What a rule is
Every rule has two halves, When and Do, and NutHouse checks them all sixty times a second.
When this happens, do that
A rule (NutHouse also calls it an event) is a sentence with two halves. The When half is a test. The Do half is a list of actions. If the test is true, the actions happen.
Objects do nothing clever on their own. A ball flies in a straight line and goes straight through a brick. The rule above is what makes the brick smash and the ball bounce.
How NutHouse reads your rules
While a level plays, NutHouse reads your rules from the top row to the bottom row. Then it does it again. It does this about sixty times a second, so it feels instant.
Each time, NutHouse looks at the When half of a rule. If every condition in it is true, the Do half runs. If not, NutHouse skips to the next row.
Two kinds of condition look different in the grid:
| Red chips | Moments, like Collides with another object or Upon pressing a key. They are true once, at the instant the thing happens. |
|---|---|
| Normal chips | States, like Compare the number of lives or Repeat while a key is pressed. They are checked every time, and stay true as long as the thing is true. |
That difference matters a lot. Read Red rules happen once before you write many rules.
Where rules live
Rules belong to a level. Open the Events tab (โ3) to see the rules for the level you are editing. Each level has its own list. If you want one set of rules in every level, put them in a group and tick Works in every level.
