Dedicated Servers: Installation, Configuration, and Command Line
s&box dedicated servers run headless and can be installed via SteamCMD. They host multiplayer games without requiring the full editor. Installation Install via …
Cloud Assets: Referencing and Runtime Mounting from sbox.game
s&box provides access to a large library of cloud assets (models, textures, sounds) hosted on sbox.game. Assets are downloaded and cached automatically — no man…
Particle Effects: CPU-Simulated Programmable Particle System
The s&box particle system is CPU-simulated (multithreaded) and fully programmable via components. You can emit particles manually, iterate and modify them at ru…
Hotloading Pitfalls: Default Values, Types, Delegates, and Optimization
s&box hotloads code changes live when you save or files. Understanding the pitfalls helps avoid subtle bugs during development. How It Works IL Hotload (Fast): …
File System: Sandboxed Virtual Filesystems for Data Persistence
Standard .NET access is restricted in s&box. Instead, use the provided virtual filesystems that sandbox access to specific game directories. Available File Syst…
Unit Tests: MSTest with Engine Initialization for Component Testing
s&box supports unit testing via a directory in your project. The engine auto-generates a test project when this directory exists (restart editor after creating …
Indirect Light Volumes: Probe-Based Global Illumination and Bounce Lighting
Indirect Light Volumes in s&box use a grid of probes to sample indirect light from all directions. When rendering, the system interpolates between nearby probes…
Scene Metadata: ISceneMetadata for Queryable Scene and Prefab Data
The interface in s&box allows Components to save data that can be accessed without loading a Scene or cloning a Prefab. Metadata is accessible via or directly. …
Game Mounts: Creating Custom Asset Mounts for External Games
The s&box mount system is extensible — anyone can write a mount to add support for a new game or engine. A mount detects a game's install directory via Steam, s…
Exporting Standalone: Royalty-Free Game Distribution via Steam
Export your s&box game as a standalone executable for distribution outside the s&box platform. Key Features Steam and beyond — publish to any storefront (must a…
Editor - s&box Documentation
Editor The s&box Editor provides a modern interface for building games. Features Asset Previews - Thumbnails for models, materials, textures Custom Editors - Sp…
Input Glyphs: Device-Adaptive Button Icons for UI Hints
Input glyphs in s&box provide an easy way to show users which buttons to press for actions. They automatically adjust for whatever device is being used and retu…
Raw Input: Direct Keyboard Access Bypassing Input Actions
s&box provides raw keyboard input access that bypasses input actions. Only use this when input actions won't work — raw inputs cannot be rebound by players. Ava…
Creating Post-Process Effects: BasePostProcess with Volume Blending and Shaders
Create custom post-processing effects in s&box by deriving from . This enables volume-based blending and custom shader rendering. The Component Key Methods GetW…
API Whitelist: Sandboxed Code Restrictions and Safe Alternatives
s&box uses a code whitelist to prevent access to classes and functions that could be used maliciously. Code that doesn't pass these checks will not be loaded in…
Component Lifecycle Methods Reference
Component Lifecycle Methods s&box Components have a well-defined lifecycle with specific methods you can override for different phases of initialization and upd…
LocalData persistence for server-side data
LocalData Persistence in s&box LocalData provides server-side data persistence that survives server restarts. It's useful for storing configuration, ban lists, …
s&box Rigidbody Component: Physics Body Reference
s&box Rigidbody Component: Physics Body Reference adds physics simulation to a . It requires at least one component on the same object. Key Properties Force and…
Shaders in s&box - HLSL and Shading Models
Shaders in s&box - HLSL and Shading Models Write custom shaders in HLSL with Source 2's shading models, render states, and GPU instancing support. Shader Develo…
Playing Sounds - s&box Sound Documentation
Playing Sounds s&box provides multiple ways to play audio. From simple one-shots to complex 3D spatial audio with full control. SoundEvent Create reusable sound…