Scripting

Lemonate game logic is written in Lua as scripts attached to scene objects. Most scripts are Behaviours that run during play; Editor tools are a separate script type for Studio-only workflow helpers. This section covers language basics, engine workflows, and patterns for building games in Studio.

Recommended reading order

Getting started

1. Basics — Lua syntax, Behaviour skeleton, imports
2. Classes — Class.new, inheritance
3. Globals — global types and functions
4. Lifecycle Methods — init, update, rendergui, …
5. Properties — inspector fields and links
6. Editor Tools — Studio-only Lua scripts and inspector actions
7. TSL Shaders — custom materials and backgrounds (JavaScript)

Core workflows

1. Scene Graph — Items vs SceneObjects, find, create, transform
2. Asset Loading — /resources/... paths and Loader
3. Prefabs — spawn prefab instances at runtime
4. Promises and Await — async loading and creation
5. Events — input, pick, collisions, variables
6. Node Game Events — node:on (goalReached, jump, …)

Gameplay systems

1. Physics Scripting — raycasts, forces, collisions
2. Math and Transforms — Vector3, Transform, frame timing
3. Materials — textures and materials from scripts
4. Audio — SgAudio and positional sound
5. Particles — particle system control
6. Canvas and HUD Overlays — 2D HUD drawing
7. Navmesh — pathfinding agents
8. Storage — client-side save data

Architecture and tools

1. Cross-Behaviour Calls — call methods on other scripts
2. Variable Sets — project and per-node variables
3. Structured Data — project JSON tables from Lua
4. Controllers — gamepad input
5. Coroutines — Co() wrapper
6. Debugging — logging, ImGui, breakpoints
7. Procedural Content — build levels from code

Coming from other languages

• Lua for JS Developers
• Lua for C# Developers

API reference

Module and type documentation lives in API Reference. The scripting guides above explain how to use the APIs; the reference lists every method and field.

Topic index