A game can pause itself and set its own time scale (#167)

Until now only the editor toolbar could pause a running game. A pause
menu inside the game had no way to stop the world while its own graph
kept running, and there was no slow motion.

- Five new nodes: Pause game, Resume game, Is game paused, Set time
  scale and Time scale. Pause and resume take effect on the next frame.
- A game pause stops world time, physics, animations, particles and
  shader time. Only behaviors with the new "Run while paused" switch
  keep running.
- Set time scale 0 freezes the world but graphs keep running, as
  agreed in the issue.
- Play and Stop reset the time scale to 1, Load scene keeps it. The
  pause belongs to the scene, so Load scene and Restart unpause.
- The toolbar pause stays separate and also freezes the menu. When the
  game pauses itself the status line reads "The game paused itself".
- While paused, collision events are not reported, sounds keep
  playing, and the editor run ignores both nodes with a log line.

Findings:
- The first status line was longer than any before and got cut with
  an ellipsis. It is shorter now.
- The e2e harness did not know the key "p". It does now.

Tests:
- ./check.sh: 133 files, 1968 tests, exit 0 (before 132 / 1952)
- npm run build: exit 0
- GM_STEPS=18 fresh: ALL PASSED, 33 checks (before 26)
- 16 new unit tests: 8 catalog cases, game-pause.test.ts, editor run
- 7 new e2e checks in block 18i, driven by real keys in the game
- Six counter-checks all bite: behavior filter, collision lock, world
  time, editor run, clock reset and the game clock in the browser
- Check total 1217 in README is computed (1210 + 7), CI measures it

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

README.md

@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ npm run build        # writes dist/ and regenerates index.html; the folder is wh
 The browser suite and the three example games need a machine with a GPU:
 
 ```bash
-node tools/seed-e2e.mjs && node tools/e2e.mjs      # the editor, 1210 checks (GM_STEPS=20 for one step)
+node tools/seed-e2e.mjs && node tools/e2e.mjs      # the editor, 1217 checks (GM_STEPS=20 for one step)
                                                    #   every tool signs in first – see the Accounts page
 node tools/seed-jumprun.mjs && node tools/smoke-jumprun.mjs
 node tools/seed-tetris.mjs && node tools/smoke-tetris.mjs

src/core/graph/NodeContext.ts

@@ -215,4 +215,12 @@ export interface NodeContext {
   stop(): void;
   /** Ends the run and starts it again from the saved scene (everything spawned is lost). */
   restart(): void;
+  /** The global time scale the run goes at (#167): 1 is real time, 0 frozen. */
+  timeScale(): number;
+  /** For the rest of the run, the next scene included; Play and Stop set it back to 1. */
+  setTimeScale(scale: number): void;
+  /** Whether a behavior paused the game – not the editor's own pause, which runs no graph at all. */
+  isPaused(): boolean;
+  /** From the next frame on, only behaviors that run while paused are ticked. */
+  setPaused(paused: boolean): void;
 }

src/core/graph/nodes/action/gameTimeNodes.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import type { NodeDef } from '../../NodeRegistry';
+import { asNumber } from '../../values';
+import { bool, exec, num, withDefault } from '../shared';
+
+const EDITOR_RUN = 'The editor run ignores it and says so in the console.';
+
+export const SetTimeScale: NodeDef = {
+  type: 'SetTimeScale',
+  label: 'Set time scale',
+  category: 'action',
+  description:
+    'Sets how fast the game runs: 1 is real time, 0.5 slow motion, 2 twice as fast, 0 frozen. Movement, ' +
+    'physics, animations, particles and shader time all follow it, and the graphs keep running at 0. ' +
+    'Holds for the rest of the run, the next scene included; Play starts at 1. ' +
+    EDITOR_RUN,
+  inputs: [exec(), withDefault(num('scale'), 1)],
+  outputs: [exec()],
+  params: [],
+  run: (ctx, inputs) => {
+    ctx.setTimeScale(Math.max(0, asNumber(inputs.scale)));
+    return { next: 'exec' };
+  },
+};
+
+export const TimeScale: NodeDef = {
+  type: 'TimeScale',
+  label: 'Time scale',
+  category: 'data',
+  description: 'How fast the game runs, as Set time scale left it: 1 is real time.',
+  inputs: [],
+  outputs: [num('scale')],
+  params: [],
+  read: (ctx) => ({ scale: ctx.timeScale() }),
+};
+
+export const PauseGame: NodeDef = {
+  type: 'PauseGame',
+  label: 'Pause game',
+  category: 'action',
+  description:
+    'Pauses the game from the next frame on: the world time, physics, animations, particles and shader ' +
+    'time stand still, and only behaviors with "Run while paused" keep running – a pause menu needs ' +
+    'one, or nothing can resume. Sounds play on. The next scene starts unpaused. ' +
+    EDITOR_RUN,
+  inputs: [exec()],
+  outputs: [exec()],
+  params: [],
+  run: (ctx) => {
+    ctx.setPaused(true);
+    return { next: 'exec' };
+  },
+};
+
+export const ResumeGame: NodeDef = {
+  type: 'ResumeGame',
+  label: 'Resume game',
+  category: 'action',
+  description: 'Lets a game paused by Pause game run on from the next frame, where it stood.',
+  inputs: [exec()],
+  outputs: [exec()],
+  params: [],
+  run: (ctx) => {
+    ctx.setPaused(false);
+    return { next: 'exec' };
+  },
+};
+
+export const IsGamePaused: NodeDef = {
+  type: 'IsGamePaused',
+  label: 'Is game paused',
+  category: 'data',
+  description: 'True while Pause game holds the game – what lets one key both pause and resume.',
+  inputs: [],
+  outputs: [bool('paused')],
+  params: [],
+  read: (ctx) => ({ paused: ctx.isPaused() }),
+};

src/core/graph/nodes/index.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { type NodeDef, registerNode } from '../NodeRegistry';
 import { Destroy } from './action/Destroy';
 import { PauseAnimation, PlayAnimation, StopAnimation } from './action/animationNodes';
 import { Emit } from './action/Emit';
+import { IsGamePaused, PauseGame, ResumeGame, SetTimeScale, TimeScale } from './action/gameTimeNodes';
 import { LoadScene } from './action/LoadScene';
 import { Log } from './action/Log';
 import { IgnoreOneWay } from './action/IgnoreOneWay';
@@ -236,6 +237,11 @@ export const BUILT_IN_NODES: readonly NodeDef[] = [
   Log,
   StopGame,
   RestartGame,
+  PauseGame,
+  ResumeGame,
+  IsGamePaused,
+  SetTimeScale,
+  TimeScale,
 ];
 
 for (const def of BUILT_IN_NODES) registerNode(def);

src/core/properties/PropertySchema.ts

@@ -405,7 +405,10 @@ const ASSET_SCHEMAS: Record<AssetType, PropertySchema> = {
     ...COLLISION_LAYER_ROWS,
   ],
   // Behaviors declare their own properties (variables) per asset too – see `schemaForAsset`.
-  behavior: [{ key: 'runInEditor', label: 'Run in editor', kind: 'boolean', default: false }],
+  behavior: [
+    { key: 'runInEditor', label: 'Run in editor', kind: 'boolean', default: false },
+    { key: 'runWhilePaused', label: 'Run while paused', kind: 'boolean', default: false },
+  ],
   // Every row is declared on the asset itself – see `schemaForBag`.
   variables: [],
   // The states are the asset's graph (see StateMachineAsset), not a property.

src/core/time.ts

@@ -39,9 +39,13 @@ export class GameClock {
     return step;
   }
 
-  /** Back to second zero. Anything holding an absolute second of this clock has to start over. */
+  /**
+   * Back to second zero and real time – a run starts there and leaves nothing behind (#167).
+   * Anything holding an absolute second of this clock has to start over.
+   */
   reset(): void {
     this.seconds = 0;
+    this.scale = 1;
   }
 }
 

src/editor/Editor.ts

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { pluginsOf } from '../core/store/projectPlugins';
 import type { FontStore } from '../core/store/FontStore';
 import type { SoundStore } from '../core/store/SoundStore';
 import type { TextureStore } from '../core/store/TextureStore';
-import { gameClock } from '../core/time';
+import { gameClock, timeStep } from '../core/time';
 import {
   clamp,
   HStack,
@@ -702,8 +702,9 @@ export class Editor implements PlayHost {
     this.measureFps(dt);
     // One step for everything below: a world gets exactly the seconds the particle, shader and
     // animation clocks moved, so the global time scale cannot pull them apart.
-    const step = gameClock.advance(dt, this.state.paused);
+    // The game's own pause holds the clock as well, so particles and shaders freeze with the world.
-    this.play.tick(step);
+    const step = gameClock.advance(dt, this.state.paused || this.play.isGamePaused);
+    this.play.tick(step, timeStep(dt, gameClock.scale, this.state.paused));
     this.editorRun.tick(step);
     this.viewport.animate();
     this.gameView.animate();
@@ -782,10 +783,11 @@ export class Editor implements PlayHost {
    * is the scene the run is *in* – the only way a check can see a `Load scene` happen, since the
    * swap leaves the editor's own active scene alone.
    */
-  playInfo(): { playing: boolean; paused: boolean; time: number; sceneId: string } {
+  playInfo(): { playing: boolean; paused: boolean; gamePaused: boolean; time: number; sceneId: string } {
     return {
       playing: this.play.isPlaying,
       paused: this.play.isPaused,
+      gamePaused: this.play.isGamePaused,
       time: this.play.time,
       sceneId: this.play.sceneId,
     };

src/editor/EditorRun.ts

@@ -141,6 +141,13 @@ export class EditorRun {
       console.warn('[editor run] Load scene only works while playing');
       world.loadSceneRequested = '';
     }
+    if (world.paused) {
+      // Paused, the run could only be resumed by a behavior that runs while paused – and in the
+      // editor the author would see a scene that stopped for no visible reason.
+      world.log.push('Pause game is ignored in the editor run');
+      console.warn('[editor run] Pause game only works while playing');
+      world.paused = false;
+    }
     if (world.restartRequested) {
       this.stop();
       this.stale = true;

src/editor/PlaySession.ts

@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ export class PlaySession {
     return this.world !== null && this.state.paused;
   }
 
+  /** Paused by a behavior (Pause game) rather than by the toolbar – the game's own pause. */
+  get isGamePaused(): boolean {
+    return this.world?.paused ?? false;
+  }
+
   /** Pause or resume; does nothing while not playing. */
   togglePause(): void {
     if (!this.world) return;
@@ -128,7 +133,11 @@ export class PlaySession {
     const world = World.instantiate(runtime, scene.id);
     this.world = world;
     this.input.attach();
-    this.behaviors = addGameSystems(world, runtime, this.input, { audio: soundLibrary, physics });
+    this.behaviors = addGameSystems(world, runtime, this.input, {
+      audio: soundLibrary,
+      physics,
+      clock: gameClock,
+    });
     this.host.gameView.setWorld(world);
     this.host.showGame();
     this.state.setNotice(this.playNotice(), 'quiet');
@@ -150,7 +159,12 @@ export class PlaySession {
     old.destroy();
     const world = World.instantiate(runtime, sceneId);
     this.world = world;
-    this.behaviors = addGameSystems(world, runtime, this.input, { audio: soundLibrary, carried, physics });
+    this.behaviors = addGameSystems(world, runtime, this.input, {
+      audio: soundLibrary,
+      carried,
+      physics,
+      clock: gameClock,
+    });
     this.host.gameView.setWorld(world);
     this.state.setNotice(this.playNotice(), 'quiet');
     if (world.stopRequested) this.stop();
@@ -176,6 +190,7 @@ export class PlaySession {
 
   private playNotice(): string {
     if (this.state.paused) return 'Paused · Ctrl+Enter resumes · Esc stops';
+    if (this.world?.paused) return 'The game paused itself · Esc stops';
     return this.world?.activeCamera()
       ? 'Playing · edits are not saved · Ctrl+Enter pauses · Esc stops'
       : 'No camera is switched on – nothing is rendered · Esc stops';
@@ -200,8 +215,12 @@ export class PlaySession {
     this.state.setNotice(lastError ?? '', 'error');
   }
 
-  /** `step` is what the global clock moved this frame – already scaled and capped. */
+  /**
-  tick(step: number): void {
+   * `step` is what the global clock moved this frame – already scaled and capped. `awake` is the
+   * step it would have moved without the game's own pause, which stops the clock but not the
+   * behaviors that run while paused.
+   */
+  tick(step: number, awake: number): void {
     const world = this.world;
     if (!world) return;
     if (this.state.paused) {
@@ -211,8 +230,10 @@ export class PlaySession {
       world.dropPointerEdges();
       return;
     }
-    world.tick(step);
+    const wasPaused = world.paused;
+    world.tick(world.paused ? awake : step);
     this.input.endFrame();
+    if (world.paused !== wasPaused) this.state.setNotice(this.playNotice(), 'quiet');
     if (world.stopRequested) {
       this.stop();
       return;

src/editor/debugHook.ts

@@ -815,11 +815,11 @@ export function installDebugHook(app: Application, state: EditorState, editor: E
       walk(app.stage);
       return n;
     },
-    /** The global clock: the second it stands at, the scale set, and the one a pause makes of it. */
+    /** The global clock: the second it stands at, the scale set, and the one a pause – either kind – makes of it. */
     globalTime: () => ({
       now: gameClock.now,
       scale: gameClock.scale,
-      effective: effectiveScale(gameClock.scale, state.paused),
+      effective: effectiveScale(gameClock.scale, state.paused || editor.playInfo().gamePaused),
     }),
     /** Sets the global time scale – there is no slider for it in the GUI yet. */
     setTimeScale: (scale: number) => {

src/runtime/World.ts

@@ -60,6 +60,13 @@ export class World {
    * two scenes in a row is not a thing anyone means.
    */
   loadSceneRequested = '';
+  /**
+   * Set by a behavior (Pause game / Resume game, #167). The world time, the physics and the
+   * animations stand still, and only behaviors that run while paused are ticked. Belongs to the
+   * world, so the next scene starts unpaused.
+   */
+  paused = false;
+  private frameFrozen = false;
   /**
    * Mouse state in world units, fed by the game view (the only place with the camera
    * transform). `pressed`/`released` last for one tick, like the keyboard edges.
@@ -268,9 +275,18 @@ export class World {
     return this;
   }
 
+  /** Whether the frame being ticked is a paused one – read once when it began, see `tick`. */
+  get frozen(): boolean {
+    return this.frameFrozen;
+  }
+
   tick(dt: number): void {
-    this.elapsed += dt;
+    // A pause asked for halfway through a frame starts with the next one, so every behavior of
-    for (const system of this.systems) system.update(this, dt);
+    // this frame sees the same world.
+    this.frameFrozen = this.paused;
+    if (!this.frameFrozen) this.elapsed += dt;
+    for (const system of this.systems)
+      if (!this.frameFrozen || system.runsWhilePaused) system.update(this, dt);
     // The pointer edges belong to exactly one tick, whatever the systems did with them.
     this.dropPointerEdges();
   }

src/runtime/systems/BehaviorSystem.ts

@@ -102,6 +102,15 @@ export interface GameSystemOptions {
    * collisions are detected only, which is what the editor run still does.
    */
   physics?: Rapier | null;
+  /**
+   * The clock whose scale `Set time scale` turns (#167). Only a played game hands it over: the editor
+   * run shares the clock with the previews, and a behavior there must not slow the editor down.
+   */
+  clock?: TimeScaled | null;
+}
+
+export interface TimeScaled {
+  scale: number;
 }
 
 /** Collisions and animations are ticked first, so behaviors see this frame's events. */
@@ -109,11 +118,11 @@ export function addGameSystems(
   world: World,
   project: Project,
   input: Input,
-  { shouldRun, audio = SILENT_AUDIO, carried = null, physics = null }: GameSystemOptions = {},
+  { shouldRun, audio = SILENT_AUDIO, carried = null, physics = null, clock = null }: GameSystemOptions = {},
 ): BehaviorSystem {
   const collisions = physics ? new PhysicsSystem(physics) : new CollisionSystem();
   const animations = new AnimationSystem();
-  const behaviors = new BehaviorSystem(project, input, { collisions, animations, audio }, shouldRun);
+  const behaviors = new BehaviorSystem(project, input, { collisions, animations, audio, clock }, shouldRun);
   if (carried) behaviors.carryOver(carried);
   world.addSystem(collisions);
   world.addSystem(animations);
@@ -127,6 +136,12 @@ export interface EventSources {
   animations?: AnimationSystem | null;
   /** Where `Play sound` ends up. Absent is a run that plays silently, which is what a test wants. */
   audio?: AudioSink | null;
+  clock?: TimeScaled | null;
+}
+
+/** A behavior's `runWhilePaused` switch: whether it is ticked while Pause game holds the world. */
+export function runsWhilePaused(props: PropertyBag): boolean {
+  return props.runWhilePaused === true;
 }
 
 /** The behavior failure that stopped a run, if that is why it stopped. */
@@ -135,6 +150,8 @@ export function behaviorError(world: World): string | undefined {
 }
 
 export class BehaviorSystem implements System {
+  /** A paused frame still ticks the behaviors that run while paused (see `update`). */
+  readonly runsWhilePaused = true;
   private instances: Instance[] = [];
   private world: World | null = null;
   private sharedState: SharedState = emptySharedState();
@@ -147,6 +164,7 @@ export class BehaviorSystem implements System {
   private readonly collisions: CollisionSource | null;
   private readonly animations: AnimationSystem | null;
   private readonly audio: AudioSink;
+  private readonly clock: TimeScaled | null;
 
   constructor(
     private readonly project: Project,
@@ -161,6 +179,7 @@ export class BehaviorSystem implements System {
     this.collisions = sources.collisions ?? null;
     this.animations = sources.animations ?? null;
     this.audio = sources.audio ?? SILENT_AUDIO;
+    this.clock = sources.clock ?? null;
   }
 
   /** The values `global` declarations share this run – read-only to callers, rebuilt by `start`. */
@@ -375,8 +394,10 @@ export class BehaviorSystem implements System {
   update(world: World, dt: number): void {
     this.syncInstances(world);
     const keyOf = (node: { params: PropertyBag }) => textOf(node.params.key ?? '');
+    const frozen = world.frozen;
     for (const instance of this.instances) {
       if (!world.entities.includes(instance.entity)) continue; // destroyed this frame, reaped below
+      if (frozen && !runsWhilePaused(instance.entity.props)) continue;
       if (!this.switched(instance)) continue;
       this.run(
         instance,
@@ -394,8 +415,11 @@ export class BehaviorSystem implements System {
               i.fire('OnTimer', ctx, {}, (n) => n.id === node.id);
             }
           }
-          this.fireCollisions(instance, i, ctx, dt);
+          // Neither system ticked in a paused frame: what they hold is last frame's, already told.
-          this.fireAnimationsFinished(instance, i, ctx);
+          if (!frozen) {
+            this.fireCollisions(instance, i, ctx, dt);
+            this.fireAnimationsFinished(instance, i, ctx);
+          }
           // With an owner the click has to land on it; a behavior without one has no shape to
           // be hit, so it listens to the whole game view (anywhere inside the camera frame).
           const pointer = world.pointer;
@@ -674,6 +698,15 @@ export class BehaviorSystem implements System {
       restart: () => {
         world.restartRequested = true;
       },
+      timeScale: () => this.clock?.scale ?? 1,
+      setTimeScale: (scale) => {
+        if (this.clock) this.clock.scale = scale;
+        else world.log.push(`Set time scale is ignored in the editor run (${scale})`);
+      },
+      isPaused: () => world.paused,
+      setPaused: (paused) => {
+        world.paused = paused;
+      },
     };
   }
 }

src/runtime/systems/System.ts

@@ -4,5 +4,7 @@ import type { World } from '../World';
 export interface System {
   start?(world: World): void;
   update(world: World, dt: number): void;
+  /** Ticked in a frame a behavior paused as well (#167); the others stand still in it. */
+  runsWhilePaused?: boolean;
   stop?(world: World): void;
 }

tests/core/animation.test.ts

@@ -1136,7 +1136,7 @@ describe('behavior variables and shader parameters as rows (#104)', () => {
 
   it("offers a behavior's variables and no position, and a variable `x` is the variable", () => {
     const { f, moverObject, walk } = rig();
-    expect(keysOn(f, walk, moverObject)).toEqual(['enabled', 'runInEditor', 'speed', 'x']);
+    expect(keysOn(f, walk, moverObject)).toEqual(['enabled', 'runInEditor', 'runWhilePaused', 'speed', 'x']);
     const row = addRow(f, walk, 'x', ramp, moverObject);
     expect(trackLabel(f.project, current(f, walk), rowOf(current(f, walk), row))).toBe('Mover · x');
     const { world, frame } = startWorld(f, { animations: true });

tests/core/enabled.test.ts

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ function wallAndMover() {
 describe('the enabled switch', () => {
   it('is a common property of every placeable type, defaults to on and overrides per object', () => {
     expect(schemaFor('sprite')[0]).toMatchObject({ key: 'enabled', kind: 'boolean', default: true });
-    expect(schemaFor('behavior').map((d) => d.key)).toEqual(['enabled', 'runInEditor']);
+    expect(schemaFor('behavior').map((d) => d.key)).toEqual(['enabled', 'runInEditor', 'runWhilePaused']);
     expect(schemaFor('scene').some((d) => d.key === 'enabled')).toBe(false);
 
     const f = makeSpriteScene();

tests/core/game-pause.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+/**
+ * The game's own pause and time scale (#167): Pause game holds the world from the next frame and
+ * leaves only the behaviors that run while paused ticking; Set time scale turns the clock a played
+ * game hands the behaviors, and nothing else.
+ */
+import { beforeAll, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { AddColliderCommand } from '../../src/core/commands/colliderCommands';
+import { SetAssetPropertyCommand } from '../../src/core/commands/assetCommands';
+import type { BehaviorAsset } from '../../src/core/model/Asset';
+import { GameClock } from '../../src/core/time';
+import { loadPhysics } from '../../src/runtime/physics/engine';
+import {
+  COLLISION_SYSTEMS,
+  graphEditor,
+  makeBehavior,
+  makeSpriteScene,
+  place,
+  startWorld,
+  type SceneFixture,
+} from '../helpers';
+
+/** Wires `<event>(params) → Log(message)`. */
+function logOn(f: SceneFixture, behavior: BehaviorAsset, event: string, message: string, params = {}): void {
+  const edit = graphEditor(f, behavior);
+  edit.connect(edit.addNode(event, params), 'exec', edit.addNode('Log', { message }), 'exec');
+}
+
+/**
+ * A box with two behaviors: "Game" logs every frame, "Menu" runs while paused, logs every frame and
+ * toggles the pause on P – the one-key toggle a pause menu is built from.
+ */
+function pauseMenu() {
+  const f = makeSpriteScene('Box');
+  const box = place(f, f.spriteId, { x: 0, y: 0 });
+  const game = makeBehavior(f, 'Game');
+  logOn(f, game, 'OnUpdate', 'game');
+  const menu = makeBehavior(f, 'Menu');
+  f.stack.execute(new SetAssetPropertyCommand(menu.id, 'runWhilePaused', true));
+  logOn(f, menu, 'OnUpdate', 'menu');
+  const edit = graphEditor(f, menu);
+  const key = edit.addNode('OnKeyDown', { key: 'p' });
+  const paused = edit.addNode('IsGamePaused');
+  const branch = edit.addNode('Branch');
+  const resume = edit.addNode('ResumeGame');
+  const pause = edit.addNode('PauseGame');
+  edit.wire([
+    [key, 'exec', branch, 'exec'],
+    [paused, 'paused', branch, 'condition'],
+    [branch, 'then', resume, 'exec'],
+    [branch, 'else', pause, 'exec'],
+  ]);
+  place(f, game.id, { x: 0, y: 0 }, box);
+  place(f, menu.id, { x: 0, y: 0 }, box);
+  return startWorld(f, { behaviors: true });
+}
+
+describe('Pause game', () => {
+  it('holds the world from the next frame, and only a behavior that runs while paused is ticked', () => {
+    const { world, input, frame } = pauseMenu();
+    frame(0.1);
+    expect(world.log).toEqual(['game', 'menu']);
+
+    input.press('p');
+    frame(0.1);
+    // The frame that asked still runs whole: the pause starts with the next one.
+    expect(world.log.slice(2)).toEqual(['game', 'menu']);
+    expect(world.paused).toBe(true);
+    const heldAt = world.time;
+
+    world.log.length = 0;
+    frame(0.1);
+    frame(0.1);
+    expect(world.log).toEqual(['menu', 'menu']);
+    expect(world.time).toBe(heldAt);
+
+    input.release('p');
+    input.press('p');
+    frame(0.1);
+    expect(world.paused).toBe(false);
+    world.log.length = 0;
+    frame(0.1);
+    expect(world.log).toEqual(['game', 'menu']);
+    expect(world.time).toBeCloseTo(heldAt + 0.1);
+  });
+
+  it('switches nothing off: a paused behavior runs on from where it stood, without an On disable', () => {
+    const f = makeSpriteScene('Box');
+    const box = place(f, f.spriteId, { x: 0, y: 0 });
+    const game = makeBehavior(f, 'Game');
+    logOn(f, game, 'OnDisable', 'disabled');
+    logOn(f, game, 'OnEnable', 'enabled');
+    logOn(f, game, 'OnTimer', 'timer', { interval: 0.25 });
+    place(f, game.id, { x: 0, y: 0 }, box);
+    const { world, frame } = startWorld(f, { behaviors: true });
+    frame(0.1);
+    frame(0.1);
+    world.paused = true;
+    for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) frame(0.1);
+    world.paused = false;
+    frame(0.1);
+    // 0.3 s of unpaused time: the timer fired once, and the paused second did not count.
+    expect(world.log).toEqual(['enabled', 'timer']);
+  });
+});
+
+describe.each(COLLISION_SYSTEMS)('$system', ({ physics }) => {
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    await loadPhysics();
+  });
+
+  it('tells a behavior running while paused no collision again: nothing collides in a held world', () => {
+    const f = makeSpriteScene('Crate');
+    const a = place(f, f.spriteId, { x: 0, y: 0 });
+    const b = place(f, f.spriteId, { x: 50, y: 0 });
+    f.stack.execute(new AddColliderCommand(f.sceneId, a));
+    f.stack.execute(new AddColliderCommand(f.sceneId, b));
+    const hit = makeBehavior(f, 'Hit');
+    f.stack.execute(new SetAssetPropertyCommand(hit.id, 'runWhilePaused', true));
+    logOn(f, hit, 'OnCollisionEnter', 'enter');
+    logOn(f, hit, 'OnCollisionStay', 'stay');
+    place(f, hit.id, { x: 0, y: 0 }, a);
+    const { world, frame } = startWorld(f, { physics, collisions: true, behaviors: true });
+
+    frame(0.1);
+    frame(0.1);
+    expect(world.log).toEqual(['enter', 'stay']);
+    world.paused = true;
+    frame(0.1);
+    frame(0.1);
+    expect(world.log).toEqual(['enter', 'stay']);
+    world.paused = false;
+    frame(0.1);
+    expect(world.log).toEqual(['enter', 'stay', 'stay']);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('Set time scale', () => {
+  /** `On start → Set time scale(scale)`, and `On update → Log(Time scale)`. */
+  function scaler(scale: number) {
+    const f = makeSpriteScene('Box');
+    const box = place(f, f.spriteId, { x: 0, y: 0 });
+    const behavior = makeBehavior(f, 'Scaler');
+    const edit = graphEditor(f, behavior);
+    const start = edit.addNode('OnStart');
+    const set = edit.addNode('SetTimeScale', { scale });
+    const update = edit.addNode('OnUpdate');
+    const read = edit.addNode('TimeScale');
+    const log = edit.addNode('Log');
+    edit.wire([
+      [start, 'exec', set, 'exec'],
+      [update, 'exec', log, 'exec'],
+      [read, 'scale', log, 'message'],
+    ]);
+    place(f, behavior.id, { x: 0, y: 0 }, box);
+    return f;
+  }
+
+  it('turns the clock a played game hands over, and Time scale reads it back', () => {
+    const clock = new GameClock();
+    const { world, frame } = startWorld(scaler(0.5), { behaviors: true, clock });
+    frame();
+    expect(clock.scale).toBe(0.5);
+    expect(world.log).toEqual(['0.5']);
+  });
+
+  it('is ignored without a clock – the editor run, which shares its clock with the previews', () => {
+    const { world, frame } = startWorld(scaler(0.5), { behaviors: true });
+    frame();
+    expect(world.log).toEqual(['Set time scale is ignored in the editor run (0.5)', '1']);
+  });
+
+  it('ends with the run: resetting the clock puts it back to real time', () => {
+    const clock = new GameClock();
+    clock.scale = 0.25;
+    clock.advance(0.05);
+    clock.reset();
+    expect({ now: clock.now, scale: clock.scale }).toEqual({ now: 0, scale: 1 });
+  });
+});

tests/core/graph.test.ts

@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ describe('variable commands', () => {
 
     stack.execute(new RenameVariableCommand(behavior.id, 'speed', 'velocity'));
     expect(behavior.variables[0]!.key).toBe('velocity');
-    expect(behavior.props).toEqual({ enabled: true, runInEditor: false, velocity: 0 });
+    expect(behavior.props).toEqual({ enabled: true, runInEditor: false, runWhilePaused: false, velocity: 0 });
     expect(object(logic).overrides).toEqual({ velocity: 5 });
     expect(findNode(behavior.graph, nodes.speed.id)!.ports).toEqual([{ key: 'velocity', kind: 'number' }]);
     stack.undo();
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ describe('behavior serialization', () => {
     const loaded = findAsset(roundTrip(project), behavior.id) as BehaviorAsset;
     expect(loaded.variables).toEqual(behavior.variables);
     expect(loaded.graph).toEqual(behavior.graph);
-    expect(loaded.props).toEqual({ enabled: true, runInEditor: false, speed: 0 });
+    expect(loaded.props).toEqual({ enabled: true, runInEditor: false, runWhilePaused: false, speed: 0 });
 
     const raw = serializeProject(project) as {
       assets: { id: string; graph?: { nodes: unknown[]; edges: unknown[] } }[];

tests/core/node-catalog.test.ts

@@ -1218,6 +1218,51 @@ const CASES: Record<string, Case[]> = {
   ],
   StopGame: [{ name: 'ends play and the flow', next: null, after: (ctx) => expect(ctx.stopped).toBe(true) }],
   RestartGame: [{ name: 'ends the flow – the world restarts before the next tick', next: null }],
+  PauseGame: [
+    { name: 'pauses the game and flows on', next: 'exec', after: (ctx) => expect(ctx.paused).toBe(true) },
+  ],
+  ResumeGame: [
+    {
+      name: 'lets a paused game run on and flows on',
+      context: { paused: true } as Partial<NodeContext>,
+      next: 'exec',
+      after: (ctx) => expect(ctx.paused).toBe(false),
+    },
+  ],
+  IsGamePaused: [
+    { name: 'false while the game runs', outputs: { paused: false } },
+    {
+      name: 'true while it is paused',
+      context: { paused: true } as Partial<NodeContext>,
+      outputs: { paused: true },
+    },
+  ],
+  SetTimeScale: [
+    {
+      name: 'sets the scale and flows on',
+      inputs: { scale: 0.5 },
+      next: 'exec',
+      after: (ctx) => expect(ctx.scale).toBe(0.5),
+    },
+    {
+      name: '0 freezes the game',
+      inputs: { scale: 0 },
+      next: 'exec',
+      after: (ctx) => expect(ctx.scale).toBe(0),
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'a negative scale is 0 – time never runs backwards',
+      inputs: { scale: -2 },
+      after: (ctx) => expect(ctx.scale).toBe(0),
+    },
+  ],
+  TimeScale: [
+    {
+      name: 'answers the scale the run goes at',
+      context: { scale: 0.25 } as Partial<NodeContext>,
+      outputs: { scale: 0.25 },
+    },
+  ],
 };
 
 /** Two distinct handles that share a name – `Equals` must still tell them apart. */

tests/editor/editor-run.test.ts

@@ -315,3 +315,18 @@ describe('shared variables of an editor run', () => {
     expect(f.run.liveVariables(f.sharedId)).toBeNull();
   });
 });
+
+describe('the game nodes in the editor run (#167)', () => {
+  it('ignores Pause game and says so: the scene keeps moving', () => {
+    const f = scene();
+    const edit = graphEditor(f, f.behavior);
+    edit.connect(edit.addNode('OnStart'), 'exec', edit.addNode('PauseGame'), 'exec');
+    f.state.execute(new SetOverrideCommand(f.sceneId, f.logic, 'runInEditor', true));
+
+    f.frame(0.1);
+    f.frame(0.1);
+    expect(f.boxX()).toBeCloseTo(20);
+    expect(f.keyboard.world?.paused).toBe(false);
+    expect(f.keyboard.world?.log).toContain('Pause game is ignored in the editor run');
+  });
+});

tests/helpers.ts

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import { createEmptyProject, findScene, type Project } from '../src/core/model/P
 import type { SceneObject } from '../src/core/model/SceneObject';
 import { deserializeProject, serializeProject } from '../src/core/store/serialize';
 import type { AudioSink } from '../src/runtime/systems/Audio';
-import { BehaviorSystem } from '../src/runtime/systems/BehaviorSystem';
+import { BehaviorSystem, type TimeScaled } from '../src/runtime/systems/BehaviorSystem';
 import { readyPhysics } from '../src/runtime/physics/engine';
 import { PhysicsSystem } from '../src/runtime/physics/PhysicsSystem';
 import { CollisionSystem } from '../src/runtime/systems/CollisionSystem';
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ export type FakeContext = NodeContext & {
   silenced: string[];
   /** The scenes the context was asked to load, in order. */
   loaded: string[];
+  /** The time scale and the pause the context holds, as the game nodes left them. */
+  scale: number;
+  paused: boolean;
 };
 
 /** A NodeContext double: self/owner handles, `speed = 100`, dt 0.5, moves applied directly, `log` and `stop` recorded. */
@@ -245,6 +248,16 @@ export function fakeContext(overrides: Partial<NodeContext> = {}): FakeContext {
       ctx.stopped = true;
     },
     restart: () => {},
+    scale: 1,
+    paused: false,
+    timeScale: () => ctx.scale,
+    setTimeScale: (scale) => {
+      ctx.scale = scale;
+    },
+    isPaused: () => ctx.paused,
+    setPaused: (paused) => {
+      ctx.paused = paused;
+    },
     ...overrides,
   };
   return ctx;
@@ -284,6 +297,8 @@ export interface WorldOptions {
   behaviors?: boolean;
   /** Where `Play sound` ends up; without one the run plays to nobody (see `SILENT_AUDIO`). */
   audio?: AudioSink;
+  /** The clock `Set time scale` turns; without one the run is treated like the editor run. */
+  clock?: TimeScaled;
 }
 
 export interface StartedWorld {
@@ -314,7 +329,12 @@ export function startWorld(fixture: SceneFixture, options: WorldOptions = {}): S
   if (collisions) world.addSystem(collisions);
   if (animations) world.addSystem(animations);
   const behaviors = options.behaviors
-    ? new BehaviorSystem(fixture.project, input, { collisions, animations, audio: options.audio })
+    ? new BehaviorSystem(fixture.project, input, {
+        collisions,
+        animations,
+        audio: options.audio,
+        clock: options.clock,
+      })
     : null;
   if (behaviors) world.addSystem(behaviors);
   return {

tools/e2e/18-pause.mjs

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { LANES, scaffoldBehavior } from './lib/scaffold.mjs';
 /**
  * Pausing freezes world and clock and drops input instead of replaying it on resume. Brings its own
  * self-drifting box, since the fixture's Mover only moves on arrow keys and a pause would look like idling.
+ * 18i is the game pausing and slowing itself from a graph (#167), through a pause menu that runs while paused.
  */
 
 const DRIFT_PER_SECOND = 100;
@@ -30,6 +31,29 @@ const pauseGraph = {
   ],
 };
 
+/**
+ * The pause menu of 18i (#167), running while paused: P pauses or resumes, whichever Is game
+ * paused says is due, and S slows the game to half speed.
+ */
+const pauseMenuGraph = {
+  nodes: [
+    node('pm-p', 'OnKeyDown', 0, 0, { key: 'p' }),
+    node('pm-paused', 'IsGamePaused', 0, 120),
+    node('pm-branch', 'Branch', 300, 0),
+    node('pm-resume', 'ResumeGame', 560, -60),
+    node('pm-pause', 'PauseGame', 560, 60),
+    node('pm-s', 'OnKeyDown', 0, 260, { key: 's' }),
+    node('pm-slow', 'SetTimeScale', 300, 260, { scale: 0.5 }),
+  ],
+  edges: [
+    edge('pm-e1', 'pm-p', 'exec', 'pm-branch', 'exec'),
+    edge('pm-e2', 'pm-paused', 'paused', 'pm-branch', 'condition'),
+    edge('pm-e3', 'pm-branch', 'then', 'pm-resume', 'exec'),
+    edge('pm-e4', 'pm-branch', 'else', 'pm-pause', 'exec'),
+    edge('pm-e5', 'pm-s', 'exec', 'pm-slow', 'exec'),
+  ],
+};
+
 export async function pause(t) {
   const {
     check,
@@ -308,6 +332,87 @@ export async function pause(t) {
     `run ended at ${fastTo.t.now.toFixed(2)} s → editor at ${afterStopClock.now.toFixed(2)} s`,
   );
 
+  // 18i. (#167) The game pauses itself. A pause menu is a behavior that runs while paused: P asks
+  //      Is game paused and pauses or resumes, S sets the time scale to 0.5. Everything is driven by
+  //      keys in the running game, and the drifting box from 18a is what has to hold or slow down.
+  const menu = await scaffoldBehavior(t, {
+    assetId: 'pause-menu',
+    name: 'Pause menu',
+    graph: pauseMenuGraph,
+    boxId: 'pm-box',
+    boxName: 'Pause menu box',
+    logicId: 'pm-logic',
+    y: LANES.pause - 150,
+    props: { enabled: true, runInEditor: false, runWhilePaused: true },
+  });
+  await select({ kind: 'object', holderId: 'scene1', objectId: 'pm-logic' });
+  check('a behavior object offers "Run while paused" in the inspector', await has('Run while paused'));
+
+  await t.play();
+  await sleep(300);
+  const drift = async (ms) => {
+    const from = { x: await boxX(), t: (await clock()).now };
+    await sleep(ms);
+    return { x: (await boxX()) - from.x, t: (await clock()).now - from.t };
+  };
+  const normal = await drift(600);
+  await press('p');
+  await sleep(100);
+  const gameHeld = { info: await playInfo(), clock: await clock() };
+  const heldDrift = await drift(600);
+  check(
+    'Pause game from a key holds the box and the clock, and it is the game pausing, not the toolbar',
+    normal.x > 20 &&
+      gameHeld.info.gamePaused === true &&
+      gameHeld.info.paused === false &&
+      gameHeld.clock.effective === 0 &&
+      gameHeld.clock.scale === 1 &&
+      Math.abs(heldDrift.x) < 0.001 &&
+      Math.abs(heldDrift.t) < 0.001,
+    JSON.stringify({ normal, gameHeld, heldDrift }),
+  );
+  check('the status line says the game paused itself', await has('The game paused itself · Esc stops'));
+  await shot('36c-game-paused');
+  // Only a behavior that runs while paused can have heard this key: the drifting one stands still.
+  await press('p');
+  await sleep(100);
+  const resumedDrift = await drift(600);
+  check(
+    'the same key resumes it – the menu behavior kept running while everything else stood',
+    (await playInfo()).gamePaused === false && resumedDrift.x > 20,
+    JSON.stringify(resumedDrift),
+  );
+
+  await press('s');
+  await sleep(100);
+  const slowed = { clock: await clock(), drift: await drift(800) };
+  const rate = (d) => d.x / d.t;
+  check(
+    'Set time scale 0.5 halves the clock, and the box drifts as far per clock second as before',
+    slowed.clock.scale === 0.5 &&
+      slowed.clock.effective === 0.5 &&
+      slowed.drift.t > 0.2 &&
+      slowed.drift.t < 0.55 &&
+      Math.abs(rate(slowed.drift) - rate(resumedDrift)) < DRIFT_PER_SECOND * 0.1,
+    JSON.stringify({ slowed, resumedDrift }),
+  );
+  await stop();
+  const afterGameStop = await clock();
+  await t.play();
+  const replay = await clock();
+  await stop();
+  check(
+    'stopping ends the slow motion, and the next Play starts at real time',
+    afterGameStop.scale === 1 && replay.scale === 1 && replay.effective === 1,
+    JSON.stringify({ afterGameStop, replay }),
+  );
+  const menuLeft = await menu.remove();
+  check(
+    'the pause menu leaves nothing of its own behind',
+    menuLeft.objects === 0 && menuLeft.assets === 0,
+    JSON.stringify(menuLeft),
+  );
+
   // 18h. Play discarded its copy, so the box is back at the position the model holds.
   const left = await rig.remove();
   check(

tools/lib/harness.mjs

@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ const KEYS = {
   c: { key: 'c', code: 'KeyC', windowsVirtualKeyCode: 67 },
   d: { key: 'd', code: 'KeyD', windowsVirtualKeyCode: 68 },
   g: { key: 'g', code: 'KeyG', windowsVirtualKeyCode: 71 },
+  p: { key: 'p', code: 'KeyP', windowsVirtualKeyCode: 80 },
   s: { key: 's', code: 'KeyS', windowsVirtualKeyCode: 83 },
   v: { key: 'v', code: 'KeyV', windowsVirtualKeyCode: 86 },
   w: { key: 'w', code: 'KeyW', windowsVirtualKeyCode: 87 },