Godot Game Template

For Godot 4.2

This template has a main menu, pause menu, and credits scene. It supports basic accessibility features like input rebinding, sound, and video controls.

Example on itch.io

Use Case

Setup menus and accessibility features in about 15 minutes.

The core components can support a larger project, but the template was originally built to support smaller projects and game jams.

Features

App (Base)

The App/ folder holds the core components of the menus application.

• Main Menu
• Options Menus
• Pause Menu
• Credits
• Loading Screen
• Persistent Settings
• Simple Config Interface
• Keyboard/Mouse Support
• Gamepad Support
• Centralized UI Sound Control

Extras

The Extras/ folder holds components that extend the core application.

• Example Game Scene
• Opening Scene
• Success & Failure Scenes
• End Credits
• Level Advancement
• Logging Scripts
• Additional Inherited Scenes from App/:
  • OptionsMenu.tscn
  • MasterOptionsMenu.tscn
  • MainMenu.tscn
  • PauseMenu.tscn
  • InitApp.tscn

How it Works

• InitApp.tscn is the project's main scene. It loads all the configuration settings from the config file (if it exists) into game and sets the loading screen. It then loads the next scene (Opening.tscn or MainMenu.tscn).
• Opening.tscn is a simple scene for fading in/out a few images at the start of the game. It then loads the next scene (MainMenu.tscn).
• MainMenu.tscn is where a player can start the game, change settings, watch credits, or quit. It can link to the path of a game scene to play, and the packed scene of an options menu to use.
• SceneLoader.gd is an autoload script. It can load scenes in the background or with a loading screen (LoadingScreen.tscn by default).
• Credits.tscn reads from ATTRIBUTION.md to automatically generate the content for it's scrolling text label.
• The UISoundController node automatically attaches sounds to buttons, tab bars, sliders, and line edits in the scene. UISoundControllerAutoload.tscn can be enabled in the project autoloads to apply settings project-wide.
• InGameMenuController.gd controls opening and closing a menu and pausing the game in the background.
• The PauseMenuController node loads the PauseMenu.tscn (using InGameMenuController.gd) when triggering ui-cancel.
• GameUI.tscn is a demo game scene that displays recognized action inputs, and features the PauseMenuController node, the LevelLoader node to advance through levels, and InGameMenuController.gd to show SuccessScene.tscn or FailureScene.tscn.

Usage

App vs. Extras

App/ contains the core features of the package. On first use, it's recommended to keep the Extras/ folder, and make changes there. Features can be added and removed as needed.

To start minimally, use just the App/ folder, and safely remove the Extras/ folder by following the minimal instructions.

Compare features to decide which approach is best for your project.

Minimal

If you just want to use just the projects minimum App/ folder:

1. Go to Project > Project Settings… > General > Application > Run.
2. Update Main Scene to res://App/Scenes/InitApp/InitApp.tscn.
3. Go to Project > Project Settings… > Autoload.
4. Remove autoloads that start with the path res://Extras/....
   1. ProjectUiSoundController
   2. ProjectLevelLoader
   3. RuntimeLogger
5. Close the window.
6. Delete the Extras/ folder.
7. Reload the project.

The remaining instructions will apply the same for either folder you decide to use.

Extra Minimal

The pause menu feature can be removed if not used. From the App/ folder, delete PauseMenu/*, PauseMenuController.gd, and InGameMenuController.gd.

Lastly, this README.md and the Media/ directory can both be removed.

New Project

These instructions assume starting with the entire contents of the project folder.

1. Update the project’s name.

   1. Go to Project > Project Settings… > General > Application > Config.
   2. Update Name to "Game Name".
   3. Close the window.
   4. Open MainMenu.tscn.
   5. Select the Title node.
   6. Update the Text to "Game Name".
   7. Save the scene.

2. Point the main menu to the game scene.

   1. Open MainMenu.tscn.
   2. Select the MainMenu node.
   3. Update Game Scene Path to the path of “Game Name” game scene.
   4. Save the scene.

3. Update the project’s inputs.

   1. Go to Project > Project Settings… > Input Map.
   2. Update the input actions and keybindings for “Game Name”.
   3. Close the window.
   4. Open InputOptionsMenu.tscn.
   5. Select the Controls node.
   6. Update the Action Name Map to show readable names for “Game Name” input actions.
   7. Update the Add Button Texture and Remove Button Texture with textures.
   8. Save the scene.

4. Add sound effects to the UI.

   1. By scene.

      1. Open MainMenu.tscn and PauseMenu.tscn.
      2. Select the UISoundController node.
      3. Add audio streams to the various UI node events.
      4. Save the scenes.

   2. Project-wide, with Extras/.

      1. Open UISoundControllerAutoload.tscn.
      2. Select the UISoundController node.
      3. Add audio streams to the various UI node events.
      4. Save the scene.
      5. Go to Project > Project Settings… > Autoload.
      6. Enable UISoundControllerAutoload.
      7. Close the window.

5. Update the game credits / attribution.

   1. Copy ATTRIBUTION_example.md over ATTRIBUTION.md.
   2. Update ATTRIBUTION.md with “Game Name” credits, following the example.
   3. Reload Credits.tscn scene to apply changes from ATTRIBUTION.md.

   4. Include the attribution in exports.

      1. Go to Project > Export.
      2. Select one of “Game Name” presets (or set them up).
      3. Select the Resources tab.
      4. Update Filters to export non-resource file/folders to include ATTRIBUTION.md.
      5. Close the window.

Existing Project

For an existing project, just copy over the App/ folder (optionally the Extras/ folder, as well).

1. Update the project’s main scene.

   1. Go to Project > Project Settings… > General > Application > Run.
   2. Update Main Scene to res://…/InitApp.tscn.
   3. Close the window.

2. Update the project’s autoloads.

   1. Go to Project > Project Settings… > Autoload.
   2. Add res://App/Scripts/SceneLoader.gd.
   3. Optionally enable res://Extras/Scripts/RuntimeLogger.gd.
   4. Close the window.

3. Update the project’s name.

   1. Open MainMenu.tscn.
   2. Select the Title node.
   3. Update the Text to Game Name.
   4. Save the scene.

4. Point the main menu to the game scene.

   1. Open MainMenu.tscn.
   2. Select the MainMenu node.
   3. Update Game Scene Path to the path of “Game Name” game scene.
   4. Save the scene.

5. Update the project’s inputs.

   1. Open InputOptionsMenu.tscn.
   2. Select the Controls node.
   3. Update the Action Name Map to show readable names for “Game Name” input actions.
   4. Update the Add Button Texture and Remove Button Texture with textures.
   5. Save the scene.

6. Add sound effects to the UI.

   1. By scene.

      1. Open MainMenu.tscn and PauseMenu.tscn.
      2. Select the UISoundController node.
      3. Add audio streams to the various UI node events.
      4. Save the scenes.

   2. Project-wide, with Extras/.

      1. Open UISoundControllerAutoload.tscn.
      2. Select the UISoundController node.
      3. Add audio streams to the various UI node events.
      4. Save the scene.
      5. Go to Project > Project Settings… > Autoload.
      6. Enable UISoundControllerAutoload.
      7. Close the window.

7. Update the game credits / attribution.

   1. Copy ATTRIBUTION_example.md over ATTRIBUTION.md.
   2. Update ATTRIBUTION.md with “Game Name” credits, following the example.
   3. Reload Credits.tscn scene to apply changes from ATTRIBUTION.md.

   4. Include the attribution in exports.

      1. Go to Project > Export.
      2. Select one of “Game Name” presets (or set them up).
      3. Select the Resources tab.
      4. Update Filters to export non-resource file/folders to include ATTRIBUTION.md.
      5. Close the window.

Links

Attribution
License