Timer Overview

What is RetroDev.Timer?

RetroDev.Timer is a flexible, event-driven timer system for Unity. It provides a clean, reusable timer class with callback support, making it easy to handle time-based gameplay mechanics without cluttering your MonoBehaviours with countdown logic.

Get RetroDev.Timer here:

Download Timer →

The Problem It Solves

Implementing timers in Unity often leads to messy code scattered across update loops:

Before RetroDev.Timer:

private float timer = 10f;
private bool timerRunning = true;
private bool timerPaused = false;

void Update() {
    if (timerRunning && !timerPaused) {
        timer -= Time.deltaTime;
        if (timer <= 0) {
            timer = 0;
            timerRunning = false;
            OnTimerComplete();
        }
    }
}

With RetroDev.Timer:

private GameTimer timer;

void Start() {
    timer = new GameTimer(10f);
    timer.onTimerCompleteCallback += OnTimerComplete;
    timer.Start();
}

void Update() {
    timer.Update();
}

Key Features

Complete Timer Control

Start, stop, pause, resume and reset with simple method calls. Full control over timer state.

Event-Driven

Attach callbacks for start, stop, pause, resume, and completion events. Your code stays organized and reactive.

Reusable

Create a timer once, reset and reuse it as many times as you need. No need to instantiate new timers constantly.

State Tracking

Query timer state at any time: Is it running? Paused? How much time is left?

What RetroDev.Timer Provides

Timer Control Methods

Start() - Begin countdown
Stop() - Stop timer completely
Pause() - Pause without resetting
Resume() - Continue from paused state
Reset() - Reset to original duration

State Queries

IsRunning() - Check if actively counting down
IsPaused() - Check if paused
GetElapsedTime() - Get time that has passed
GetDuration() - Get total timer duration

Event Callbacks

onStartCallback - Fires when timer starts
onStopCallback - Fires when timer is stopped
onPauseCallback - Fires when timer is paused
onResumeCallback - Fires when timer resumes
onTimerCompleteCallback - Fires when countdown reaches zero

Common Use Cases

Cooldown Systems:

private GameTimer abilityCooldown;

void UseAbility() {
    abilityCooldown = new GameTimer(5f);
    abilityCooldown.onTimerCompleteCallback += () => {
        Debug.Log("Ability ready!");
    };
    abilityCooldown.Start();
}

Round/Match Timers:

private GameTimer matchTimer;

void StartMatch() {
    matchTimer = new GameTimer(300f); // 5 minutes
    matchTimer.onTimerCompleteCallback += EndMatch;
    matchTimer.Start();
}

void Update() {
    matchTimer.Update();
    UpdateUITimer(matchTimer.GetElapsedTime());
}

Timed Power-Ups:

void ActivatePowerUp() {
    var powerUpTimer = new GameTimer(10f);
    powerUpTimer.onStartCallback += () => player.EnablePowerUp();
    powerUpTimer.onTimerCompleteCallback += () => player.DisablePowerUp();
    powerUpTimer.Start();
}

Pause Menu Integration:

void PauseGame() {
    matchTimer.Pause();
    enemySpawnTimer.Pause();
    bonusTimer.Pause();
}

void ResumeGame() {
    matchTimer.Resume();
    enemySpawnTimer.Resume();
    bonusTimer.Resume();
}

When to Use RetroDev.Timer

Perfect for:

Ability cooldowns
Match/round timers
Power-up durations
Respawn timers
Wave/spawn intervals
Any time-based game mechanic

You might not need it if:

You’re using a coroutine-based approach
You only need a single simple countdown
You prefer Unity’s built-in Invoke methods

Important Notes

void Update() {
    timer.Update(); // Don't forget this!
}

Multiple Timers

You can manage multiple timers easily:

private GameTimer attackCooldown;
private GameTimer specialCooldown;
private GameTimer healthRegen;

void Update() {
    attackCooldown.Update();
    specialCooldown.Update();
    healthRegen.Update();
}

Getting Started

Ready to add clean timer functionality to your game? Check out the Quick Start guide for complete examples and best practices.