Docs/Physics

Raycasting

Detect objects along a line.

13 min read Advanced Updated 2026-07-01 v2.0 ~38 min to complete

Introduction

Detect objects along a line. This page provides a complete guide to raycasting in Appley, covering everything from setup to advanced techniques.

Physics is a core area of Appley. Understanding raycasting will help you build better games and use the platform more effectively. This documentation is designed for advanced level users.

Requirements

Before working with raycasting, ensure you have the following:

An Appley project with a 3D scene
3D models with colliders
Understanding of basic physics (mass, force, gravity)
Rigidbody components on objects

Estimated Completion Time

This guide takes approximately 38 minutes to complete. The estimated reading time is 13 minutes. Difficulty level: Advanced.

Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these steps to work with raycasting in your Appley project:

Add rigidbody

Select the object in the hierarchy and add a rigidbody component for raycasting.

Configure collider

Set the collider shape (box, sphere, capsule, mesh) and size.

Set physics properties

Configure mass, friction, bounce, and other physics material properties.

Script forces

Use the physics API to apply forces, torques, and impulses from scripts.

Test physics

Play the game and verify the physics behavior. Adjust properties as needed.

FluxScript Example

Below is an Appley Scripting (Flux Scripting) code example demonstrating raycasting:

Raycasting — Appley Scripting

// Physics — Raycasting
on start {
  ball = world.spawn("sphere")
  ball.setRigidbody(true)
  ball.setMass(2.0)
  ball.setBounce(0.8)
  ball.setFriction(0.3)
  ball.setPosition(0, 20, 0)
  ball.applyForce(vec3(0, 0, -100))
}

on collision(other) {
  if other.type == "floor" {
    vel = ball.getVelocity()
    ball.setVelocity(vel.x, -vel.y * 0.8, vel.z)
  }
  hit = physics.raycast(ball.position, vec3(0, -1, 0), 1.5)
  if hit != null ball.isGrounded = true
}

Node Script Example

The same logic can be implemented using Node Scripting. Here is the equivalent node graph:

Raycasting — Node Graph

[On Start] ──► [Spawn: sphere]
         ──► [Set Rigidbody: true, mass=2, bounce=0.8]
         ──► [Apply Force: (0,0,-100)]

[On Collision] ──► [Branch: "floor"]
            ──► [Get Velocity] ──► [Set Velocity: bounce]

Interchangeable Systems

FluxScript and Node Scripting compile to the same runtime. You can mix both in a single project — use whichever is best for each task.