Beginning Game Development with Godot: Learn to Create and Publish Your First 2D Platform Game

✍ Scribed by Maithili Dhule

• Publisher: Apress
• Year: 2021
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 372
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Learn the fundamentals of Godot by diving headfirst into creating a 2D platformer from scratch. This book is a hands-on, practical guide to developing 2D games using the Godot Engine 3.2.3/3.3, with the help of GDScript.

Author Maithili Dhule begins by explaining some basic tools and techniques used to make games, the factors that need to be considered while choosing a game engine, and pointing out the benefits of using Godot. She then walks you through downloading the engine and guides you as you explore key features of its interface. Next, you’ll receive a concise introduction to the basics of GDScript, the main scripting language used in Godot, before moving on to essential topics such as Godot’s node-scene architecture, the interaction of various physics bodies, the creation of game scenes, and writing scripts. As the book progresses, you’ll learn how to create and animate your game character, design the game world, add enemies, and implement a coin-collection system. You’ll also see how the user’s gaming experience can be enhanced through the addition of parallax backgrounds, a title screen, music, and sound effects. Toward the end of the book, you’ll learn how to export your game to different platforms, both mobile and PC, as well as possible avenues for monetizing the game.

Throughout the book, theoretical concepts are supplemented with concrete, ready-to-implement examples that you can try out. Upon finishing this book, you’ll be able to make and publish your first 2D platform game. Beginning Game Development with Godot is for game development enthusiasts of all levels interested in creating their own games.

What You Will Learn

• Understand the Godot engine and the benefits of using it for game development
• Master the fundamentals of programming in GDScript
• Use the Godot graphical interface to design and animate players, the game world, menus, and various games scenes 
• Create your first 2D game in Godot and publish it to various platforms

Who This Book Is For

Aspiring game developers who may be new to game development, as well as experts exploring the potential of the Godot Engine.

✦ Table of Contents

Table of Contents
About the Author
About the Technical Reviewer
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I: The Art of Creating Games
Chapter 1: Introduction
The Birth of Video Games
Principles of Game Design
Game Progression
Put the Player in Control
Give the Player Choices
Create Immersive Scenarios
Have a Creative Vision
What Is a Game Engine?
How Do We Choose a Game Engine?
Why Choose Godot?
The Graphics Engines Are Amazing
It’s Easy on the Eyes
It’s Open Source
It Can Be Run on Multiple Platforms
It Supports Live Editing
It Has Its Own Scripting Language
There Is a Vast Community Support
The Documentation Is Extensive
You Can Tinker with It
Teamwork Is a Breeze
It’s “MegaByte”-Sized
Key Takeaways
Part II: Starting Out with Godot
Chapter 2: Getting Started with Godot
Downloading the Engine
Creating a New Project
Exploring the Engine Interface
FileSystem
Scene Dock
Inspector Dock
Workspaces
Animation Panel
SpriteFrames Panel
Output Panel
Debugger Panel
Audio Panel
2D Toolbar
Playtest Buttons
Tips and Shortcuts
Key Takeaways
Chapter 3: GDScript in a Nutshell
What Is GDScript?
Scripting
Variables and Data Types
Integer
Float
Boolean
String
Declaring a Variable
Explicit and Inferred Typing
Constants
Enums
Keywords
Comments
Output
Functions
Array
Random Number Generation
Operators and Computation
Mathematical Operators
Comparison and Logical Operators
if-else Statements
Dictionaries
Looping
for Loop
while Loop
Key Takeaways
Chapter 4: Exploring Game Physics
Collision Objects
The Node-Scene Architecture
Adding Nodes to the Scene
Creating a Rigid Body
Adding a Sprite Node
Adding a Collision Shape
Playing Your First Scene
Properties of RigidBody2D
Duplicating a Node
Creating a Static Body
Key Takeaways
Part III: Designing the Game
Chapter 5: Adding Game Graphics
What Are Game Assets?
OpenGameArt.org
Itch.io
Gameart2D
Kenney.nl
Choosing the Right Assets
Importing Game Art
Creating the Main Game Scene
Creating Game Objects as Scenes
Designing the Main Game Scene
Creating the Player
Linking the Player to the Main Scene
Moving the Player Using Keyboard Input
Assigning Keyboard Input
Adding a Background Image
Key Takeaways
Chapter 6: Game Animations
Giving Life to the Player
Importing Images for Animation
Animating the Player
Creating Animations with Individual Images
Idle Animation
Run Animation
Jump Animation
Other Player Actions
Creating Animations Using a Sprite Sheet
Introduction to Godot’s Animation Player
Key Takeaways
Chapter 7: Building the Game World
Importing the TileMaps
Creating Individual Tiles
Camera-Follow
Creating a Parallax Background
Design Ideas
Key Takeaways
Chapter 8: Counting Wins and Losses
Adding Coins to the Game
Animating the Coin
Creating a Coin in the Game Level
Collecting Coins
Collecting the Coin Using Signals
Creating More Collectibles
Adjusting the Rewards
Adding Enemies
Detecting Ledges with a Raycast
Colliding with the Enemy
Collision Layer and Collision Mask
Player
Enemy
Coin
Detecting Falls
Changing Scenes
Fall Area and Finish Level Area Collision
Key Takeaways
Part IV: Game Enhancements and Export
Chapter 9: Game GUI
Creating the HUD
HBoxContainer and VBoxContainer
Creating a Script for the HUD
Custom Signals for Coin Collection
Displaying the Player’s Lives
Turning the Player Red on Getting Hurt
Creating the Title Screen
Background
Adding Text
Adding a Panel
Adding Buttons
Attaching a Script to a Button
Adding an Image to the Title Screen
The Game Over Screen
Adding Music to the Game
Adding Sound Effects
Jumping
Coin Collected
Key Takeaways
Chapter 10: Publishing Your Game
Game Enhancements
Creating Global Variables
Defeating the Monsters
Adding Touchscreen Buttons
Exporting Your Game
Downloading Export Templates
Exporting to PC (Windows)
Exporting to Mobile (Android)
Exporting to Browser (HTML)
Publishing Your Game
Itch.io
Exporting Tips
Monetizing Your Game
What’s Next?
Key Takeaways
Index