World 1-1 The Fundamentals : GDScript intro

Kick off your GDScript journey with a hands-on intro to Godot 4.4.1 —learn nodes, scenes, scripts, and the core concepts you need to start building your first game.

More about this series

In World 1-1: The Fundamentals – GDScript Intro, we'll cover everything you need to know to get started with Godot 4.4.1 and GDScript—no prior experience required. By the end of this module, you'll have Godot installed, understand how nodes and scenes work, and be comfortable writing and debugging your very first scripts.

What You'll Find in This Module

  • Installing & Launching Godot 4.4.1
    Step‐by‐step Windows instructions for downloading, extracting, and opening Godot so you can start building right away.
  • Core Concepts: Nodes, Scenes & the SceneTree
    A clear, visual explanation of how Godot organizes "things" (sprites, collisions, audio, etc.) into nodes, groups those nodes under a scene, and runs everything in a tree hierarchy at runtime.
  • Running Your First Scene
    Learn how to create a simple scene with a root node, attach a child node (e.g. a Sprite2D), save it, and press "Play" so you see your work in action.
  • Attaching & Exploring Your First GDScript
    Walk through how to create a new .gd file, attach it to a node, and inspect the default template. You'll see why _ready() and _process(delta) callbacks exist—and how to invoke print() for debugging.
  • Understanding Delta & Debugging Tips
    Discover why you need _delta (frame time) for smooth movement, how to avoid common "undeclared identifier" errors, and best practices for printing variable values without clutter.
  • Working with Core Data Types
    A concise overview of int, float, bool, and String in GDScript—when to use each type, plus a quick custom helper to make variant/type debugging more human-readable.
  1. Getting Godot Up & Running (Windows)
    Learn exactly where to grab the latest stable build, how to unzip it, and launch the editor on Windows—no extra steps required.
  2. Quick Concept: Node, Scene & SceneTree
    Visualize how every game element (player, enemy, background, audio, etc.) is just a node in a larger tree. Understand why grouping nodes into scenes keeps your project organized.
  3. Creating & Playing a Basic Scene
    Build a minimal scene: add a root node, attach a child Sprite2D, save as Main.tscn, and press "Play" to ensure everything works.
  4. Relationship Between GDScript & Nodes
    Explore how GDScript attaches to nodes in Godot, enabling reusable, loosely coupled scripts that drive game logic without hard‐wiring to a single node type.
  5. Attaching Your First GDScript
    Attach a new .gd file to a node.
  6. Exploring the Default Script Template
    Examine what Godot gives you by default: _ready(), _process(delta), extends, and more.
  7. Printing & Debugging in GDScript
    Use the print() function to confirm your code runs, explore where messages appear in the editor, and learn how to keep debugging output readable and helpful.
  8. Understanding _deltaDebugger Error
    Discover why _delta is essential for frame-rate–independent movement, and learn how to fix "using undeclared identifier" errors that trip up beginners.
  9. Using _process(delta) & Printing Frame Time
    Put _process(delta) to work by printing the delta value each frame. See how frame times vary and why that matters.
  10. Numbers & Comments: int, float.
    Learn the difference between integers and floats, how to comment your code clearly.
  11. int vs. float
    A quick, no-fluff breakdown of when to use int vs. float in GDScript.
  12. Working with Variant.Type Constants
    Understand Godot's underlying Variant system—use Variant.TYPE_* constants to check types at runtime for more robust code.
  13. Creating a Helper Class for Readable Types
    Build a tiny GDScript helper that translates a Variant type ID into a human-friendly string. Perfect for debugging complex variables.
  14. Strings in GDScript
    Everything you need to know about string handling: concatenation, interpolation, splitting, and finding substrings.
  15. Booleans in GDScript
    True or False, That’s It!
  16. Inspecting Variable.name at Runtime
    Discover how you can grab a variable's name at runtime—handy for building debug logs or dynamic UIs.

Before you move on to World 1-2, take a moment to refine how you name and use your variables. This mini-section will make your code more consistent and easier to read:

  1. Casing
    Discover why using snake_case or camelCase matters, and settle on one convention so your variables stay uniform across scripts.
  2. Abbreviations
    Learn how to pick clear abbreviations (e.g. hp for health points, vel for velocity) without making your code cryptic.
  3. Prefixes
    Understand when to prefix variable names (e.g. player_score, enemy_count) to group related data, and how that improves readability.
  4. Bool Prefix
    See why adding is_, has_, or can_ to boolean variables (e.g. is_alive, has_key) instantly clarifies their purpose.
  5. Temporary Variables
    Learn best practices for naming short-lived variables—so you don't pollute your script with ambiguous names like x or temp.

Next up? World 1-2 dives into GDScript operations—covering int & float addition, string concatenation, vector & array math, subtraction, multiplication, division/remainder, and handy assignment shortcuts. See you there! 😊

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