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Modder API

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DooDesch edited this page Jul 2, 2026 · 4 revisions

Modder API

TightBeam exposes a small cross-mod control API so your mod can drive the player's flashlight - on/off, brightness, range, colour, dynamic Blink/Flicker/Pulse, and scoped per-field overrides. Every call is a zero-overhead no-op when TightBeam is not installed, so you can ship it with no hard dependency and it just lights up when a player has TightBeam.

Add the shim

Pick one:

  • Copy-in source (recommended): copy the single file The Beam shim (TightBeam.cs, namespace TightBeam.Api) into your mod project. It is Unity-free and compiles into your DLL - nothing extra to ship.
  • Reference the DLL: reference TightBeam.Api.dll.

The shim binds to the TightBeam host by reflection and shares no type with it (all data crosses as plain BCL types), so there is no hard dependency and load order does not matter - calls you make before TightBeam is ready are queued and flushed on bind.

Quick start

using TightBeam.Api;

// One-shot effects
Beam.Blink(3);                    // blink the beam 3 times (e.g. a low-battery stutter)
Beam.Flicker(0.35f, 6f, 11f);     // flicker at 35% depth for 6s at ~11 Hz
Beam.SetColorHex("#ff3030");      // tint the beam red

// Scoped, per-field override - dim + narrow the beam while the player is in your zone,
// then release it so the beam returns to the player's own settings.
using (var ov = Beam.BeginOverride("MyMod"))
{
    ov.SetIntensity(1f).SetSpotAngle(28f);
    // ... while in the zone ...
}   // Dispose() releases the override

Reading state

Member Meaning
bool Beam.Available true only when the TightBeam host is installed and bound. You rarely need this - the API is a safe no-op when absent.
bool Beam.IsOn Is the flashlight currently on (the player's own flashlight state)?
float Beam.Intensity / Beam.Range / Beam.SpotAngle The beam's current composited values.
Beam.GetColor(out r, out g, out b, out a) The beam's current colour (0..1 floats).
event Action<bool> Beam.OnToggled Fires whenever the flashlight transitions on/off (player key or any mod).

Driving the beam

Persistent changes to the player's base beam:

Method What it does
Beam.TurnOn() / Beam.TurnOff() / Beam.Toggle() / Beam.SetOn(bool) Turn the flashlight on/off (drives the game's own flashlight).
Beam.SetIntensity(float) Set base brightness (clamped to the configured Min/Max).
Beam.SetRange(float meters) Pin the beam range until the player scrolls focus again.
Beam.SetSpotAngle(float degrees) Pin the cone angle until the player scrolls focus again.
Beam.SetColor(float r, float g, float b, float a = 1) Set the beam colour (0..1 floats).
Beam.SetColorHex(string hex) Set the beam colour from #RRGGBB / #RRGGBBAA.

Dynamic effects

Method What it does
Beam.Blink(int times, float intervalSeconds = 0.12f) Blink the beam N times.
Beam.Flicker(float strength01, float durationSeconds, float frequencyHz = 14f) Smooth noise flicker for a duration.
Beam.StopFlicker() Stop an active flicker early.
Beam.Pulse(float amplitude01, float periodSeconds, float durationSeconds) Sine-pulse the brightness. Pass float.PositiveInfinity for the duration to pulse until stopped.
Beam.StopPulse() Stop an active pulse.
Beam.SetTemporaryIntensity(float value, float seconds, float fadeSeconds = 0.25f) Momentary brightness override that auto-restores after seconds.
Beam.SetTemporaryColor(float r, float g, float b, float seconds, float a = 1, float fadeSeconds = 0.25f) Momentary colour override that auto-restores.

Scoped overrides (the recommended way to "hold" the beam)

Beam.BeginOverride(string ownerId) returns an OverrideHandle (a disposable struct). Set any field to hold it; clear or dispose to release it and let the player's own settings show through again. Overrides stack across mods - the newest non-null value per field wins.

OverrideHandle member What it does
.SetIntensity(float) / .SetRange(float) / .SetSpotAngle(float) / .SetColor(r, g, b, a = 1) Hold that field (fluent - chainable).
.ClearIntensity() / .ClearRange() / .ClearSpotAngle() / .ClearColor() Release just that field, keep the others.
.Dispose() Release the whole override. Use using (...) or dispose on scope exit. 
// A dark room that dims the beam while the player is inside.
var ov = Beam.BeginOverride("DarkRoom");
ov.SetIntensity(1.5f);
// ... later, when they leave ...
ov.Dispose();

Rules

  • Call all methods on the Unity main thread.
  • Use a stable, unique ownerId for BeginOverride (your mod name) and always release it.
  • Every call is a no-op when TightBeam is absent - you do not need to guard with Beam.Available.
  • The contract is additive-only (ABI v1): members are never renamed or removed, so you can compile against it safely.

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