Make a splash screen for first time users

[jasperbrooks79]

Describe the project you are working on: Now, there seems to be some confusion, about best start-up environment, and settings . . One could perhaps make a ' splash screen ', with some options, that could be toggled, ie. like ' Do not show this again ' . . In it, there could be some questions, or so . . Do you want to make 2D game, 3D game, stylized, near-realistic, or so . . And, also do you want you want high-fidelity graphics, low but, fast settings, so on . . I don't know how to design that, and of course, for experienced users, it would need a box, where ' do not show this again ', maybe the Godot makers could think, if there could be good use, for such a screen . .

High-performance graphics could be. MSAA set to 4x, or 8x, and an-isotropy enabled, by default . . This would sort of, match the A, AA, and AAA demo-graphics, or so . . And, it would make the ' first ' screen be less confusing, where one has to sort of, read and, accidentally click 3D Node, to even get started, or so . . That would work better, so it's a suggestion, not ' quite ' good . .

The start page could also link to a web-page, a special introduction page, that goes over most important knowledge, ie. where official docs are, where one can find tutorials, the official community channels, just good, basic information, or so . .

Describe the problem or limitation you are having in your project: It's just not super-user friendly for new users, to open their first project, or even for some months, or so . . . The box can be ' do not show again ', for experienced users, not sure what should be in it, atm, it's for engine makers to decide, since it is their engine, or so . .

Describe the feature / enhancement and how it helps to overcome the problem or limitation: Like image above, a sort of ' splash - screen ', that gets things going, or so . . Like, ' better ' documentation, from the very start, or so . .

Describe how your proposal will work, with code, pseudocode, mockups, and/or diagrams: Image above, or sort a, ' Where do we go now - screen ', for new users <3

If this enhancement will not be used often, can it be worked around with a few lines of script?: It's standard in many programs, especially complex programs, where one needs a little help, almost right away, to learn . . .

Is there a reason why this should be core and not an add-on in the asset library?: Just, makes sense, at least to a new user, or so . .

[jasperbrooks79]

It should also help advanced users more quickly set up the program they want, and only run, on the first time on opens a NEW project, not every time the engine starts or, one goes back, to edit a level or, project . . . <3

[jasperbrooks79]

It could also have coding preferences, and a second page, where one sets ' output resolution ' of game, which one doesn't have to go to, ie. a button, to go ' More Common Settings ' . . So, all the basic stuff, is just ready, or so . . Then, the rest is learning, studying . . .

Ie. Coding preference GDScript C# Native Visual Script

this would help all new users realize, one has these options, or so . . And, if one clicks C#, all new script are by default, C#, of course, or so . . I think, if this might be used, the engine team should sit down, and find out, what there should be, right now the start-up for new users, is a bit jarring, or so <3 . .

[jasperbrooks79]

There could be a sort, of arrow, with ' More settings ', or an OK button, on first screen, on second page, one could set ' Game Resolution ', other basics stuff, also maybe on that page, another ' More settings ', to have a third screen . .

This would make it easier for NEW users to get going, and experienced users can click, ' don't show again ', and never worry about it . . There could be a friendly Godot logo, and some welcoming text, written by the engine team, what they think new users should now, basic settings, for most use-cases, in games industry . . <3 Thx . . . .

That way, new users wouldn't have to go into all kinds of menus, to make things basically work, or so <3 . . Thx . .

[jasperbrooks79]

This could tweak other stuff, for instance ' default ' import settings, or so . . And, make a setting, for ' mobile game ' dev, as well as A, AA, and AAA . . Not sure what it should be, don't have experience, that much . . . .

[jasperbrooks79]

It's bec. the engine has got so complex, and advanced, this would help new users . . If you click cancel, you get the current ' new project screen ' . . .

Example, of buttons, at end, OK ( if page 1 is enough ), More settings, or so, and a cancel button . . <3

[jasperbrooks79]

ps. in 3D stylized, no sky contribution <3 . . .

[jasperbrooks79]

The first, top text could be, along with the Godot man - logo . .

" Welcome to the Godot engine, an open source game engine, suited for both 2D, and 3D games. There are many settings due to the complexity of the engine, here's a list of some common use - cases, that you might want to set in advance. Please, enjoy Godot, and have fun, making games. "

Or, so, I'm not pro enough to know, what it could look like <3, maybe there's stuff I didn't think of, not sure, Please help . .

[jasperbrooks79]

There could even be a ' ? ' mark after each graphics level settings, like High, when click ' ? ' it says . .

MSAA 8x Anisotropy On Resolution: 3840x2160

Medium = MSAA 4x Anisotropy On Resolution 1920x1080

Low MSAA 2x Anisotropy On/ Off ?? <3 Resolution 1280x720

Mobile MSAA 0x Anisotropy Off Resolution 720x480 ( typical mobile res, that work on most devices, is performant . . .

Or, so . .

So, one can click ' ? ' button, near each setting, to see what it does, or so . . <3 Some ideas, need work . .

[jasperbrooks79]

Other settings could be, shadow quality, shadow filtering, SSAO, so on . .

Also, ' Coding Settings ', ie. and, or so . .

Also, to use Vulcan GLES2, could be set there, or so . . <3 . .

As time goes on, and computers get faster, for each version, the ' current ' time, it could have some appropriate settings, ie. for Godot 5.2, maybe High Quality is 8K resolution, more stuff, set on, or close . . <3

Add, this could also be a subtle hint, that Godot CAN actually make AAA games, or close, or so, to new users :O :O <3 . . . .

Like, wth Damn, this free engine, is basically an AAA engine, with right settings, right away . . . .

[jasperbrooks79]

Since, PS3, Xbox360 ran at 1280x720 res, maybe the ' low ' settings could be making a game, that would be quality, like a PS3 game . .

1920x1080 is, PS4, Xbox One, then the settings could be, so a game would run at 60 fps, or so, on those consoles . .

And, new PS5, Xbox One X, is 4K, so the ' high ' settings, could be ' made ', to make game, that'd run 60 fps, in General, on those systems, ie. current, modern, high-end PC's . . That'd be an easy standard, to go for, performance wise . . <3 Of course, each game is different, FPS can't be controlled, just so, but it'd be a nice ' set ', of standards, for graphics . . . <3

And, Nintendo Switch also runs at 1280x720, so that's probably just PS3, or Xbox 360 . . Those are things most people can understand, or so . . To have some ' defined goals ', make easier, or so, Thanks . . . <3

So, the graphics settings in the Low end ( 1280x720, PS3, Xbox 360 ), would be the settings, for graphics, in the common or, ' average ' PS3 game, so on, for medium quality ( PS4, or so

[jasperbrooks79]

Last, since afaik, PS5, Xbox One X will go for Raytracing, or global illumination, in realistic games, and have volumetric fog set to on, for ' High ' Graphics mode, or so . . ( PS5, Xbox One X ), those could be set to ' turned on ', by default . . It would also be a cool way, for new users, with any hardware set-up, to quickly make a level, and see ' what ' Godot can currently, do, or so, without having to ' set ' a ton of settings . .

Final text, on ' Intro Splash ' is, These things can be changed later, in Project - Project settings <3 <3 . . .

I think, this would 1. introduce the engine better and, 2. help beginners ' get ' a grasp of what Godot is, or so . .

It is so complex by now, and has so many applications or, use, that it's a jungle, without any help, one needs to read tutorials, or read docs, to really find stuff, atm . .

[dalexeev]

See also: https://github.com/godotengine/godot-proposals/issues/1352#issuecomment-672567153

[aaronfranke]

There is already a menu where you can choose whether you want to create a 2D or 3D scene:

And there is already a menu where you can choose between high and low quality:

Ie. Coding preference

You can just pick the script language in the dropdown when creating a new script, and different languages can be used interchangeably at the same time in the same project. What would this setting accomplish?

ps. in 3D stylized, no sky contribution <3 . . .

Ideally we would make there be no sky contribution if there's no DirectionalLight, since blue scattering only makes sense when there is a sun. There is a discussion about this here: #348

There could even be a ' ? ' mark after each graphics level settings, like High, when click ' ? ' it says . .

IMO this is too much to throw at people at once. Instead, users can just open project settings to change these.

A splash screen isn't inherently a bad idea, but nothing in here is actually a strong justification for it.