Part 1: GoDot Basics - Exercises

Objective

Create a simple scene with basic nodes to understand GoDot's scene system.

Tasks

1. Create a new GoDot project
2. Add a Node2D as the root node
3. Add a Sprite2D as a child node
4. Add a Label as another child node
5. Save the scene as "MyFirstScene.tscn"

Expected Outcome

You should have a scene with a tree structure: Node2D → Sprite2D and Label as children.

Objective

Learn to modify node properties using the Inspector panel.

Tasks

1. Select the Sprite2D node in your scene
2. In the Inspector, change the position to (100, 100)
3. Change the scale to (2.0, 2.0)
4. Change the rotation to 45 degrees
5. Select the Label node and change its text to "Hello GoDot!"

Expected Outcome

The sprite should be larger, positioned at (100,100), rotated 45 degrees, and the label should display "Hello GoDot!".

Objective

Create your first GDScript and attach it to a node.

Tasks

1. Select the Node2D root node
2. Attach a new script to it
3. Add a simple print statement in the _ready() function
4. Run the scene and check the output

Code Example

extends Node2D

func _ready():
    print("Hello from GoDot!")
    print("My first script is working!")

Expected Outcome

When you run the scene (F5), you should see the print statements in the Output panel.

Objective

Create a scene with multiple nodes and basic interaction.

Tasks

1. Create a new scene with Node2D as root
2. Add three Sprite2D nodes as children
3. Position them at different locations
4. Add a script to the root node
5. Make the sprites change color when clicked

Code Example

extends Node2D

func _ready():
    # Connect input events to all sprites
    for sprite in get_children():
        if sprite is Sprite2D:
            sprite.input_event.connect(_on_sprite_clicked)

func _on_sprite_clicked(viewport, event, shape_idx):
    if event is InputEventMouseButton and event.pressed:
        # Change color to random color
        var sprite = event.target
        sprite.modulate = Color(randf(), randf(), randf())

Expected Outcome

Clicking on any sprite should change its color to a random color.

Objective

Create a script that moves an object using keyboard input.

Tasks

1. Create a scene with a Sprite2D
2. Attach a script to the Sprite2D
3. Implement movement using arrow keys
4. Add boundary checking to keep the sprite on screen
5. Add a speed variable that can be adjusted

Code Example

extends Sprite2D

var speed = 200
var screen_size

func _ready():
    screen_size = get_viewport_rect().size

func _process(delta):
    var velocity = Vector2.ZERO
    
    if Input.is_action_pressed("ui_right"):
        velocity.x += 1
    if Input.is_action_pressed("ui_left"):
        velocity.x -= 1
    if Input.is_action_pressed("ui_down"):
        velocity.y += 1
    if Input.is_action_pressed("ui_up"):
        velocity.y -= 1
    
    velocity = velocity.normalized()
    position += velocity * speed * delta
    
    # Keep sprite on screen
    position = position.clamp(Vector2.ZERO, screen_size)

Expected Outcome

The sprite should move smoothly with arrow keys and stay within the screen boundaries.

Objective

Create a complex scene hierarchy and understand parent-child relationships.

Tasks

1. Create a scene with this hierarchy:
• Node2D (Root)
• ├── Sprite2D (Player)
• │ ├── Label (PlayerName)
• │ └── Sprite2D (Weapon)
• └── Node2D (Environment)
• ├── Sprite2D (Tree1)
• ├── Sprite2D (Tree2)
• └── Sprite2D (Rock)
2. Move the Player node and observe how children move with it
3. Move the Environment node and observe how its children move
4. Add a script that prints the hierarchy structure

Code Example

extends Node2D

func _ready():
    print_hierarchy(self, 0)

func print_hierarchy(node, depth):
    var indent = "  " * depth
    print(indent + "- " + node.name + " (" + node.get_class() + ")")
    
    for child in node.get_children():
        print_hierarchy(child, depth + 1)

Expected Outcome

You should see the complete hierarchy printed in the output, and moving parent nodes should move all their children.

Objective

Create a scene management system that can switch between different scenes.

Tasks

1. Create three different scenes: Menu, Game, and Pause
2. Create a main scene that manages these scenes
3. Implement scene switching functionality
4. Add a simple UI to navigate between scenes
5. Handle scene transitions smoothly

Code Example

extends Node

var current_scene = null
var scenes = {
    "menu": preload("res://scenes/Menu.tscn"),
    "game": preload("res://scenes/Game.tscn"),
    "pause": preload("res://scenes/Pause.tscn")
}

func _ready():
    current_scene = get_child(0)
    switch_scene("menu")

func switch_scene(scene_name):
    if scene_name in scenes:
        # Remove current scene
        if current_scene:
            current_scene.queue_free()
        
        # Add new scene
        current_scene = scenes[scene_name].instantiate()
        add_child(current_scene)
        
        print("Switched to: " + scene_name)

Expected Outcome

You should be able to switch between different scenes using UI buttons or keyboard shortcuts.

Objective

Create a system that dynamically creates and manages nodes programmatically.

Tasks

1. Create a script that can spawn different types of nodes
2. Implement a node pool for efficient memory usage
3. Add random positioning for spawned nodes
4. Create a cleanup system for unused nodes
5. Add a UI to control spawning parameters

Code Example

extends Node2D

var node_pool = []
var max_nodes = 50
var spawn_timer = 0
var spawn_interval = 1.0

func _ready():
    # Pre-populate pool
    for i in range(max_nodes):
        var sprite = Sprite2D.new()
        sprite.visible = false
        add_child(sprite)
        node_pool.append(sprite)

func _process(delta):
    spawn_timer += delta
    if spawn_timer >= spawn_interval:
        spawn_timer = 0
        spawn_node()

func spawn_node():
    if node_pool.size() > 0:
        var sprite = node_pool.pop_back()
        sprite.visible = true
        sprite.position = Vector2(randf_range(0, 800), randf_range(0, 600))
        sprite.modulate = Color(randf(), randf(), randf())

func cleanup_nodes():
    for child in get_children():
        if child is Sprite2D and child.visible:
            child.visible = false
            node_pool.append(child)

Expected Outcome

Nodes should spawn automatically, and you should be able to clean them up efficiently using the pool system.