Display a start menu to select new game, load game and other options when starting the game application.

Start Menu #

The start menu settings define the start menu scene, how starting a new game is handled and which options are available in the start menu.

The start menu settings can be found in UI > Start Menu.

Start Menu Settings #

Define the scene that’ll be used as the start menu scene. This scene is loaded when exiting the game to the start menu (e.g. via a menu screen or after game over).

The start menu can automatically be called when the start menu scene has been loaded (both when starting the application and returning to the start menu scene).

Optionally replace the default screen fade when loading the start menu scene.

New Game Settings #

Define the scene that’ll be loaded when starting a new game and the schematic used when starting a game.

The start game schematic is usually used to set up the player combatant (Join Group node and Spawn ORK Player node to add a combatant and spawn it). The schematic is started after loading the new game scene. When using Game Starter components for quick game testing (i.e. Start Game enabled), they’ll use the start schematic in the scene you start playing. See this tutorial for a simple start schematic.

You can optionally also define a combatant group that’ll be used for the player group.

Optionally replace the default screen fade when loading the new game scene.

Menu Options #

Define the UI box that’ll be used for the start menu and add the options you want to have available.

A minimum setup should include a Start Game, a Load Game and an Exit option (this is the default setup when starting a new project).

See more information on the different options below.

Continue #

Continues from the last save game.

The option can be hidden if it’s not active or automatically selected if it’s available.

The continue save game is the last save game that was saved or loaded and is remembered between plays.

Custom #

Calls a plugin or uses reflection to use custom functionality.

You can e.g. call a static function or a function of a component on a game object in the scene.

Exit #

Exits the game (i.e. closes the application using Application.Quit).

Information #

Shows an information dialogue.

Define the used UI box and message that’ll be displayed.

Language #

Shows a language selection dialogue.

Load Game #

Loads a new game.

Shows the Load Game Menu set up in UI > Save Game Settings.

New Game #

Starts a new game.

Can optionally show an auto save slot selection to allow the player to select an auto save slot which will be used for auto saves during the game.

Can optionally show a difficulty selection.

Open URL #

Opens a defined URL using the system’s browser.

Options #

Shows an option dialogue.

You can add different options to an option menu:

• Accept
  A button to accept the changes.
• Cancel
  A button to cancel the changes.
• Custom
  A custom option, changes variables or PlayerPrefs.
• Global Volume
  Changes the global volume (0-1).
• Music Volume
  Changes the music volume (0-1).
• Mute Global Volume
  Mutes or unmutes the global volume.
• Mute Music Volume
  Mutes or unmutes the music volume.
• Mute Sound Volume
  Mutes or unmutes the sound volume.
• Random Battle Chance
  Changes the chance for random battles. Used as percent of the chance defined in random battle areas (plus bonuses).
• Sound Volume
  Changes the sound volume (0-1).
• Text Speed
  Changes the speed of text typing in UI boxes.

Using the start menu #

The start menu can be displayed in two ways.

Auto Call #

Use the Auto Call option in the Start Menu Settings in UI > Start Menu to automatically open the start menu when the game loads the defined start menu scene.

This is the best way to handle showing the start menu.

Schematics #

Use the Call Start Menu node to show the start menu.

E.g. use this when you want to animate your start menu scene using a schematic and open the menu at the right time (or after an input key was pressed).

Schematics can also use the Close Start Menu node to close it.

ORK Game Starter #

The ORK Game Starter component can display the start menu by enabling the Call Start Menu option.

Please note that this is only used when the game starter first initializes ORK Framework – i.e. this is only used once in the whole game.

Learn more about game starters in this documentation.

Scripting #

You can call the start menu via scripting:

ORK.StartMenu.menu.Show();