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Respawn Component

The Respawn component tracks player positions and automatically returns them to their last safe position when they fall below a configurable threshold. Think of it as an intelligent safety system that prevents players from falling into the void or getting stuck in inaccessible areas.

Important: This component continuously monitors player heights and movement patterns to detect falls and identify safe positions. It uses intelligent algorithms to determine when a player is actually falling versus normal movement, and teleports them back to their last known safe position.

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What Does It Do?​

The Respawn component is like having an intelligent safety net for your 3D world. You can:

  • Prevent players from falling into the void in elevated worlds
  • Create safety nets for platforming challenges
  • Ensure players don't get stuck in inaccessible areas
  • Track player movement patterns to detect falls intelligently
  • Identify safe positions automatically based on player stability
  • Provide audio feedback when players are respawned
  • Customize fall detection with configurable thresholds

Important: This component uses intelligent fall detection that analyzes player movement patterns rather than just height thresholds. It waits for players to be stable before saving safe positions and only respawns when it detects actual falling behavior.

Video Demo​

Watch the Respawn component in action: intelligent fall detection, safe position tracking, automatic respawning, and audio feedback.

Properties​

Basic Settings​

PropertyTypeDefaultDescription
App IDtextAutoUnique name for this component (auto-generated)
Node Nametext"RespawnZone"Name of the 3D object in your scene
Debug LogstogglefalseShow detailed information for troubleshooting
Add CollisiontoggletrueMake the object solid (players can't walk through)
Start VisibletoggletrueShould the object be visible when the scene loads?

Respawn Settings​

PropertyTypeDefaultDescription
Fall Y Thresholdnumber4Y coordinate difference to consider as a fall (triggers respawn)
Position Tracking Intervalnumber1How often player positions are recorded in seconds
Height History Lengthnumber5Number of height samples to keep for analyzing movement
Height Sampling Ratenumber0.2How often to sample player movement in seconds (lower = more frequent)
Safe Position Save Delaynumber1.5Time to wait before saving a position as safe
Significant Movement Thresholdnumber0.1Minimum movement distance to consider as significant

Feedback Settings​

PropertyTypeDefaultDescription
Enable SoundtoggletruePlay a sound when a player is respawned
Sound URLtext""URL to the sound file to play when respawning
Sound Volumenumber0.5Volume of the respawn sound (0-1)

How It Works​

The Respawn component uses intelligent algorithms to detect falls and identify safe positions:

1. Position Tracking​

  • Continuously samples player height at configurable intervals
  • Maintains a history of height changes for analysis
  • Tracks player movement patterns over time

2. Fall Detection​

  • Analyzes height history to detect falling trends
  • Only respawns when more than 75% of recent height changes are downward
  • Prevents respawns during normal activities like walking down stairs

3. Safe Position Identification​

  • Waits for players to be stable (minimal height changes) for a configured time
  • Ensures players aren't falling when saving a safe position
  • Requires significant movement from the previous safe position

4. Respawn Logic​

  • Teleports players back to their last known safe position
  • Plays audio feedback when respawning
  • Logs respawn events for debugging

Common Use Cases​

1. Elevated Worlds​

  • Object: A respawn zone in an elevated world
  • Event: Player falls below the world
  • Action: Player is teleported back to last safe position

2. Platforming Challenges​

  • Object: A safety net for platforming areas
  • Event: Player falls off platforms
  • Action: Player is respawned to continue the challenge

3. Void Prevention​

  • Object: A respawn system for void areas
  • Event: Player falls into void
  • Action: Player is teleported to safety

4. Inaccessible Area Prevention​

  • Object: A respawn system for restricted areas
  • Event: Player gets stuck in inaccessible area
  • Action: Player is teleported to accessible location

5. Safety Net Systems​

  • Object: A general safety net for the world
  • Event: Player falls or gets stuck
  • Action: Player is respawned to safety

Step-by-Step Setup​

1. Add the Component​

  • Drag the Respawn component into your scene
  • Select any 3D object (position doesn't matter)

2. Configure Basic Settings​

  • Set the Node Name to match your 3D object's name
  • Choose if the object should Start Visible
  • Decide if it should Add Collision (be solid)

3. Set Up Respawn Parameters​

  • Configure Fall Y Threshold (how far down triggers respawn)
  • Set Position Tracking Interval (how often to check positions)
  • Adjust Height Sampling Rate (how frequently to sample movement)

4. Configure Safe Position Detection​

  • Set Height History Length (how many samples to analyze)
  • Configure Safe Position Save Delay (how long to wait before saving safe position)
  • Adjust Significant Movement Threshold (minimum movement to consider significant)

5. Set Up Audio Feedback​

  • Enable Enable Sound if you want audio feedback
  • Set Sound URL to your respawn sound file
  • Configure Sound Volume for appropriate audio level

6. Test Your Setup​

  • Enable Debug Logs to see what's happening
  • Test fall detection with different scenarios
  • Verify that safe positions are being saved correctly

Tips for Designers​

Configuring Fall Detection​

  • Start with default values and adjust based on your world
  • Higher Fall Y Threshold = less sensitive to small falls
  • Lower Height Sampling Rate = more responsive detection
  • Test with different types of movement (stairs, slopes, platforms)

Planning Your Respawn System​

  • Think about where players should be respawned
  • Consider the layout of your world and safe areas
  • Plan for both single-player and multiplayer scenarios
  • Design clear visual cues for respawn zones

Testing Your Setup​

  • Always test with multiple players
  • Use debug logs to troubleshoot issues
  • Test edge cases (what happens if players disconnect?)
  • Verify that respawn behavior feels natural

Performance Considerations​

  • Position tracking runs continuously - consider impact on performance
  • Higher sampling rates provide better detection but use more CPU
  • Consider the impact on mobile devices
  • Test with different numbers of players

Troubleshooting​

Players Not Being Respawned​

  • Check that Fall Y Threshold is appropriate for your world
  • Verify that Height Sampling Rate is not too high
  • Enable Debug Logs to see what's happening
  • Test with different fall scenarios

Respawn Too Sensitive​

  • Increase Fall Y Threshold to make it less sensitive
  • Adjust Height History Length to require more consistent falling
  • Check that Significant Movement Threshold is appropriate
  • Test with normal movement (stairs, slopes)

Safe Positions Not Being Saved​

  • Check that Safe Position Save Delay is not too short
  • Verify that Significant Movement Threshold is appropriate
  • Ensure players are stable before positions are saved
  • Use debug logs to see position saving behavior

Audio Not Playing​

  • Check that Enable Sound is enabled
  • Verify that Sound URL is correct and accessible
  • Test with different sound files
  • Check that Sound Volume is greater than 0

Performance Issues​

  • Reduce Height Sampling Rate to decrease CPU usage
  • Increase Position Tracking Interval to reduce frequency
  • Consider the impact on mobile devices
  • Test with different numbers of players

Best Practices​

  • Start with Defaults: Use default values and adjust based on your world
  • Test Thoroughly: Always test with multiple players and scenarios
  • Use Debug Logs: Enable debug mode during development
  • Consider World Layout: Adjust thresholds based on your world's design
  • Test Edge Cases: Verify behavior with different movement types
  • Monitor Performance: Watch for performance impact with many players
  • Provide Audio Feedback: Use sound to inform players of respawns
  • Document Settings: Keep notes on your respawn configurations
  • Test on Mobile: Verify behavior on different devices
  • Consider Accessibility: Ensure respawn behavior is fair for all players

Advanced Features​

Intelligent Fall Detection​

The component doesn't just respawn players when they go below a certain height. Instead, it analyzes the player's movement history to determine if they're actually falling:

  • Tracks the player's height over time
  • Analyzes the trend to determine if the player is falling
  • Prevents respawns during normal activities like walking down stairs

Stable Position Detection​

The component intelligently determines when a position should be considered "safe" for respawning:

  • Waits until the player has been stable for a configured time
  • Ensures the player isn't falling when saving a safe position
  • Requires significant movement from the previous safe position

Configurable Audio Feedback​

  • Plays customizable sound when respawning
  • Supports different sound files and volumes
  • Provides audio feedback for respawn events