Godot is a free and open source game engine that supports both 2D and 3D game development. It has a powerful scripting language called GDScript, which is similar to Python. Godot also has a visual scripting system that allows users to create games without coding.
In this article, I will use Godot 4, the latest version of the free and open source game engine that supports both 2D and 3D development. Godot 4 introduces many new features and improvements, such as a new rendering engine, a new animation system, a new scripting language, and more. I will show you how to get started with Godot 4, how to create a simple project, and how to use some of the new features. By the end of this series of articles, you will have a better understanding of what Godot 4 can do and how to use it for your own game projects.
If you want to try out Godot 4 on your Windows machine, you will need to download and install it first. Here are the steps to do so:
- Go to https://godotengine.org/download/windows/ and choose the version of Godot 4 that suits your needs (the latest version as of the day I wrote this article is version 4.0.2). You can download the standard version, which does not require any additional software, or the .NET version, which supports C# scripting. You can also download the export templates, which are used to export your games to all supported platforms.
- Extract the downloaded ZIP file to a folder of your choice. Godot 4 is self-contained and does not require installation, so you can run it from any location on your hard drive.
- Double-click on the Godot executable file to launch the editor. You will see the Project Manager window, where you can create new projects or open existing ones.
- To create a new project, click on New Project, enter a name and a path for your project, and choose a rendering backend (Vulkan or OpenGL). Then click on Create & Edit to open the editor window.
- To open an existing project, click on Scan or Import in the Project Manager window, and browse to the folder where your project is located. Then select your project and click on Edit to open the editor window.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed Godot 4 on Windows and learned how to create, edit, and export projects with it. You can now start making your own games with this powerful and versatile game engine.