Tutorial: Scripting Course #2 – Let's Create an Enemy

STEP 2: Create the Script for the Enemy (Zombie)

1. Click the + icon to create a new Visual Script.
2. Rename the first state to Walk, and set the animation to the zombie’s walk animation: E_01_act_003.
   Also, set the Facing Direction to Left, since the default direction is right.
   
   

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3. For Walk’s Executable Action, add TemplateMove.
   Leave the template type as Horizontal, but disable Auto Flip so the zombie only turns around when hitting a wall, not based on time.
   
   

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4. Let’s test it in-game. Place sample_zombie.tscn as a child of the BaseLayer.
   
   

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5. Press F5 or click the to test play.
   The zombie should walk left and disappear when hit by a bullet.If it doesn’t work, check the following:

• Zombie moves in the wrong direction: Make sure “Enable Auto H Flip” is enabled in BaseSettings and the Walk state’s direction is set to Left.
• Bullets don’t disappear when hitting the zombie: Check the bullet’s script to ensure collision detection is working correctly.
• The zombie not dying after hits is expected, because we haven’t added the death state yet.

6. Now let’s create the Damaged state.
   Create a new state near AnyState called Damaged.
   Set the animation to E_01_act_008 (damage animation).
   
   

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7. In the action settings, reduce horizontal movement speed to 10%.
   This makes the zombie slow down during the damage animation.
   
   

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8. Add three actions:
9. Play Audio: Use Zombie2 as the sound effect.
   
   

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10. Wait: Insert a 0.2s wait to allow the animation to play.
    
    

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11. Transfer to Previous Action: Returns to the prior state.
    
    

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9. Connect AnyState → Damaged.
   AnyState allows transition from any state, and “Transfer to Previous Action” returns to the prior state—like a “Common Event” for RPG Maker users.
   
   

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10. Add two conditions to the link:
11. Contact With Attack Area
    Configure it to react when hit from any direction by the Player.
    
    

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12. HP ≠ 0

• Target: This node
• Reverse condition: ON (i.e., NOT HP=0)
• Logical link: AND
  
  

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11. Test it. The zombie should groan and stagger when hit, and stop reacting after 5 hits.

If it doesn’t work:

• No reaction to hits: Check that the HP condition is reversed and the animation is properly set.
• Still reacts after 5 hits: Make sure the logic condition is AND.

12. Now let’s make the Death state:

• Name the state Dead and set animation E_01_act_009 (death animation).
  
  

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• Set Horizontal Movement Speed to 0% to stop movement.
  
  

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13. Add three actions to Dead:
14. Change Object Property

• Type: Object Property
• Target: Self
• Node: AttackCollision ( NOT AttackArea2D)
• Property: disabled
• Value: On
  → Disables the hitbox so players don’t take damage from a corpse.
  
  

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15. Wait: 0.85s to allow the animation to play.
    
    

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16. Remove Self
    → Deletes the zombie from the game.
    
    

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14. Link AnyState → Dead, and set the condition to HP = 0 (this time, do not reverse the condition).
    
    

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15. Test play again. The zombie should groan and stagger up to 5 times, and on the 5th hit, play the death animation and vanish.

If anything doesn’t work as expected, check the links, states, and conditions carefully.

Next tutorial (Part 3):