godot-docs/getting_started/first_3d_game/07.killing_player.rst

.. _doc_first_3d_game_killing_the_player:

Killing the player
==================

We can kill enemies by jumping on them, but the player still can't die.
Let's fix this.

We want to detect being hit by an enemy differently from squashing them.
We want the player to die when they're moving on the floor, but not if
they're in the air. We could use vector math to distinguish the two
kinds of collisions. Instead, though, we will use an :ref:`Area3D <class_Area3D>` node, which
works well for hitboxes.

Hitbox with the Area node
-------------------------

Head back to the ``player.tscn`` scene and add a new child node :ref:`Area3D <class_Area3D>`. Name it
``MobDetector``
Add a :ref:`CollisionShape3D <class_CollisionShape3D>` node as a child of it.

|image0|

In the *Inspector*, assign a cylinder shape to it.

|image1|

Here is a trick you can use to make the collisions only happen when the
player is on the ground or close to it. You can reduce the cylinder's
height and move it up to the top of the character. This way, when the
player jumps, the shape will be too high up for the enemies to collide
with it.

|image2|

You also want the cylinder to be wider than the sphere. This way, the
player gets hit before colliding and being pushed on top of the
monster's collision box.

The wider the cylinder, the more easily the player will get killed.

Next, select the ``MobDetector`` node again, and in the *Inspector*, turn
**off** its *Monitorable* property. This makes it so other physics nodes
cannot detect the area. The complementary *Monitoring* property allows
it to detect collisions. Then, remove the *Collision -> Layer* and set
the mask to the "enemies" layer.

|image3|

When areas detect a collision, they emit signals. We're going to connect
one to the ``Player`` node. Select ``MobDetector`` and go to *Inspector*'s *Node* tab, double-click the
``body_entered`` signal and connect it to the ``Player``

|image4|

The *MobDetector* will emit ``body_entered`` when a :ref:`CharacterBody3D <class_CharacterBody3D>` or a
:ref:`RigidBody3D <class_RigidBody3D>` node enters it. As it only masks the "enemies" physics
layers, it will only detect the ``Mob`` nodes.

Code-wise, we're going to do two things: emit a signal we'll later use
to end the game and destroy the player. We can wrap these operations in
a ``die()`` function that helps us put a descriptive label on the code.

.. tabs::
 .. code-tab:: gdscript GDScript

   # Emitted when the player was hit by a mob.
   # Put this at the top of the script.
   signal hit


   # And this function at the bottom.
   func die():
       hit.emit()
       queue_free()


   func _on_mob_detector_body_entered(body):
       die()

 .. code-tab:: csharp

    // Don't forget to rebuild the project so the editor knows about the new signal.

    // Emitted when the player was hit by a mob.
    [Signal]
    public delegate void HitEventHandler();

    // ...

    private void Die()
    {
        EmitSignal(SignalName.Hit);
        QueueFree();
    }

    // We also specified this function name in PascalCase in the editor's connection window.
    private void OnMobDetectorBodyEntered(Node3D body)
    {
        Die();
    }

Ending the game
---------------

We can use the ``Player``\ 's ``hit`` signal to end the game. All we need
to do is connect it to the ``Main`` node and stop the ``MobTimer`` in
reaction.

Open ``main.tscn``, select the ``Player`` node, and in the *Node* dock,
connect its ``hit`` signal to the ``Main`` node.

|image5|

Get the timer, and stop it, in the ``_on_player_hit()`` function.

.. tabs::
 .. code-tab:: gdscript GDScript

   func _on_player_hit():
       $MobTimer.stop()

 .. code-tab:: csharp

    // We also specified this function name in PascalCase in the editor's connection window.
    private void OnPlayerHit()
    {
        GetNode<Timer>("MobTimer").Stop();
    }

If you try the game now, the monsters will stop spawning when you die,
and the remaining ones will leave the screen.

Notice also that the game no longer crashes or displays an error when the player dies. Because
we are stopping the MobTimer, it no longer triggers the ``_on_mob_timer_timeout()`` function.

Also note that the enemy colliding with the player and dying depends on the size and position of the
``Player`` and the ``Mob``\ 's collision shapes. You may need to move them
and resize them to achieve a tight game feel.

You can pat yourself on the back: you prototyped a complete 3D game,
even if it's still a bit rough.

From there, we'll add a score, the option to retry the game, and you'll
see how you can make the game feel much more alive with minimalistic
animations.

Code checkpoint
---------------

Here are the complete scripts for the ``Main``, ``Mob``, and ``Player`` nodes,
for reference. You can use them to compare and check your code.

Starting with ``main.gd``.

.. tabs::
 .. code-tab:: gdscript GDScript

    extends Node

    @export var mob_scene: PackedScene


    func _on_mob_timer_timeout():
        # Create a new instance of the Mob scene.
        var mob = mob_scene.instantiate()

        # Choose a random location on the SpawnPath.
        # We store the reference to the SpawnLocation node.
        var mob_spawn_location = get_node("SpawnPath/SpawnLocation")
        # And give it a random offset.
        mob_spawn_location.progress_ratio = randf()

        var player_position = $Player.position
        mob.initialize(mob_spawn_location.position, player_position)

        # Spawn the mob by adding it to the Main scene.
        add_child(mob)

    func _on_player_hit():
        $MobTimer.stop()

 .. code-tab:: csharp

    using Godot;

    public partial class Main : Node
    {
        [Export]
        public PackedScene MobScene { get; set; }

        private void OnMobTimerTimeout()
        {
            // Create a new instance of the Mob scene.
            Mob mob = MobScene.Instantiate<Mob>();

            // Choose a random location on the SpawnPath.
            // We store the reference to the SpawnLocation node.
            var mobSpawnLocation = GetNode<PathFollow3D>("SpawnPath/SpawnLocation");
            // And give it a random offset.
            mobSpawnLocation.ProgressRatio = GD.Randf();

            Vector3 playerPosition = GetNode<Player>("Player").Position;
            mob.Initialize(mobSpawnLocation.Position, playerPosition);

            // Spawn the mob by adding it to the Main scene.
            AddChild(mob);
        }

        private void OnPlayerHit()
        {
            GetNode<Timer>("MobTimer").Stop();
        }
    }

Next is ``mob.gd``.

.. tabs::
 .. code-tab:: gdscript GDScript

    extends CharacterBody3D

    # Minimum speed of the mob in meters per second.
    @export var min_speed = 10
    # Maximum speed of the mob in meters per second.
    @export var max_speed = 18

    # Emitted when the player jumped on the mob
    signal squashed

    func _physics_process(_delta):
        move_and_slide()

    # This function will be called from the Main scene.
    func initialize(start_position, player_position):
        # We position the mob by placing it at start_position
        # and rotate it towards player_position, so it looks at the player.
        look_at_from_position(start_position, player_position, Vector3.UP)
        # Rotate this mob randomly within range of -45 and +45 degrees,
        # so that it doesn't move directly towards the player.
        rotate_y(randf_range(-PI / 4, PI / 4))

        # We calculate a random speed (integer)
        var random_speed = randi_range(min_speed, max_speed)
        # We calculate a forward velocity that represents the speed.
        velocity = Vector3.FORWARD * random_speed
        # We then rotate the velocity vector based on the mob's Y rotation
        # in order to move in the direction the mob is looking.
        velocity = velocity.rotated(Vector3.UP, rotation.y)

    func _on_visible_on_screen_notifier_3d_screen_exited():
        queue_free()

    func squash():
        squashed.emit()
        queue_free() # Destroy this node

 .. code-tab:: csharp

    using Godot;

    public partial class Mob : CharacterBody3D
    {
        // Emitted when the played jumped on the mob.
        [Signal]
        public delegate void SquashedEventHandler();

        // Minimum speed of the mob in meters per second
        [Export]
        public int MinSpeed { get; set; } = 10;
        // Maximum speed of the mob in meters per second
        [Export]
        public int MaxSpeed { get; set; } = 18;

        public override void _PhysicsProcess(double delta)
        {
            MoveAndSlide();
        }

        // This function will be called from the Main scene.
        public void Initialize(Vector3 startPosition, Vector3 playerPosition)
        {
            // We position the mob by placing it at startPosition
            // and rotate it towards playerPosition, so it looks at the player.
            LookAtFromPosition(startPosition, playerPosition, Vector3.Up);
            // Rotate this mob randomly within range of -45 and +45 degrees,
            // so that it doesn't move directly towards the player.
            RotateY((float)GD.RandRange(-Mathf.Pi / 4.0, Mathf.Pi / 4.0));

            // We calculate a random speed (integer)
            int randomSpeed = GD.RandRange(MinSpeed, MaxSpeed);
            // We calculate a forward velocity that represents the speed.
            Velocity = Vector3.Forward * randomSpeed;
            // We then rotate the velocity vector based on the mob's Y rotation
            // in order to move in the direction the mob is looking.
            Velocity = Velocity.Rotated(Vector3.Up, Rotation.Y);
        }

        public void Squash()
        {
            EmitSignal(SignalName.Squashed);
            QueueFree(); // Destroy this node
        }

        private void OnVisibilityNotifierScreenExited()
        {
            QueueFree();
        }
    }

Finally, the longest script, ``player.gd``:

.. tabs::
 .. code-tab:: gdscript GDScript

    extends CharacterBody3D

    signal hit

    # How fast the player moves in meters per second
    @export var speed = 14
    # The downward acceleration while in the air, in meters per second squared.
    @export var fall_acceleration = 75
    # Vertical impulse applied to the character upon jumping in meters per second.
    @export var jump_impulse = 20
    # Vertical impulse applied to the character upon bouncing over a mob
    # in meters per second.
    @export var bounce_impulse = 16

    var target_velocity = Vector3.ZERO


    func _physics_process(delta):
        # We create a local variable to store the input direction
        var direction = Vector3.ZERO

        # We check for each move input and update the direction accordingly
        if Input.is_action_pressed("move_right"):
            direction.x = direction.x + 1
        if Input.is_action_pressed("move_left"):
            direction.x = direction.x - 1
        if Input.is_action_pressed("move_back"):
            # Notice how we are working with the vector's x and z axes.
            # In 3D, the XZ plane is the ground plane.
            direction.z = direction.z + 1
        if Input.is_action_pressed("move_forward"):
            direction.z = direction.z - 1

        # Prevent diagonal moving fast af
        if direction != Vector3.ZERO:
            direction = direction.normalized()
            $Pivot.look_at(position + direction, Vector3.UP)

        # Ground Velocity
        target_velocity.x = direction.x * speed
        target_velocity.z = direction.z * speed

        # Vertical Velocity
        if not is_on_floor(): # If in the air, fall towards the floor. Literally gravity
            target_velocity.y = target_velocity.y - (fall_acceleration * delta)

        # Jumping.
        if is_on_floor() and Input.is_action_just_pressed("jump"):
            target_velocity.y = jump_impulse

        # Iterate through all collisions that occurred this frame
        # in C this would be for(int i = 0; i < collisions.Count; i++)
        for index in range(get_slide_collision_count()):
            # We get one of the collisions with the player
            var collision = get_slide_collision(index)

            # If the collision is with ground
            if collision.get_collider() == null:
                continue

            # If the collider is with a mob
            if collision.get_collider().is_in_group("mob"):
                var mob = collision.get_collider()
                # we check that we are hitting it from above.
                if Vector3.UP.dot(collision.get_normal()) > 0.1:
                    # If so, we squash it and bounce.
                    mob.squash()
                    target_velocity.y = bounce_impulse
                    # Prevent further duplicate calls.
                    break

        # Moving the Character
        velocity = target_velocity
        move_and_slide()

    # And this function at the bottom.
    func die():
        hit.emit()
        queue_free()

    func _on_mob_detector_body_entered(body):
        die()

 .. code-tab:: csharp

    using Godot;

    public partial class Player : CharacterBody3D
    {
        // Emitted when the player was hit by a mob.
        [Signal]
        public delegate void HitEventHandler();

        // How fast the player moves in meters per second.
        [Export]
        public int Speed { get; set; } = 14;
        // The downward acceleration when in the air, in meters per second squared.
        [Export]
        public int FallAcceleration { get; set; } = 75;
        // Vertical impulse applied to the character upon jumping in meters per second.
        [Export]
        public int JumpImpulse { get; set; } = 20;
        // Vertical impulse applied to the character upon bouncing over a mob in meters per second.
        [Export]
        public int BounceImpulse { get; set; } = 16;

        private Vector3 _targetVelocity = Vector3.Zero;

        public override void _PhysicsProcess(double delta)
        {
            // We create a local variable to store the input direction.
            var direction = Vector3.Zero;

            // We check for each move input and update the direction accordingly.
            if (Input.IsActionPressed("move_right"))
            {
                direction.X += 1.0f;
            }
            if (Input.IsActionPressed("move_left"))
            {
                direction.X -= 1.0f;
            }
            if (Input.IsActionPressed("move_back"))
            {
                // Notice how we are working with the vector's X and Z axes.
                // In 3D, the XZ plane is the ground plane.
                direction.Z += 1.0f;
            }
            if (Input.IsActionPressed("move_forward"))
            {
                direction.Z -= 1.0f;
            }

            // Prevent diagonal moving fast af
            if (direction != Vector3.Zero)
            {
                direction = direction.Normalized();
                GetNode<Node3D>("Pivot").LookAt(Position + direction, Vector3.Up);
            }

            // Ground Velocity
            _targetVelocity.X = direction.X * Speed;
            _targetVelocity.Z = direction.Z * Speed;

            // Vertical Velocity
            if (!IsOnFloor()) // If in the air, fall towards the floor. Literally gravity
            {
                _targetVelocity.Y -= FallAcceleration * (float)delta;
            }

            // Jumping.
            if (IsOnFloor() && Input.IsActionJustPressed("jump"))
            {
                _targetVelocity.Y = JumpImpulse;
            }

            // Iterate through all collisions that occurred this frame.
            for (int index = 0; index < GetSlideCollisionCount(); index++)
            {
                // We get one of the collisions with the player.
                KinematicCollision3D collision = GetSlideCollision(index);

                // If the collision is with a mob.
                if (collision.GetCollider() is Mob mob)
                {
                    // We check that we are hitting it from above.
                    if (Vector3.Up.Dot(collision.GetNormal()) > 0.1f)
                    {
                        // If so, we squash it and bounce.
                        mob.Squash();
                        _targetVelocity.Y = BounceImpulse;
                        // Prevent further duplicate calls.
                        break;
                    }
                }
            }

            // Moving the Character
            Velocity = _targetVelocity;
            MoveAndSlide();
        }

        private void Die()
        {
            EmitSignal(SignalName.Hit);
            QueueFree();
        }

        private void OnMobDetectorBodyEntered(Node3D body)
        {
            Die();
        }
    }

See you in the next lesson to add the score and the retry option.

.. |image0| image:: img/07.killing_player/01.adding_area_node.png
.. |image1| image:: img/07.killing_player/02.cylinder_shape.png
.. |image2| image:: img/07.killing_player/03.cylinder_in_editor.png
.. |image3| image:: img/07.killing_player/04.mob_detector_properties.webp
.. |image4| image:: img/07.killing_player/05.body_entered_signal.png
.. |image5| image:: img/07.killing_player/06.player_hit_signal.png