core-minigames/docs/volumes.md

Volumes

Minigame areas now use Hytale's built-in trigger volumes. The mod no longer defines custom volume types such as MinigameAreaVolume, JoinQueueVolume, or ScoreVolume.

This is intentional: the area, shape, enter/exit behavior, tags, and trigger-effect asset wiring belong to Hytale's trigger-volume system. core-minigames adds minigame-specific conditions and effects that can be attached to those trigger volumes.

Defining Minigame Maps

1. Create a normal Hytale trigger volume in the editor.
2. Shape it around the arena or interaction area.
3. Tag it with MinigameId=<MinigameId> and MapId=<MapId>.
4. Add VariantId=<VariantId> when the same map can randomly use overlapping alternate zones.
5. Add MapRole=MainArena to the primary arena volume for each map or variant.
6. Attach trigger effects and conditions for the relevant minigame.
7. Use the MinigameId dropdown to select the MinigameDefinition asset.

There is no required root MinigameAreaVolume type. If validation needs an arena boundary later, it should inspect Hytale trigger-volume metadata instead of requiring a custom minigame volume class.

Map candidates are discovered from trigger-volume tags. See Trigger Volume Tags for the full tag reference.

Overlapping volumes are valid. Runtime routing uses the selected MinigameId, MapId, and VariantId, so the same Hytale build can host multiple arena definitions.

Common Patterns

Start Zone

Use a normal trigger volume at an entrance, sign, NPC, or lobby pad.

Attach:

• Effect: JoinMinigameQueue
• Field: MinigameId = <your minigame>

For exits or cancel pads:

• Effect: LeaveMinigameQueue
• Field: MinigameId = <your minigame>

For voting buttons or pads:

• Effect: VoteForMap
• Field: MapId = <map id>, or leave blank to use the volume's MapId tag.

To start the queued match:

• Effect: StartQueuedMinigame
• Field: MinigameId = <your minigame>

Optionally guard it with:

• Condition: MinigamePhase
• Field: Phase = WAITING_FOR_PLAYERS

Score Zone

Use a normal trigger volume around the scoring area.

Attach:

• Condition: PlayerInMinigame
• Effect: ModifyPlayerScore
• Fields: Operation = ADD, Amount = <points>

If the score is team-based, use ModifyTeamScore instead.

Phase Gate

Use Hytale's normal volume behavior for the area and guard attached effects with:

• Condition: MinigamePhase
• Field: Phase = ACTIVE

Team Spawns

Use normal trigger volumes as spawn markers. The volume position is the teleport destination.

Tag each team spawn volume with:

• MinigameId=<your minigame>
• MapId=<map id>
• optional VariantId=<variant id>
• SpawnRole=TeamSpawn
• TeamId=<team id>

RespawnPlayer resolves destinations in this order:

1. The effect's explicit DestinationId.
2. The player's stored checkpoint from SetSpawnPoint.
3. A random matching team spawn volume for the player's TeamId.

This means checkpoint-based games can still override spawns per player, while team arena games can rely on tagged team spawn volumes.

Player deaths during a minigame automatically use the same destination order. DestinationId and SetSpawnPoint values are coordinate strings, such as 100,64,200 or world_name,100,64,200; team-spawn fallback is resolved from tagged spawn volumes.

Counters

Use a trigger volume to increment a named runtime counter:

• Effect: ModifyCounter
• Fields: CounterId = <name>, Operation = ADD, Amount = 1

Then use the Counter condition to branch once a threshold is reached.

Kill Scoring

Use a trigger volume covering the arena or scoring zone and attach:

• Effect: AwardKillScore
• Fields: TargetIds = ["Player"] or NPC role ids such as ["fox"], Points = <points>, AwardTarget = PLAYER

The death system checks this volume when an entity dies inside it. It routes by the volume's MinigameId, MapId, and optional VariantId tags, so overlapping arenas can have different kill scoring rules.

Pickup Spawners

Use a small trigger volume at the pickup location and attach:

• Effect: SpawnItem
• Fields: ItemId = <item id>, Amount = <stack size>, RespawnDelaySeconds = <seconds>

The item spawns at the volume position plus optional OffsetX, OffsetY, and OffsetZ. Attach the effect to a TICK trigger when the pickup should automatically respawn after being collected or despawning. If the same volume has multiple item spawners, set a different SpawnKey for each one.

Block Fill Effects

Attach PlaceBlocks when a trigger should place or replace a cuboid of blocks:

• Effect: PlaceBlocks
• Fields: BlockId = <block id>, X1/Y1/Z1 = <first world corner>, X2/Y2/Z2 = <second world corner>

The region is inclusive and uses absolute world block coordinates. MaxBlocks defaults to 32768.

Reusable Effect Assets

For repeated logic, define a Hytale trigger effect asset and attach it to multiple trigger volumes. The minigame trigger condition/effect entries are normal codec types, so they can be reused the same way Hytale's built-in trigger-volume effects are reused.