Video Game Design and Coding · PLECK lesson

PLECK lesson 146 · suggested week 30, day 1

Create the final project baseline

Objective. Build a clean, versioned project without stale dependencies.

Godot Engine Standard desktop editor 4.7.2-stable, GDScript (Godot 4), Compatibility renderer. Headless Godot 4.7.2.stable.official.ed1daf0bf passed 106 assertions on the supplied scaffolds, including malformed JSON saves. Audio used the Dummy driver and a synthetic WAV, not a speaker. The visual editor, browser export, and signed-in submission were not tested. The desk still does not run a student's own upload.

About 55 minutes. The due date is chosen by a parent.

Project bootstrap, mechanics, richer system and first review

Suggested pace: Recall and predict 5 min; Read instruction and scaffold 12 min; Build or design the assigned artifact 25 min; Run acceptance tests 8 min; Explain and checkpoint 5 min.

Materials: Godot Standard 4.7.2 desktop editor (GDScript, Compatibility renderer), Local course folder and prior checkpoint, No paid assets or public account required.

Comes after VGC-L145.

Create a new local Godot project or a carefully cleaned copy of your own prior work. Set the course viewport and renderer, configure input actions and create the planned folders. Remove unused scenes and imported assets that are not licensed or needed. Add a readme with working title, controls and engine version. Save a baseline snapshot that launches the intended main scene. Do not begin with a large downloaded template you cannot explain.

Worked example

A vertical slice joins a player action, one challenge, progress feedback and an ending. It demonstrates real integration even while the art remains rectangles. Scaffold C-HELLO — An observable first script Setup: Create a Node scene, name root Lab, attach lab.gd. Save as lab.tscn. Run current scene (editor clapboard/Run Current Scene). Output panel shows print output. All unindented lines belong to the script and indented lines belong to the function. ```gdscript extends Node var deliveries: int = 0 func _ready() -> void: deliveries += 1 print("Deliveries: ", deliveries) ```

An observable first script

GDScript (Godot 4, not Scratch, Python, JavaScript or C#). Scaffold C-HELLO. Copy starts from this text. The desk does not run it.

Scene and node setup

Create a Node scene, name root Lab, attach lab.gd. Save as lab.tscn. Run current scene (editor clapboard/Run Current Scene). Output panel shows print output. All unindented lines belong to the script and indented lines belong to the function.

extends Node
var deliveries: int = 0
func _ready() -> void:
    deliveries += 1
    print("Deliveries: ", deliveries)

Checks to run in the editor

Native Godot 4.7.2.stable.official.ed1daf0bf headless compile and representative node-tree/runtime tests passed; see native-qa-results.json. Visual UI, audible output, exports and website submission still need separate checks.

Create the final project baseline — evidence task

  1. 1. Create baseline project with named main scene, folders and input map.
  2. 2. Restore baseline ZIP and launch it.

Deliverable. Final baseline source artifact and setup readme.

Acceptance checks

Understanding question. Why remove stale copied scenes and assets?

Include a downloadable project ZIP with project.godot, .tscn, .gd and original asset files when code changes. A private, teacher-accessible download link to that ZIP is equivalent. Screenshots or a playthrough do not replace editable source.

If this is still shaky. Use placeholder shapes and one room. Keep all twelve acceptance tests visible, with honest not-yet-implemented statuses. Start with the first assigned task and re-run its acceptance test before adding the remaining feature.

Optional extra. Add one optional visual improvement only after the slice is playable end to end. Document one changed parameter, your prediction, and the observed effect; optional, not required for completion.

Name ____________________ Date ____________________