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Learning GDScript by Developing a Game with Godot 4

Name: Learning GDScript by Developing a Game with Godot 4
Author: Sander Vanhove
ISBN: 9781804616987

by Sander Vanhove

May 2024

Beginner

378 pages

8h 47m

English

Packt Publishing

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Learning GDScript by Developing a Game with Godot 4
ContributorsAbout the authorAbout the reviewers
Preface
Who this book is forWhat this book coversTo get the most out of this bookDownload the example code filesConventions usedGet in touchShare Your ThoughtsDownload a free PDF copy of this book
Part 1:Learning How to Program
Chapter 1: Setting Up the Environment
Technical requirementsGodot game engine and open-source softwareSome background on the engineWhat is open-source software?Getting and preparing GodotDownloading the engineCreating a new projectLight modeCreating the main sceneA brief UI overviewWriting our first scriptThe Godot Engine DocumentationJoin our community!SummaryQuiz time
Chapter 2: Getting Familiar with Variables and Control Flow
Technical requirementsWhat are variables?Variables – Drawers in a filing cabinet full of dataNaming variablesVariables in GDScriptPrinting out variablesChanging a variable’s valueMathematical operatorsOther assignment operatorsData types – Integers, floats, and stringsIntegersFloatsStringsWhat are constants?Constants in GDScriptMagic numbersCreating new scenesGetting started with control flowThe if statementThe if-else statementThe elif statementCommenting in codeIndentationBoolean logicThe match statementThe ternary-if statementAdditional exercises – Sharpening the axeSummaryQuiz time
Chapter 3: Grouping Information in Arrays, Loops, and Dictionaries
Technical requirementsArraysCreating an arrayAccessing valuesAccessing elements backwardChanging the elements of an arrayData types in arraysStrings are secretly arraysManipulating arraysDon’t be scared of errors or warningsLoopsFor loopsWhile loopsContinuing or breaking a loopDictionariesCreating a dictionaryData types in dictionariesAccessing and changing valuesCreating a new key-value pairUseful functionsLooping through dictionariesNested loopsNullAdditional exercises – Sharpening the axeSummaryQuiz time
Chapter 4: Bringing Structure with Methods and Classes
Technical requirementsMethods are reusable bits of codeWhat is a function?Defining a functionNaming a functionThe return keywordThe pass keywordOptional parametersClasses group code and data togetherDefining a classInstancing a classNaming a classExtending a classEach script is a class!When are certain variables available?The scope of a functionTypes help us to know how to use a variableWhat is type hinting?Type hinting variablesType hinting arraysLearning about the Variant typeType hinting function parametersType hinting function returnsUsing void as a function returnInferred typesnull can be any typeAutocompletionUsing type hinting for named classesPerformanceEditor adding type hintsOOP primerInheritanceAbstractionEncapsulationPolymorphismAdditional exercises – Sharpening the axeSummaryQuiz time
Chapter 5: How and Why to Keep Your Code Clean
Technical requirements Back to naming thingsNaming conventionsGeneral naming tipsPublic and private class membersMake short functionsDRYDo one thing (KISS)Defensive programmingProgramming style guidesWhite spacingBlank linesLine lengthUtilizing the documentationAccessing a class’s documentationDirectly accessing a function or variable’s documentationGoing to the definition of a function or variableSearching the documentationAccessing the online documentationSummaryQuiz time
Part 2: Making a Game in Godot Engine
Chapter 6: Creating a World of Your Own in Godot
Technical requirementsGame designGenreMechanicsStoryCreating a player characterAdding a spriteDisplaying healthManipulating nodes in the editorCreating the player scriptReferencing nodes in a scriptCaching node referencesTrying out the player scriptExporting variables to the editorSetters and gettersChanging values while the game is runningDifferent types of exported variablesCreating a little worldChanging the background colorAdding Polygon2D bouldersNode drawing orderCreating an outer wallGetting creativeAdditional exercises – Sharpening the axeSummaryQuiz time

Chapter 7: Making the Character Move
Technical requirementsVector math refresherThe 2D coordinate systemWhat is a vector?Scaling vectorsAdding and subtracting vectorsMore vector operationsMoving the player characterChanging the current player nodeApplying forces to the playerProcess and physics process functionsMapping inputUsing the inputSmoothing out the movementDebugging a running gameBreakpointsRemote treeAdditional exercises – Sharpening the axeSummaryQuiz time
Chapter 8: Splitting and Reusing Scenes
Technical requirementsSaving a branch as a new sceneCreating a separate player sceneThe root node of a sceneUsing saved scenesOrganizing scene filesAdditional exercises – Sharepening the axeSummaryQuiz time
Chapter 9: Cameras, Collisions, and Collectibles
Technical requirementsMaking a camera that follows the playerSetting up a basic cameraAdding drag marginsMaking the camera look aheadSmoothing out the look aheadCollisionsThe different physics bodiesThe Area2D nodeAdding a collision shape to the player nodeCreating static bodies for the bouldersCreating static bodies for the wallsCreating collectiblesCreating the base collectible sceneInheriting from a base sceneConnecting to a signalWriting the code for collectiblesUsing collision layers and masksYour turn!Additional exercises – Sharpening the axeSummaryQuiz time
Chapter 10: Creating Menus, Making Enemies, and Using Autoloads
Technical requirementsCreating a menuControl nodesCreating a basic start menuSetting the main sceneMaking enemiesConstructing the base sceneNavigating enemiesWriting the enemy scriptDamaging the player in a collisionSpawning enemies and collectiblesMaking a Game Over screenShooting projectilesCreating the base sceneWriting the logic of the projectileSpawning projectilesStoring highscores in autoloadsUsing an autoloadCreating a HighscoreManager autoloadAutoloads in the remote treeAdding a UI in the main menu and game sceneUsing the highscore in the main menuAdditional exercises – Sharpening the axeSummaryQuiz time
Chapter 11: Playing Together with Multiplayer
Technical requirementsA crash course in computer networkingWhat is a Transport Layer?What is an Application Layer?Networking in Godot EngineLearning about IP addressesUsing port numbersSetting up the base networking codeCreating the client-server connectionAdding UIRunning multiple debug instances at the same timeSynchronizing different clientsUpdating the player scene for multiplayerSynchronizing EntitySpawnerSynchronizing the enemy and collectiblesSynchronizing the projectileFixing the timer and end gameSynchronizing the timerSynchronizing the end of the gameRunning the game on multiple computersShowing the IP address of the serverConnecting from another computerAdditional exercises – Sharpening the axeSummaryQuiz time
Part 3: Deepening Our Knowledge
Chapter 12: Exporting to Multiple Platforms
Technical requirementsExporting for Windows, Mac, and LinuxDownloading the export templateMaking the actual exports of the gameUploading our game to Itch.ioWhat is Itch.io?Exporting our game to the webUploading to Itch.ioExporting our game to other platformsMobile platformsConsolesSummaryQuiz time
Chapter 13: OOP Continued and Advanced Topics
Technical requirementsThe super keywordStatic variables and functionsEnumerationsLambda functionsCreating a lambda functionWhere to use lambda functionsPassing parameters by value or referencePassing by valuePassing by referenceThe @tool annotationSummaryQuiz time
Chapter 14: Advanced Programming Patterns
Technical requirementsWhat are programming patterns?Exploring the Event BusThe problemThe solutionUnderstanding Object PoolingThe problemThe solutionImplementing the Object Pool in our gameWorking with State MachinesThe problemThe solutionAn example stateAdditional exercises – Sharpening the axeSummaryQuiz time
Chapter 15: Using the File System
Technical requirementsWhat is the file system?File pathsUser pathCreating a save systemWriting data to the diskReading data from diskPreparing the save manager for use in the gameAdjusting the game to use the save managerHaving a look at the save fileSummaryQuiz time
Chapter 16: What Next?
Ideas for your next projectsStarting a new projectExtending the survivor-like gameCreating another gameFree game assetsLearning about new topicsFollowing specific tutorialsReading more booksReading the Godot Engine documentationLooking at the game code of other people’s projectsJoining the communityJoining the Forum, Discord, Reddit, or any other platformContributing to the Godot Engine projectJoining a game jamGoodbyes
Index
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Content preview from Learning GDScript by Developing a Game with Godot 4

5 How and Why to Keep Your Code Clean

In Chapters 1 to 4, we learned all the basics of programming and are about to dive deep into developing our very own game.

But before we do so, we must realize that the code base for games can grow very large. This means that the code and systems we write one day can be buried under other code and systems. As a result, returning to our earlier work can be a hassle because we forget how or why we coded certain things in a certain way.

That is why now is the ideal moment to stand still and think about how to keep our code clean and understandable even months after writing it. Most of the things in this chapter were learned through making mistakes myself and having to find a solution in books and articles. ...

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Learning GDScript by Developing a Game with Godot 4

by Sander Vanhove

5

How and Why to Keep Your Code Clean

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.