project-scaffold

name

project-scaffold

description

Generate a new Godot game project with standardized ECS structure and tooling. Use when starting a new game: "create a project", "set up a new game", "scaffold", "initialize", "new project", "start building", "let's make it". Triggers after game-planner produces a confirmed plan, or when the user provides a game name + genre directly. Even for simple requests like "make me a new Godot project", use this skill to ensure proper ECS structure. Creates directory structure, project.godot, CLAUDE.md, gecs World setup, addon stubs, and template source files based on the game plan or user input.

Project Scaffold

$ARGUMENTS

Generate a new Godot game project with GodotMaker's ECS architecture. Read templates from this skill's templates/ directory, fill {{placeholders}} with values from the game plan or user input, and write results to the target.

Step 1 — Gather Variables

If a confirmed Game Plan exists in the conversation (from game-planner), extract variables from it. Otherwise, ask the user for game name and genre at minimum — use genre defaults for everything else.

Variable	Source	Default
{{game_name}}	user input, snake_case, used as directory name	required
{{game_title}}	user input or Title Case of game_name	required
{{genre}}	Game Plan "Genre" or user	"platformer"
{{perspective}}	Fixed framework target	"2D"
{{viewport_width}}	genre defaults table	1280
{{viewport_height}}	genre defaults table	720
{{rendering_method}}	fixed 2D renderer	"gl_compatibility"
{{root_node_type}}	fixed 2D root	"Node2D"
{{camera_type}}	fixed 2D camera	"Camera2D"
{{game_description}}	Game Plan summary or one-line from user	genre name + " game"

Genre defaults:

Genre	Viewport	Gravity	Input Actions
Platformer	1280x720	980.0	move_left, move_right, jump
Top-down	1280x720	none	move_up, move_down, move_left, move_right
Puzzle	1280x720	none	select, confirm, cancel
Endless runner	720x1280	980.0	jump

Step 2 — Create Directory Structure

Create the project root and all subdirectories:

{{game_name}}/
├── project.godot
├── CLAUDE.md
├── .gitignore
├── src/
│   ├── components/          # C_ prefixed component scripts
│   ├── systems/             # NameSystem scripts
│   ├── entities/            # Entity scene definitions
│   └── ui/                  # UI scenes and scripts
├── scenes/
│   ├── main.tscn            # Entry point scene
│   └── game_world.tscn      # Gameplay scene with camera
├── test/
│   └── test_example.gd      # gdUnit4 test template
├── e2e/
│   └── conftest.py           # E2E test config (GODOT_PROJECT = "..")
├── assets/
│   ├── sprites/
│   ├── audio/
│   ├── fonts/
│   └── ui/
├── references/              # Scene reference images (generated by /gm-asset)
└── addons/                  # gecs + gdUnit4 + godot_e2e installed here

.tscn Generation Rules

When writing .tscn files (from templates or manually), follow these rules strictly:

1. No UID references — use res://path/to/script.gd paths, never uid://xxx. UID references fail in headless/CI environments because uid_cache.bin cannot be rebuilt.
2. load_steps formula — load_steps = ext_resource_count + sub_resource_count + 1. Count carefully; mismatch causes parse errors.
3. parent attribute required — only the root [node] omits parent. Every other node MUST have parent="." (direct child of root) or parent="path/to/parent".
4. World node setup — always set system_nodes_root = NodePath(".") and entity_nodes_root = NodePath(".") when using SystemGroups.

Step 3 — Fill Templates

Read each template from templates/, replace all {{placeholders}}, write output. Remove any template comments (lines starting with ; TEMPLATE:) from the output.

Template	Output Path	Notes
project.godot.tmpl	project.godot	Must be valid Godot ConfigFile
claude.md.tmpl	CLAUDE.md	Fill game info + ECS reference
gitignore.tmpl	.gitignore	Use as-is, no placeholders
main_scene.tmpl	scenes/main.tscn	Use a 2D root node
world_scene.tmpl	scenes/game_world.tscn	Use 2D node + camera types; gameplay scene gets a World child node added during /gm-build
test_example.tmpl	test/test_example.gd	Replace {{GameNamePascal}}
component.tmpl	src/components/c_example.gd	Example stub
system.tmpl	src/systems/example_system.gd	Example stub

gecs World setup

gecs v7.1.0 ships class_name World in addons/gecs/ecs/world.gd. The canonical scene-node pattern:

• Add a Node child to your gameplay scene with script = res://addons/gecs/ecs/world.gd, named World, with system_nodes_root = NodePath("Systems") and entity_nodes_root = NodePath("Entities").
• The main scene script wires it up: @onready var world: World = $World then ECS.world = world in _ready().
• Drive systems via world.process(delta, "gameplay") / world.process(delta, "physics") from _process / _physics_process.

Scaffold leaves the World node out — gameplay scene structure is filled in during /gm-build. See the gecs skill for the full World API.

Game Plan ECS stubs

If the Game Plan includes an ECS Architecture section with components and systems:

• Components: for each planned component (e.g., C_Velocity), create a file in src/components/ based on component.tmpl. Fill the class name and add @export vars from the plan.
• Systems: for each planned system (e.g., MovementSystem), create a file in src/systems/ based on system.tmpl. Fill the class name and query() with the required components.
• World: register systems by adding them as children of the gameplay scene's World node — see "gecs World setup" above for the full pattern.

Step 4 — Genre Adaptations

After writing base template files, apply genre-specific modifications to project.godot:

Platformer / Endless runner (gravity games):

• Add [physics] section: 2d/default_gravity=980.0
• Add [input] section with move + jump actions

Top-down:

• No [physics] section
• Add [input] section with 4-directional movement

For input action serialization format, read references/project_settings.md — it has the exact Object() syntax and key code table.

Step 5 — Post-Scaffold Steps

After all files are written, tell the user what to do next:

1. Deploy GodotMaker skills to the new project:

   bash <godotmaker_repo>/shell/publish.sh {{game_name}}/
   

   This copies skills to .claude/skills/, creates godotmaker.yaml (prompts for Godot executable path on first run), and creates .godotmaker/config.yaml with default project settings.

2. Install addons — pick the row matching your Godot version from the active runtime's config/addon_versions.json (the source of truth for repo, tag, and install path), then install addon-only directories:

   • gecs -> addons/gecs/
   • gdUnit4 -> addons/gdUnit4/
   • godot_e2e -> addons/godot_e2e/

   tools/check_project.py --e2e and the gm-* skills expect those exact paths (note gdUnit4/ is capital U — matches the upstream repo layout). See references/addons.md for the step-by-step installation contract.

3. Register godot-mcp for runtime debugging:

   claude mcp add godot -e GODOT_PATH="<godot_path>" -- npx @coding-solo/godot-mcp
   

4. Verify with headless-build: godot --headless --quit 2>&1

Report

After scaffold completes, output:

• Project path (absolute)
• File tree listing
• Checklist of pending post-scaffold steps

What This Skill Does NOT Do

• Does not implement game logic — only creates the starting structure
• Does not install addons — provides instructions in references/addons.md
• Does not run game-planner — expects a plan or minimal user input already
• Does not deploy skills — that is publish.sh's job