> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.warpathstudios.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Decay System

> Note: The decay system is part of the broader item framework.

## World Item Decay & Spoilage

> **Note:**\
> The decay system is part of the broader item framework.\
> This section focuses on how it relates to **dropped loot / world items**.

### Overview

World-spawned items (loot on the ground) can:

* **Decay over time** (durability loss)
* **Despawn after a configured time**
* Optionally be **converted to a spoiled variant** (e.g., fresh meat → spoiled meat)

This prevents infinite world clutter and supports survival-style spoilage mechanics.

***

### Configuration

**On** `ItemDataAsset`**:**

* `Can Decay`: `true/false`
* `Decay Rate`: `0.1` *(example)*

  * Interpreted as durability loss per second (or per tick depending on your implementation)

**On** `WorldItemActor`**:**

* `Despawn Time`: e.g. `300.0` (seconds)

  * How long an item can exist in the world before auto-despawn
  * `0` or negative can be used to disable timed despawn if desired

***

### How It Works (Conceptual)

1. A world item is spawned (loot drop, dropped item, etc.)
2. Over time:

   * Durability is reduced using the **item’s decay rate**
   * Or a lifetime countdown runs based on `Despawn Time`
3. When:

   * Durability reaches `0` **or**
   * The item’s lifetime expires\
     Then one of the following happens:
   * The item is **destroyed**
   * Or replaced with a “spoiled” variant (e.g., fresh → spoiled food)

***

### Spoiled Items (Example Pattern)

For **food** or other perishable items, you can implement a “spoiled” variant.

Example Blueprint logic inside `BP_WorldItemActor`:

```
Event Tick (or Timer every 1 second)
   ↓
Branch: ItemData.CanDecay ?
   True:
      ItemInstance.Durability -= ItemData.DecayRate * DeltaTime
      ↓
      Branch: Durability <= 0 ?
         True:
            // Convert to spoiled version
            Set Item Data = DA_SpoiledMeat   (or your spoiled asset)
            Reset Durability (optional)
            Set Despawn Time = 60 seconds    (optional shorter timer)
         False:
            // Still good, keep updating
   False:
      // No decay, do nothing
```

> **Important:**\
> The exact implementation (Tick vs Timer vs central manager) is up to your project.\
> UMI provides the **data hooks** (durability, decay rate, world item actor), but you can tailor the behavior to your genre and performance needs.