Essential Concepts
This guide is intended for beginners who want to learn the essential concepts to get started with modding and scripting on nanos world.
Introduction
Welcome to nanos world! A sandbox multiplayer game that allows you to create your own game modes, import custom assets, maps and completely extend it's functionalities with Lua scripts.
Before diving into modding and scripting, it's important to understand the essential concepts of how everything works in nanos world. This page will give you a brief explanation of everything you need to know and links to learn more about each topic!
After reading through this Guide, you will be ready to start programming, modding and creating content!
Asset Packs
Asset Packs are the way for modders to import custom assets into the game, such as new models, textures, sounds, and more. They can be created using Unreal Engine, exported and then added to the Server/Assets/ directory in nanos world server as an Asset Pack!
Each Asset Pack has a configuration file called Assets.toml. This configuration is used to list all the assets included in the pack, their paths, and other metadata such as their types, categories, and tags. This file is used by the game to load the assets and make them available for use in Lua scripts through Entities.
Through Lua Scripting, some Entities require an Asset as parameter. For example the entity Prop asks for a StaticMesh Reference in the third constructor parameter.
This way we spawn a Prop like this, using the Asset reference:
-- Using the default 'nanos-world' Asset Pack, which is already natively included in the game
local my_prop = Prop(Vector(), Rotator(), "nanos-world::SM_Cube")
Asset Packs are a powerful tool for extending the game and adding new features, and they are essential for modders who want to create unique and exciting experiences for players. Read more about Asset Packs in our Assets Guide:
Assets Guidecore-concepts/assetsPackages
Packages are the core building blocks of nanos world, as they provide a way for scripters to create custom content and features for the game.
There are different types of Packages, each type with a different ability, including executing Lua scripts, creating game-modes, defining maps, and even creating custom loading-screens!
Script is the most common type of Package, it allow scripters to run Lua code on both the client and server which can listen to events, interact with game classes, and modify game behavior in various ways.
Packages can be loaded/unloaded dynamically while the server is running with package reload all!
Each Package is a folder under Server/Packages/ with a configuration file Package.toml inside, on which we define the type of the package and it's relevant settings.
Packages can also have dependencies on other Packages and Asset Packs, which allows scripters to reuse code and assets across multiple Packages. This can help to reduce duplication and improve organization, especially for larger scripts or game-modes.
If we want a Package to be loaded, we must define them in our Server's Config.toml, we have a section for each package type (game_mode, loading_screen, map and packages), which we must list the Package names we want the server to load!
Overall, Packages are an essential concept in nanos world modding, and they provide a powerful and flexible way to create custom content and functionality for the game. Read more about them in our Packages Guide:
Packages Guidecore-concepts/packages/packages-guideScripting
Scripting is a powerful way to program and customize nanos world. It allows us to listen to game events, spawn, interact, and change entities at will.
All Lua code are executed through Packages, it is possible to have scripts that run only on the server, on the client or that run on both.
Learning
If you're new to programming, YouTube or any Courses website are great places to start learning the basics of coding in various programming languages.
For Lua scripting, the official Lua Manual provides a comprehensive tutorial on the basics of the language.
Also, our documentation is a great resource for learning about everything available in nanos world. You can explore our Game-Modes and Packages category to find real examples!
The 🎓 CORE CONCEPTS section provides guides and great information whilst 👨💻 SCRIPTING REFERENCE provides technical details of the usage of our API!
Also, our Official Discord is an active community where you can ask questions, get help, and connect with other scripters!
Events
In nanos world, our API is based on Events, which are similar to Hooks in other games. Everything in the API comes through events, such as when a Player spawns, a Character enters a vehicle or takes damage. You can listen to these events using Lua scripting and perform actions accordingly.
For example we can listen when a Player joins the server or an Entity is spawned:
-- Subscribes when a Player joins the server
Player.Subscribe("Spawn", function(player)
Console.Log("The player %s has joined the server!", player:GetName())
end)
-- Subscribes when a Prop is spawned
Prop.Subscribe("Spawn", function(prop)
Console.Log("A prop just spawned!")
end)
Read more about Events in the Events Guide:
Events Guidecore-concepts/scripting/events-guideClasses
Classes are entities that can be spawned, interacted with, and changed as you wish. We can easily spawn entities like this:
local my_light = Light(Vector(0, 100, 100), Rotator(), Color.RED)
local my_static_mesh = StaticMesh(Vector(0, 0, 100), Rotator(), "nanos-world::SM_Cube_VR_01")
Or even interact and change the existing ones the way we want:
local some_prop = Prop.GetByIndex(1)
some_prop:SetMesh("nanos-world::SM_Pyramid_VR")
Read more about Classes in the Classes Guide:
Classes Guidecore-concepts/scripting/classes-guideStatic Classes
Besides Classes we also have the Static Classes, which are just Lua libraries with functions which can be called without needing to spawn an entity or have an instance.
For example we can send a Chat message using the Chat Static Class:
Chat.BroadcastMessage("Hello world!")
Package Folder Structure
The folder structure of a scripting Package includes Server/, Client/, and Shared/ folders. You can put .lua files in each folder to execute code on the server, client, or both (Shared):
my-package/
├── Server/
│ ├── Index.lua
│ └── *.lua
├── Client/
│ ├── Index.lua
│ └── *.lua
├── Shared/
│ ├── Index.lua
│ └── *.lua
└── Package.toml
Only the Packages of type script, game-mode and map will have this structure, as those are the only ones which run Lua scripts.
The Package only loads the Index.lua file of each base folder (Server/, Client/ or Shared/), this file is responsible for importing other scripting files.
You can find several guides for scripting under 🎓 CORE CONCEPTS / Scripting section in the left sidebar.
Maps
Maps (or Levels in Unreal) are the entry point of the game, this is where the world is loaded and the entities are spawned in the client side.
To configure a Map, we create a Package of type map, this type is like script, but it's Package.toml has additional settings to configure the map, e.g. we have map_asset = "my-asset-pack::MyLevel" which we need to define which Map Asset this Package will load.
We can configure which map the server will run in the Config.toml, under map = "my-map-package" setting.
We provide 4 built-in Maps which can be loaded without any additional Package or Asset Pack: default-blank-map, default-empty-map, default-ocean-map and default-testing-map.
Also, in the map's Package.toml, we can configure spawn_points and custom_data, which can be accessed through scripting by any Package:
local spawn_points = Server.GetMapSpawnPoints()
local custom_data = Server.GetMapConfig()
As you could notice, by loading a Map you are also loading a Package with scripts, so you can have custom scripts running per-map. Which can be useful to add custom behaviors such like interactable environments or doors.
Game Modes
Game-Modes are a type of Package which behave exactly like scripts, with the exception we can just have one game-mode loaded at once, while we can have as many as scripts running as we want.
They should be used to create unique and self-contained game experiences.
Players can select and start servers easily by choosing a game-mode in the New Game section on Main Menu.
Networking
Our client-server architecture has been designed thinking about the ease and simplicity of everything related to networking and synchronization. Leaving the scripter to worry only with the creative part!
All entities that are spawned on the server are also automatically spawned and synchronized on the client.
When calling a function on an entity in the server side, this function is also automatically called on the same entity on every client connected. Making everyone always to be synchronized with all changes!
For example, if we spawn a Character, and set it's location, all Clients will have it's location updated as well:
-- Spawns a Character (on server side)
local my_character = Character(Vector(0, 0, 0), Rotator(), "nanos-world::SK_Male")
-- Sets it's location
my_character:SetLocation(Vector(100, 100, 100))
Some Classes can only be spawned on server, others only on client. The same for some functions of them. This way, if you spawn an entity in the client side, it will only exist for that client.
Through this docs, you will find Authority tooltips telling whether a function can be called on server 
, on client 
, on both 
or only on the side which spawned it 
!
Communication Between Sides
To be able to send information from the server to client or vice versa, we exposed some especial methods in our Events Static Class to allow that!
-- Subscribes to a Remote Event on client side
Events.SubscribeRemote("MyClientEvent", function(my_text)
Console.Log("Event received from server! " .. my_text)
-- outputs "Event received from server! hello nanos world!"
end)
-- Sends a remote Event to all Players in all Client Packages
Events.BroadcastRemote("MyClientEvent", "hello nanos world!")
Read more about Networked Events in our Communicating Between Packages Guide:
Communicating Between Packagescore-concepts/scripting/communicating-between-packagesSynchronized Values
Besides sending data through Events, which is a dynamic thing, we also have the possibility to bind/set custom values to entities, or even globally in the Server/Client.
For example we can set a value on any entity, which can be accessed by any Package:
-- Sets a 'my_value' value to a Prop
my_prop:SetValue("my_value", 100)
-- Later on, get the value again
local my_value = my_prop:GetValue("my_value")
This will make my_value to be set on this entity globally in this side (client or server).
But we also have the ability to send a synchronized value on an entity (if we are on server side)! For that we just append the true parameter, telling it to be sent and synchronized to all clients too!
-- Sets a synchronized 'my_value' value to a Prop
my_prop:SetValue("my_value", 100, true)
Those values are accessible by any Package and are a great way to synchronize custom values!
Read more about Entity Values in our Entity Values Guide:
Entity Valuescore-concepts/scripting/entity-valuesUI
User Interface is an essential aspect of the game, we provide several flexible ways to create UI!
WebUI
The most direct way is with WebUI, which allows you to create and integrate UIs using HTML/CSS/JavaScript, having absolute freedom to create and customize as you want.
It is possible to communicate between Lua and JavaScript using events!
For more information refer to our WebUI tutorial:
Basic HUD (HTML)getting-started/tutorials-and-examples/basic-hud-htmlWidget
Another new and more advanced way to create UI is using Unreal Widget! With them you can have all access to the powerful widgets and even create your own through Unreal Engine and import them in-game, providing a seamless User Experience!
For more information refer to our Widget class page:
Widget Classscripting-reference/classes/widgetConclusion
In this guide, we have covered some of the essential concepts of nanos world scripting and modding. These concepts are important to understand as they form the foundation of building any game-mode or script. We hope you can now start creating content and bringing life to your ideas!
If you have any question, don't hesitate in asking questions on our Discord! Our community is amazing and very friendly, we will be glad to help you!
Now we suggest starting by our Quick Start Guide to create your first package!
Quick Startgetting-started/quick-start