When scripting for , the goal is usually to automate room management or add gameplay mechanics that aren't in the base game. Depending on whether you want to build a Headless Bot (server-side) or a Client-Side Macro , here are a few feature ideas: 1. Advanced Stat Tracking (Server-Side) Building on existing stats scripts , you could implement a "Heatmap & Possession" Territory Possession
: Track how much time the ball spends in each half or "zone". Live Expected Goals (xG)
: Calculate the probability of a goal based on the distance to the goal and the number of defenders between the kicker and the net. Persistent Leaderboards SQLite database
to save player ELO, win streaks, and career goals across sessions. 2. Gameplay Mechanics (Server-Side) You can use the Headless API to change how the game feels: : Trigger "abilities" like a when a player sends a specific chat command or hits a key. Nearest Player Logic
: Automatically assign "Captain" status or "Defender" roles to the player closest to the ball Automatic AFK Kick
: If a player's position hasn't changed for 30 seconds, automatically move them to spectator or kick them. 3. Quality of Life (Client-Side) If you are using AutoHotkey
or browser overrides, you can focus on mechanical consistency: Double Kick Macro
: A script that sends two rapid "kick" inputs to give the ball extra weight or a specific angle.
: A macro to help "stick" to the ball when it is pinned against the wall by rapidly cycling the kick button. Joining History
: A client-side snippet to see a player's previous nicknames or join times to identify returning trolls. 4. Moderation Tools (Discord Integration) Remote Management
: Link your room to a Discord bot to open/close rooms, ban players, or change maps Match Recording : A script that triggers a command to save the last game as a replay file. How to implement these: Most of these features are written in JavaScript and pasted into the HaxBall Headless Host console. You can find a library of starter scripts on to build from. basic code template Script Haxball
for one of these specific features, such as the AFK kick or a simple stat tracker? sharing EFC room-bot script · Issue #611 - GitHub
High-quality Haxball scripting relies on the Headless Host API for JavaScript-based room management, with Node.js enabling advanced functionality. Robust scripts often include automated admin functions, AFK detection, and ELO tracking, with resources available on GitHub and Greasy Fork. Explore example scripts and tutorials to build or enhance competitive servers at GitHub thenorthstar/HaxBall-Example-Scripts. thenorthstar/HaxBall-Example-Scripts - GitHub
A Haxball script is a piece of JavaScript code designed to automate or enhance the gameplay experience in the popular 2D browser-based soccer game, Haxball. These scripts generally fall into two categories: Headless Bot Scripts, used by room hosts to automate management, and User Scripts, which individual players use to customize their own interface or controls. 1. Types of Haxball Scripts
Scripts can range from simple chat commands to complex AI-driven bots that manage entire leagues.
Room Management Bots: These scripts run on a "Headless" host and handle tasks like automatically starting matches, switching teams, and recording goals.
Gameplay Enhancements: Some user scripts add visual indicators, such as ball trajectory predictors or movement-based avatar animations.
Macros: Tools like AutoHotkey or specialized JS macros allow for "fast kick" or "rapid fire" actions by sending multiple inputs in rapid succession.
Security & Moderation: Critical for public rooms, these scripts can auto-ban toxic players based on word filters or prevent spamming. 2. How to Use Haxball Scripts
Depending on your goal—hosting a room or improving your play—the installation method differs. For Room Hosts (Headless API)
To host an automated room, you typically use the Haxball Headless Page. When scripting for , the goal is usually
Open the Headless Page: Navigate to the official Haxball headless URL. Open DevTools: Press F12 and click on the Console tab.
Inject the Script: Copy and paste your JavaScript code (like those found on GitHub) into the console and press Enter.
Solve Captcha: Complete the security check to launch the room link. For Players (User Scripts)
Individual enhancements are usually managed through browser extensions like Tampermonkey or Greasy Fork. sharing EFC room-bot script · Issue #611 - GitHub
While there isn't a single "deep paper" titled exactly "Script Haxball," academic and technical analysis of Haxball scripting typically falls into two categories: Reinforcement Learning (teaching AI to play) and Bot Development (using the Haxball API).
The most prominent academic paper on the subject is an application of machine learning to the game: 1. The Core Academic Paper: Deep Q-Learning "An Application to Haxball" Princeton Dataspace is the primary "deep" technical resource. : It explores Deep Q-Learning
and parallelized multi-algorithmic hyperparameter optimization.
: Developing an AI capable of competing in the Haxball environment by learning physics-based movements and strategic positioning. Significance
: It treats Haxball as a simplified physics engine to test how AI agents handle real-time decision-making in a multi-agent competitive space. 2. Practical Scripting (The HaxBall API) For most users, "Script Haxball" refers to the HaxBall Headless Host API
, which allows developers to write JavaScript scripts to automate rooms. Key technical areas include: State Machines Room: A game session where players connect
: Advanced scripts often use state machines to track game phases (kickoff, play, goal). Physics Prediction
: "Deep" scripts calculate ball trajectories by accessing the game's physics properties (e.g., bounciness : Sophisticated scripts on platforms like Greasy Fork implement complex admin commands and automated gameplay. 3. Optimization and Modding
Some developers take a deeper dive by porting logic to faster languages. For example, Jakub Juszko, creator of a popular HaxBall mod, has discussed converting Python scripts to C++
to achieve multi-threaded speed increases for room hosting and bot calculations. or more details on AI training within the game?
If you're looking for scripts to modify or enhance your Haxball experience, here are a few general points and examples:
haxball.js, haxball-room, haxball-tsIt is important to distinguish between Room Scripts and Client-side Hacks.
HaxBall scripts operate on an event-driven model. The API provides callback functions that trigger when specific actions occur in the game.
onPlayerJoin, onPlayerLeave, onPlayerKicked.onGameStart, onGameStop, onTeamGoal, onTeamVictory.onPlayerBallKick, onBallCollision, onPlayerChat.Example: Welcome Message
room.onPlayerJoin = function(player)
room.sendAnnouncement("Welcome " + player.name + "!", player.id, 0x00FF00, "bold", 2);
;
Over the years, the community has developed several "gold standard" scripts. Here are the ones you need to know:
Every Haxball player has a unique Auth token. Saving this allows permanent bans and persistent stats.
let auth = player.auth; // This is a unique string per computer