiles with the same look and feel. Someone wanting a different blink effect will need to duplicate the script. And artists wanting to improve the effect will be more comfortable editing it in an AnimationPlayer. Also we may want to add a sound effect in addition to the blink as audio clue.

Is fine if you want to keep doing it programmatically. I may add a followup ticket to move to AnimationPlayer. If so, check my suggestion to switch to Tween.

Alternatively, if you want to go back to AnimationPlayer you can make it optional, and add AnimationPlayer nodes to the NO_EDIT_projectile.tscn and the ink_blob_projectile.tscn, leaving the others (all StoryQuests) as before (without blink effect). For making it optional, you should not set a unique name (as I suggested before):

@onready var animation_player: AnimationPlayer = %AnimationPlayer

Because that will fail with Node not found: "%AnimationPlayer" in the scenes that don't have it. Instead you can export a new property:

@export var blink_animation_player: AnimationPlayer

Under @export_group("FXs"). And assign it in the 2 scenes mentioned above.

manuq · 2026-08-31T21:11:33Z

+	##the effect will start when the projectile has spent 70% of its lifetime
+	time_to_dissapear = duration * 0.7
+
+	blink_timer = Timer.new()


Instead of using a Timer node to do the blinking, it would be better to use a Tween.

But this leads to my main feedback, whether or not to animate the blink effect programmatically. I'll comment about it separately.

manuq · 2026-08-31T21:18:09Z

+	time_passed += _delta	
+	if time_passed >= time_to_dissapear && not is_dissapearing:


The DurationTimer node is already tracking the time, you could check its time_left property. Or even better, create a separate Timer for this, and call it StartBlinkingTimer.

The _ready() method already does:

duration_timer.wait_time = duration duration_timer.start()

So that's the place to setup the new timer:

duration_timer.wait_time = duration duration_timer.start() start_blinking_timer.wait_time = duration - blink_times * blink_duration

manuq · 2026-08-31T21:43:23Z

The lint and format checks are failing too for boring reasons (new lines and spacing). Please consider installing pre-commit as explained here.

…mationPlayer Node

Salonso928 · 2026-09-15T23:41:52Z

Hi! sorry for being late I was very busy. I followed the AnimationPlayer Node route, so I deleted the animation effect via programming. Now the projectile.gd have the following attributes, dissapearing point and blink times.
The dissapearing point is the percentage when the projectile will start its animation, and the blink times is the number of times the projectiles will blink before dissapearing. The effect is still the same as seen in the video.

I also added the animationPlayer to the ink__projectile, here is the video:

godot5.mp4

manuq

Excellent, this works very well now. Thank you so much for taking my advice on using AnimationPlayer. See my new feedback.

manuq · 2026-09-17T00:33:41Z

+	if blink_animation_player:
+		if duration_timer.time_left <= time_to_dissapear && not is_dissapearing:
+			is_dissapearing = true
+			var animation_duration = blink_animation_player.get_animation("dissapear").length
+			blink_animation_player.play("dissapear", -1, animation_duration / blink_effect_time)


This is inside the _process function so it's being checked every frame. It would be better to add a timer, similar to the existing duration_timer.

manuq · 2026-09-17T00:41:36Z

+	# Logic for the dissapear animation
+	# When the proyectile is dissapearing, the duration_timer will not reset
+	if not is_dissapearing:
+		duration_timer.start()


This changes the behavior. Now projectiles that have a blink_animation_player will behave differently and don't do what the documentation comment of duration_timer says:

## This timer is restarted each time the projectile collides with anything. ## So the life of the projectile is extended in each collision. @onready var duration_timer: Timer = %DurationTimer

We could discuss this behavior separately, but that's what it is right now. If you add a timer to trigger the animation, as suggested above, you should reset it here too.

manuq · 2026-09-17T00:42:12Z

+	# When the proyectile is dissapearing, the duration_timer will not reset
+	if not is_dissapearing:
+		duration_timer.start()


Same here, changes the existing behavior.

manuq · 2026-09-17T00:42:42Z

I understand that you changed this level by accident, while testing. Please revert it.

This is still the case.

…he projectile collides or gets reppelled

Salonso928 · 2026-09-17T23:33:02Z

Hi! I made some changes. I followed your feedback, now the blink effect will reset if the projectiles collides or gets repelled (as seen in the following video) and also I use a timer to control the effect. The effect iis and works the same as before but now the code is better.

godot7.mp4

this also works for the blob projectile because de gd script is the same

manuq

Great work! Thank you for following my recommendation and using a timer, it's much better now. This is almost ready, check my new comments below.

manuq · 2026-09-18T14:58:44Z

+## The percentage of the projectile's lifespan before it starts its disappearing animation.
+@export_range(0.0, 1.0, 0.1) var dissapearing_point: float = 0.7


I played 2 levels that has this default, at 70% the projectile starts blinking:

res://scenes/quests/lore_quests/quest_000/4_ink_combat/tutorial_ink_combat.tscn

res://scenes/quests/lore_quests/quest_001/2_ink_combat/ink_combat_round_3.tscn

And because the enemies have different projectile duration, 5 seconds in first one and 10 seconds in the other, the clue is much quicker in the first one. If the projectile duration is too short, the dissapearing clue is too short too, giving the player no time to react. Would you consider changing it so that the clue duration is be the same regardless of the projectile duration? If so you can replace the dissapearing_point with a blink_duration export variable, in seconds. Basically replace this calculation:

var time_to_dissapear = duration * dissapearing_point

With:

var time_to_dissapear = min(0, duration - blink_duration)

manuq · 2026-09-18T15:00:39Z

+	#If the projectile collides with another object or is repelled the animation will reset
+	if blink_animation_player:
+		if is_dissapearing:
+			reset_animation_and_timer()
+		else:
+			blink_timer.start()


This is repeated below. Can you add a new function _reset_timers() and factor out this?

manuq · 2026-09-18T15:06:58Z

 	apply_impulse(impulse)

+	if blink_animation_player:
+		var time_to_dissapear = duration * dissapearing_point


If you check this line in the editor you will see that it has a warning about the static type.

Godot can infer it though, it just needs:

Suggested change

var time_to_dissapear = duration * dissapearing_point

var time_to_dissapear := duration * dissapearing_point

manuq · 2026-09-18T15:07:33Z

+
+func _on_blink_timer_timeout() -> void:
+	is_dissapearing = true
+	var animation_duration = blink_animation_player.get_animation("dissapear").length


This is the second one having a warning in the editor:

Suggested change

var animation_duration = blink_animation_player.get_animation("dissapear").length

var animation_duration := blink_animation_player.get_animation("dissapear").length

manuq · 2026-09-18T15:15:05Z

+	#If the projectile collides with another object or is repelled the animation and timer will reset
+	if blink_animation_player:
+		if is_dissapearing:
+			reset_animation_and_timer()


Nice, you have factored out repeated code into reset_animation_and_timer(). There is more repeated code at the beginning of got_repelled() and _on_body_entered(). So what about doing more refactoring?

func _on_projectile_hit() -> void: add_small_fx() # Reset timers and blink animation: duration_timer.start() if blink_animation_player: if is_dissapearing: blink_animation_player.play("RESET") blink_timer.start() is_dissapearing = false else: blink_timer.start()

manuq · 2026-09-18T15:19:41Z

+## The number of times the projectile blinks before disappearing.
+@export_range(1, 10, 1) var blink_times: int = 3
+
+var is_dissapearing: bool = false


Now that there is a timer, is_dissapearing is not needed. You can check blink_timer.is_stopped() to know if the timer is not running (in other words the projectile is dissapearing). Or blink_animation_player.is_playing().

Salonso928 · 2026-09-18T22:19:11Z

Hi, I followed all your advices, refactor some of the code, delete the is_dissapearing variable and now the time the animation will spend is fixed, the animation effect is still the same and now the minimun it will be shown is 3 seconds

manuq

Thank you so much! Since this was almost done, I commented but also did the changes myself. I have appended commits and will merge it in: #2948

manuq · 2026-09-21T18:35:40Z

 ## root node. When the projectile gets hit, the [member GPUParticles2D.amount_ratio] is set to 1.
 @export var trail_fx_scene: PackedScene

+@export var blink_animation_player: AnimationPlayer


Please add a documentation comment explaining that this AnimationPlayer needs to have an animation called "dissapear". By the way, I think that the animation can be called "blink". And even better, we can add a warning in the editor when the AnimationPlayer that was set in the Inspector doesn't have one. But I can open a separate ticket for it.

Also please move the @export_group("Dissapear Clue") line above this one, so this export belongs to that group. Would you agree with that?

manuq · 2026-09-21T19:03:41Z

+## The time in seconds to show the disappear animation.
+@export_range(0.0, 10.0, 0.5) var blink_duration: float = 3.0


"blink duration" reads to me as the duration of one blink. Sorry if I caused this trouble in previous reviews, but this should be named dissapear_duration to match the documentation comment.

manuq · 2026-09-21T19:05:23Z

+## The number of times the projectile blinks before disappearing.
+@export_range(1, 10, 1) var blink_times: int = 3
+
+var blink_effect_time: float


This variable is not needed, it can be calculated when needeed with duration, dissapear_duration and blink_times.

manuq · 2026-09-21T19:05:35Z

 ## How long the projectile lives in the scene.
 ## [br][br]
-## This timer is restarted each time the projectile collides with anything.
+## This timer is restarted each time the projectile collies with anything.


Suggested change

## This timer is restarted each time the projectile collies with anything.

## This timer is restarted each time the projectile collides with anything.

manuq · 2026-09-21T19:06:43Z

+	if blink_animation_player:
+		#If the blink duration is greater than the duration
+		#The minimun time the animation will spend is 3 seconds.
+		var time_to_dissapear: float = max(3.0, duration - blink_duration)


Where does this 3 seconds come from? I think that if the dissapear duration is greater than the duration, it should start blinking immediately. You had this right before.

manuq · 2026-09-21T19:11:07Z

 big_fx_scene = ExtResource("4_41322")
 trail_fx_scene = ExtResource("5_3lot6")
+blink_animation_player = NodePath("AnimationPlayer")
+blink_times = 5


As requested before, let's reset this to the default.

manuq · 2026-09-21T19:11:59Z

This is still the case.

manuq · 2026-09-21T19:24:17Z

+			blink_timer.start()
+		else:
+			blink_timer.start()


If and else have the same content, is better to do:

Suggested change

blink_timer.start()

else:

blink_timer.start()

blink_timer.start()

Add a visual clue to indicate the projectiles are about to dissapear

fbad530

Salonso928 requested review from a team as code owners August 28, 2026 00:46

Salonso928 changed the title ~~Add a visual clue to indicate the projectiles are about to dissapear #2442~~ Add a visual clue to indicate the projectiles are about to dissapear Issue#2442 Aug 28, 2026

Salonso928 changed the title ~~Add a visual clue to indicate the projectiles are about to dissapear Issue#2442~~ Add a visual clue to indicate the projectiles are about to dissapear Aug 28, 2026

Salonso928 mentioned this pull request Aug 28, 2026

Projectiles: add clue to indicate that they are about to disappear #2442

Closed

manuq requested changes Aug 28, 2026

View reviewed changes

Remove AnimationPlayer node from the projectile scene, now the blink …

8c35cfb

…effect is only controlled by the projectile.gd script

Fix linting and formatting issues

be40bc9

Salonso928 requested a review from manuq August 30, 2026 18:59

manuq requested changes Aug 31, 2026

View reviewed changes

Salonso928 added 4 commits September 15, 2026 16:59

Reverting previous changes, now the animation is controlled by an Ani…

5e2b469

…mationPlayer Node

Merge branch 'animation-node-issue'

85d8b2d

Add animationPlayer to ink_blob_projectile.tscn

944d881

Fix color issue with blob ink projectile

d754538

manuq requested changes Sep 17, 2026

View reviewed changes

Add timer to blink effect, now the animation player will restart if t…

1c8426f

…he projectile collides or gets reppelled

manuq requested changes Sep 18, 2026

View reviewed changes

Refactor the code of the reset timers and fix the static errors

c768ee5

manuq requested changes Sep 21, 2026

View reviewed changes

manuq mentioned this pull request Sep 21, 2026

Projectile: Add a visual clue when dissapear #2948

Merged

manuq closed this Sep 21, 2026

		time_passed += _delta
		if time_passed >= time_to_dissapear && not is_dissapearing:

		## The percentage of the projectile's lifespan before it starts its disappearing animation.
		@export_range(0.0, 1.0, 0.1) var dissapearing_point: float = 0.7

	var time_to_dissapear = duration * dissapearing_point
	var time_to_dissapear := duration * dissapearing_point

	var animation_duration = blink_animation_player.get_animation("dissapear").length
	var animation_duration := blink_animation_player.get_animation("dissapear").length

		## The time in seconds to show the disappear animation.
		@export_range(0.0, 10.0, 0.5) var blink_duration: float = 3.0

	## This timer is restarted each time the projectile collies with anything.
	## This timer is restarted each time the projectile collides with anything.

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