Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/sanchedev/tiny-engine/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
tiny-engine provides a unified Input system that handles both pointer (mouse/touch) and keyboard events through a single API. The system normalises pointer coordinates to game-space, clears per-frame key state automatically, and exposes typed event emitters so you never attach raw DOM listeners yourself.
Game.input is available after Game.setup() completes. Access it from any TinyScript or hook context:
import { Game } from 'tiny-engine'
const input = Game.input
Pointer properties
| Property | Type | Description |
|---|
input.pointerPosition | Readonly<Vector2> | Current pointer position in game coordinates. Updated on every pointer move. |
input.isPointerPressed | boolean | true while a pointer button is held down. |
// Read current pointer state synchronously
const pos = input.pointerPosition // Vector2 in game coords
const held = input.isPointerPressed // boolean
Pointer events
Input exposes three typed Event properties. Call .on(callback) directly on the property. Every callback receives the current pointer position as a game-space Vector2.
| Property | Fired when |
|---|
input.pointerPressed | A pointer button is pressed down. |
input.pointerUnpressed | A pointer button is released. |
input.pointerMoved | The pointer moves (regardless of press state). |
input.pointerPressed.on((position) => {
console.log('Pressed at', position.x, position.y) // game coords
})
input.pointerUnpressed.on((position) => {
console.log('Released at', position.x, position.y)
})
input.pointerMoved.on((position) => {
console.log('Moved to', position.x, position.y)
})
Keyboard methods
The keyboard API distinguishes between currently held keys, keys pressed this frame, and keys released this frame. All methods accept an optional set of modifier flags.
| Method | Returns | Description |
|---|
isKeyPressed(key, ctrl?, shift?, alt?) | boolean | true while the key is currently held. |
isJustKeyPressed(key, ctrl?, shift?, alt?) | boolean | true only on the frame the key was first pressed. |
isJustKeyUnpressed(key, ctrl?, shift?, alt?) | boolean | true only on the frame the key was released. |
getKeyAxis(positiveKey, negativeKey) | -1 | 0 | 1 | Returns 1 if positive key is held, -1 if negative, 0 if neither or both. |
// Directional movement axis (-1 left, 0 still, 1 right)
const xAxis = input.getKeyAxis('ArrowRight', 'ArrowLeft')
// One-shot action on key down
if (input.isJustKeyPressed('z')) {
player.attack()
}
// Modifier combo
if (input.isKeyPressed('s', true)) {
// Ctrl+S held
}
KeyboardEvent.key values (e.g. 'ArrowLeft', 'a', ' '). Matching is case-insensitive.
When tiny-engine constructs Input internally via Game.setup(), it passes the preventKeyDefaults option:
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
|---|
preventKeyDefaults | boolean | true | Calls preventDefault() on all keyboard events, blocking browser shortcuts (e.g. arrow-key scroll). Set to false to allow default browser behaviour. |
Example: axis movement and pointer fire in a TinyScript
import { TinyScript } from 'tiny-engine/scripts'
import { PrimaryNode, Game } from 'tiny-engine'
class PlayerScript extends TinyScript<PrimaryNode.Transform> {
setup() {
this.connect('updated', (delta) => {
const input = Game.input
// Move left/right with arrow keys
const xAxis = input.getKeyAxis('ArrowRight', 'ArrowLeft')
this.me.position.x += xAxis * 120 * delta
// Jump on the frame Space is pressed
if (input.isJustKeyPressed(' ')) {
this.jump()
}
// Fire toward the pointer while left button is held
if (input.isPointerPressed) {
this.fireAt(input.pointerPosition)
}
})
}
private jump() {
// jump logic
}
private fireAt(target: Vector2) {
// fire logic
}
}
Cleaning up
input.destroy() removes all DOM event listeners attached by the Input instance.
Always call input.destroy() when the game or scene is torn down to prevent memory leaks from dangling window listeners. If you are using Game.destroy(), you do not need to call it manually — Game.destroy() calls input.destroy() automatically as part of its cleanup sequence.
