Debugging

Dryad Engine provides two main debugging tools: the native browser console and the built-in Debug Panel.

Browser Console

Since Dryad Engine is web-based and runs in Electron, all standard web development practices apply. You can use the browser's developer tools to debug your game.

Opening the console:

  • File → Toggle Developer Tools ( Ctrl+Shift+I )

The console shows errors, warnings, and log messages from both the engine and your scripts.

Engine Logger

The engine uses a structured logging system with colored output and importance levels:

LevelColorUse
INFOBlueGeneral messages
SUCCESSGreenSuccessful operations
OVERWRITEBrownData overwrites(e.g you want to overwrite an action's default behavior)
WARNYellowWarnings
ERRORRedErrors

When dev mode is enabled, log messages also show the source file and line number, making it easy to trace where code was called from.

Debug Panel

The Debug Panel is visible automatically when playtesting your game from the Engine Editor. It provides a visual interface to inspect and manipulate game state without writing code.

debug_panel

What You Can Inspect

  • Characters - View and modify character stats, resources, traits, and statuses
  • Inventories - Browse items, add/remove items, check equipment
  • Dungeons - See current dungeon, room, and scene data
  • Flags - View and modify game flags
  • States - Check current UI and game states
  • Registry - See all registered events, actions, conditions, placeholders, stat computers, and components

Custom Debug Buttons

You can add custom debug buttons that appear in the Debug Panel. These are useful for testing specific scenarios like giving items, teleporting, or triggering events.

Add custom debug buttons in the Engine Editor:

  1. Go to General → Custom Choices
  2. Create choices with the debug group
  3. These appear as buttons in the Debug Panel during playtest

Example uses:

  • "Give 1000 Gold" - quickly test shop purchases
  • "Max All Stats" - test endgame content
  • "Trigger Boss Fight" - skip to specific encounters

Checking Dev Mode in Scripts

You can check if dev mode is enabled using game.isDevMode():

if (game.isDevMode()) {
  console.log('Debug info:', someData);
}

Tips

  • Keep the console open during development to catch errors early
  • Use the Debug Panel's Registry tab to verify your custom registrations are working
  • Create debug buttons for common testing scenarios to speed up iteration
  • Check the Network tab in Developer Tools if assets aren't loading