The [Timer] node is a countdown timer and is the simplest way to handle time-based logic in the engine. When a timer reaches the end of its [member wait_time], it will emit the [signal timeout] signal.
After a timer enters the tree, it can be manually started with [method start]. A timer node is also started automatically if [member autostart] is [code]true[/code].
Without requiring much code, a timer node can be added and configured in the editor. The [signal timeout] signal it emits can also be connected through the Node dock in the editor:
[b]Note:[/b] Timers are affected by [member Engine.time_scale]. The higher the time scale, the sooner timers will end. How often a timer processes may depend on the framerate or [member Engine.physics_ticks_per_second].
Starts the timer, if it was not started already. Fails if the timer is not inside the tree. If [param time_sec] is greater than [code]0[/code], this value is used for the [member wait_time].
[b]Note:[/b] This method does not resume a paused timer. See [member paused].
If [code]true[/code], the timer is paused. A paused timer does not process until this property is set back to [code]false[/code], even when [method start] is called.
The time required for the timer to end, in seconds. This property can also be set every time [method start] is called.
[b]Note:[/b] Timers can only process once per physics or process frame (depending on the [member process_callback]). An unstable framerate may cause the timer to end inconsistently, which is especially noticeable if the wait time is lower than roughly [code]0.05[/code] seconds. For very short timers, it is recommended to write your own code instead of using a [Timer] node. Timers are also affected by [member Engine.time_scale].