Global variables

:: inside a global name is a naming convention, not a namespace operator — $Host::Port is one variable whose name happens to contain colons. See TorqueScript.

There are around 1355 distinct $pref:: globals referenced across the shipped scripts [script]. This page covers the families and the ones a modder reads or writes.

The families

$pref:: — persisted user preferences

Written out on exit [script]:

function onExit()
{
   …
   echo("exporting pref::* to ClientPrefs.cs");
   export("$pref::*", "prefs/ClientPrefs.cs", False);
   BanList::Export("prefs/banlist.cs");
   …
}

and also at login [script]:

$pref::LastLoginName = $LoginName;
export( "$pref::*", "prefs/ClientPrefs.cs", False );

Anything you name $pref::MyMod::Something is persisted for free. That is the correct place for user-configurable settings in a client mod — no file handling required.

The sub-families

Standalone ones worth knowing:

$pref::NoClearConsole = true; in your dev setup stops the console being wiped at every mission load [script]. Small, and it will save you.

$Host:: — server configuration

Defaults in scripts/serverDefaults.cs [script], overridden by prefs/serverPrefs.cs.

Constant families

Audio channel constants [script]:

$EffectAudioType   $VoiceAudioType   $ChatAudioType
$RadioAudioType    $GuiAudioType     $MusicAudioType

Image slot constants:

$WeaponSlot        $BackpackSlot

Runtime state globals

Read these; write them only if you know what you are doing.

Content registration globals

The arrays your mod must extend:

Naming your own

Namespace them:

$MyMod::Debug        = false;
$MyMod::Version      = "1.0";
$pref::MyMod::ShowExtraHud = true;      // ← persisted automatically

Two reasons: you will not collide with another mod, and deleteVariables("$MyMod::*") cleans up in one call.

Inspecting at runtime

echo($Host::MaxPlayers);
export("$Host::*", "", false);        // print every $Host:: global to the console
export("$pref::MyMod::*", "", false);

export with an empty filename prints instead of writing. The quickest way to see what a family actually contains.

Under the community patches

Every vanilla global above still exists. The patches add families of their own and clamp a few values.

Added by the QoL patch

$Font::Substitute["Univers"]                = "Saira Regular";
$Font::Substitute["Univers Condensed"]      = "Saira SemiCondensed Medium";
$Font::Substitute["Univers Bold"]           = "U001 Bold";
$Font::Substitute["Univers Condensed Bold"] = "Univers LT 57 Condensed";
$Font::Substitute["Univers italic"]         = "Univers LT 57 Condensed Oblique";
$Font::Substitute["Sui Generis"]            = "SuiGenerisRg-Regular";

Every vanilla font name is rerouted to a shipped .sdft [patch-script]. Your GUI code needs no change; it renders differently. See GUI system.

Vanilla values the patch overwrites

[patch-script], after the package block:

if ($pref::Net::PacketRateToClient < 32)
   $pref::Net::PacketRateToClient = 32;         // matches V12's 32 Hz tick
if ($pref::Net::PacketSize < 450)
   $pref::Net::PacketSize = 450;
$pref::Net::CheckEmail = false;                 // the Sierra email service is gone
$pref::Audio::drivers = "Miles\tOpenAL";        // both backends offered
$pref::Input::KeyboardEnabled = 0;              // set by initClientPatches()

If you set any of these from your mod, set them after the patch has run — from a scheduled callback or a server hook, not at autoexec file scope.

Per-client dynamic fields added by t2csri_server

Set on GameConnection objects during authentication [patch-script]:

Do not reuse these names on GameConnection.

Added by RC2a

Added by the support pack

If base/support.vl2 is installed [support-script]:

See The autoload system.

Naming, again

Avoid the t2csri, TN, and Autoload prefixes entirely, on globals as well as functions and packages. Namespace yours as $MyMod::….

Related

• TorqueScript — variable syntax and array naming
• Launch options — the boot flags
• Hosting and testing — $Host:: in practice
• TribesNEXT QoL patch — the patch’s globals in context