godot-templates

name	godot-templates
description	Genre-specific game templates with complete file manifests. Use when creating a game from a genre prompt. Each template lists every file to create, the node hierarchy, and the key mechanics to implement.

Genre Templates

Template Bootstrap (MANDATORY)

Before writing gameplay scripts for any template:

1. Call godot_generate_asset_pack with the closest preset and style.
2. Verify generated files in res://assets/sprites/.
3. Wire entities to generated sprites first, then layered procedural fallback.
4. Do not use plain ColorRect entity visuals in full-game builds.

Top-Down Shooter

File Manifest

File	Type	Purpose
scripts/main.gd	Script	Score, health, spawning, game loop
scripts/player.gd	Script	WASD + mouse aim + click to shoot
scripts/bullet.gd	Script	Move in direction, destroy enemies
scripts/enemy.gd	Script	Chase player, damage on contact
scenes/main.tscn	Scene	Minimal root (5 lines)
scenes/Bullet.tscn	Scene	Bullet prefab (Area2D)
scenes/Enemy.tscn	Scene	Enemy prefab (CharacterBody2D)

Node Hierarchy (built by main.gd)

Main (Node2D + main.gd)
├── Background (Sprite2D using bg_arena + optional gradient shader)
├── Player (CharacterBody2D + player.gd)
│   ├── CollisionShape2D (rect 32x32)
│   └── Visual (Sprite2D: player + glow/outline shader)
├── SpawnTimer (Timer, 1.5s)
├── Camera2D (follows player)
└── UI (CanvasLayer)
    ├── HudPanel (TextureRect/Sprite2D from ui_hud_panel)
    ├── ScoreLabel (+ icon_score)
    └── HealthBar (+ icon_heart)

Key Mechanics

• Player: WASD movement (220 speed), mouse aiming, click to shoot
• Bullets: Area2D, layer 2, mask 4, speed 450, 3s lifetime
• Enemies: CharacterBody2D, layer 4, chase player (90 speed), damage on contact
• Score: +100 per kill, displayed in HUD
• Health: 100 HP, -10 per enemy contact, game over at 0
• Spawning: every 1.5s, random position 500px from player, max 15
• Asset baseline: generate and use player, enemy_chaser, enemy_ranged, enemy_charger, bullet_player, pickup_health, icon_heart, icon_score, bg_arena, ui_hud_panel

---

Platformer

File Manifest

File	Type	Purpose
scripts/main.gd	Script	Level setup, coins, goal
scripts/player.gd	Script	Move, jump, coyote time
scripts/coin.gd	Script	Collectible, score +1
scripts/spike.gd	Script	Hazard, instant death
scripts/level_builder.gd	Script	Procedural level from array
scenes/main.tscn	Scene	Root

Node Hierarchy

Main (Node2D + main.gd)
├── Level (Node2D + level_builder.gd)
│   ├── [StaticBody2D platforms, generated]
│   ├── [Coin Area2Ds, generated]
│   └── [Spike Area2Ds, generated]
├── Player (CharacterBody2D + player.gd)
│   ├── CollisionShape2D (capsule)
│   ├── Visual (Sprite2D: player_runner or layered procedural fallback)
│   └── Camera2D
└── UI (CanvasLayer)
    ├── CoinLabel (+ icon_life or coin icon)
    └── LivesLabel

Level Builder Pattern

# level_builder.gd
const TILE = 64
var level_data = [
    ".....................",
    ".....................",
    "...C..........C.....",
    "...####....####.....",
    ".....................",
    "........C...........",
    "......#####.........",
    ".....S......S.......",
    "#####################",
]
# P=player start, #=platform, C=coin, S=spike, .=empty

func build():
    for y in range(level_data.size()):
        for x in range(level_data[y].length()):
            var ch = level_data[y][x]
            var pos = Vector2(x * TILE, y * TILE)
            match ch:
                "#": _make_platform(pos)
                "C": _make_coin(pos)
                "S": _make_spike(pos)

Key Mechanics

• Gravity: 800, Jump: -350, Speed: 200
• Coyote time: 0.1s, Jump buffer: 0.1s
• Coins: Area2D layer 7, body_entered → collect
• Spikes: Area2D layer 8, body_entered → respawn
• Camera follows player with smoothing
• Asset baseline: player_runner, enemy_patrol, enemy_flyer, pickup_coin, tile_ground, tile_platform, tile_hazard, bg_platform_sky

---

Puzzle Game (Match-3 / Grid)

File Manifest

File	Type	Purpose
scripts/main.gd	Script	Game state, score
scripts/board.gd	Script	Grid logic, matching, gravity
scripts/piece.gd	Script	Individual piece (visual + click)
scenes/main.tscn	Scene	Root

Node Hierarchy

Main (Node2D + main.gd)
├── Board (Node2D + board.gd)
│   └── [Piece nodes, grid of NxM]
└── UI (CanvasLayer)
    ├── ScoreLabel
    └── MovesLabel

Key Mechanics

• Grid stored as Array[Array] (model)
• Pieces are visual nodes positioned on grid
• Click to select, click adjacent to swap
• After swap: check matches (3+ in row/column)
• Matched pieces removed, gravity drops pieces down
• New pieces spawned at top
• Score: +10 per matched piece, combos multiply

---

RPG / Top-Down Adventure

File Manifest

File	Type	Purpose
scripts/main.gd	Script	World state, transitions
scripts/player.gd	Script	4-direction movement, interact
scripts/npc.gd	Script	Dialog trigger
scripts/dialog.gd	Script	Dialog box UI
scripts/inventory.gd	Script	Item management
scenes/main.tscn	Scene	Root

Key Mechanics

• Player: 4-direction movement (no diagonal), grid-snapped or smooth
• NPCs: Area2D trigger, show dialog on interact
• Dialog: CanvasLayer with text box, advance with Space/Click
• Inventory: Array of item dictionaries, UI grid display
• Transitions: Fade to black between areas

---

Tower Defense

File Manifest

File	Type	Purpose
scripts/main.gd	Script	Waves, economy, game state
scripts/enemy_td.gd	Script	Follow path, health bar
scripts/tower.gd	Script	Target nearest enemy, shoot
scripts/tower_bullet.gd	Script	Homing projectile
scripts/tower_placer.gd	Script	Click to place tower
scenes/main.tscn	Scene	Root with Path2D

Key Mechanics

• Enemies follow Path2D/PathFollow2D
• Towers: Area2D detection range, target nearest enemy
• Tower bullets: homing (lerp toward target)
• Economy: start with gold, earn per kill, spend to place towers
• Waves: increasing enemy count and speed
• Lives: enemies reaching end cost lives

---

Template Selection Logic

Given user prompt, pick template:

1. Contains "shoot", "gun", "bullet", "top-down" → Top-Down Shooter
2. Contains "jump", "platform", "side", "mario" → Platformer
3. Contains "puzzle", "match", "grid", "swap", "tile" → Puzzle
4. Contains "RPG", "adventure", "dialog", "quest", "inventory" → RPG
5. Contains "tower", "defense", "wave", "path" → Tower Defense
6. Contains "sandbox", "build", "craft" → Start with Top-Down Shooter base, add building
7. Unclear → Top-Down Shooter (best default, most satisfying prototype)