When it comes to game development, the final step in sharing your creation with the world is mastering the art of exporting your game. One of the many strengths of Godot 4 is its dedicated export system, particularly for Windows platforms. Mastering the `EditorExportPlatformWindows` class is key to effectively deploying your game on one of the largest and most diverse gaming platforms available.
But why should you invest time into understanding this process? Exporting your game properly can mean the difference between a seamless user experience and a technical nightmare, impacting your game’s reception and success.
What is EditorExportPlatformWindows?
The `EditorExportPlatformWindows` class is part of Godot 4’s robust export system designed specifically for the Windows operating system. It inherits from `EditorExportPlatformPC`, which in turn inherits from `EditorExportPlatform`. These classes provide the necessary functionality to tailor and optimize the export process to fit the needs of a Windows environment.
What is it for?
Exporting a game is more than just moving it from the Godot engine onto a computer. It involves fine-tuning the executable to ensure compatibility, performance, and user-experience. This includes setting application metadata, handling texture formats, enabling console debug wrappers, and even managing secure remote deployment via SSH.
Why Should I Learn It?
Being proficient in using the `EditorExportPlatformWindows` class gives you the control to create a professional-grade final product. By learning how to tweak and adjust the various properties and settings available, you can ensure your game:
– Has the right metadata for a professional appearance
– Is compatible in terms of system architecture and texture formats
– Is secure with proper codesigning practices
– Can be deployed remotely for testing and distribution purposes
Understanding and utilizing this class is a vital step for any developer looking to distribute their game effectively on Windows. Let’s delve into the features and capabilities of `EditorExportPlatformWindows` and learn how to export games with finesse and precision.
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Setting up Export Presets
Before diving directly into code, it’s essential to understand how to set up export presets in Godot. Export presets are configurations that control how your game is exported. Each preset is tailored to a specific platform, and Godot 4 provides a straightforward interface for setting these up.
Here’s a basic flow of how to create an export preset for Windows:
// In the Godot Editor, go to Project > Export... // Add an export preset for Windows Desktop
After adding a preset, you can then configure various options such as application name, icon, and permissions.
Configuring an Export Preset
Once you have your export preset, you can write code to configure it programmatically. The key player here is the `EditorExportPreset` object, which you’ll often handle when writing scripts for export automation.
Let’s adjust an export preset’s name and feature tags:
var export_preset = EditorExport.get_export_preset('Windows Desktop')
export_preset.name = "My Game - Windows Release"
export_preset.set('application/product_name', 'My Awesome Game')
export_preset.set('custom_features', 'release;steam_integration')
These snippets should be adjusted according to your project’s needs.
Exporting with Custom Scripts
Godot allows you to write custom export scripts, a powerful feature that lets you modify export behavior and processing of the game’s resources. Here’s an example that scales all textures down by 50% during export:
// Custom export script example to scale down textures
class_name TextureScaler extends EditorExportPlugin
func _export_begin(features, is_debug, path, flags):
for image_path in get_exported_files():
if image_path.ends_with('.png') or image_path.ends_with('.jpg'):
var image = Image.new()
image.load(image_path)
image.resize(image.get_width() / 2, image.get_height() / 2)
image.save_png(image_path)
This custom plugin would be added to the export pipeline in the Godot editor, and it would automatically adjust texture sizes upon export.
Handling Post-Export Scripts
Sometimes, there are actions you want to take after the game has been exported, such as code signing or sending the build to a server. Godot’s export system can run post-export scripts defined by you.
Here’s an example post-export script that signs the exported executable:
// Post-export script to sign the Windows executable
func _post_export(export_info):
var signing_command = "SignTool sign /a /f path\\to\\cert.pfx /p mypassword %s" % export_info.path
OS.execute(signing_command, [], false)
Using the code above, you can create a script that runs every time you export your game, ensuring all builds are signed.
These examples give you a taste of what’s possible with Godot export automation. In the next part, we’ll look into more advanced topics such as working with texture formats, handling export errors, and more. Stay tuned to harness the full potential of Godot’s export capabilities!As you delve deeper into exporting your game for Windows, you’ll want to explore more advanced functionalities such as customizing export templates, managing key mappings for different platforms, and automating the entire export process. Here are several examples that cover these aspects:
Customizing the Export Template
Godot allows you to customize the export template itself to include or exclude certain assets or configurations. For example, you might want to exclude debugging tools from a release build:
export_preset.set('export_filter', 'exclude_non_resources')
export_preset.set('export_filter', 'exclude_non_exported')
This ensures that files not tagged for export or non-resource files do not end up in the final exported project.
Handling Multiple Export Presets
For games that come in different versions or need localization, you may have multiple export presets. Here’s how you could switch between them programmatically:
var presets = EditorExport.get_export_presets()
for preset in presets:
if preset.name == "English Version":
EditorExport.export_project(preset, true)
elif preset.name == "Spanish Version":
EditorExport.export_project(preset, true)
This snippet goes through all available presets and exports the versions with the matching names.
Exporting Textures in the Correct Format
The `EditorExportPlatformWindows` class helps ensure textures are exported in a format that’s optimized for Windows. Below is an example of how you may specify a texture format:
if FeatureTags.has('Windows'):
export_preset.set('texture_format/s3tc', true)
This checks if the Windows feature tag is present and sets the texture to use the S3TC format for better performance on Windows devices.
Key Mappings for Different Platforms
With multi-platform development, it becomes necessary to handle various input methods. You can set up key mappings for Windows within the export preset to ensure a seamless player experience:
export_preset.set('input_map/ui_accept', {
"deadzone": 0.5,
"events": [{
"type": "Key",
"scancode": KEY_ENTER
}]
})
This configures the ‘ui_accept’ action to respond to the ENTER key in your Windows export.
Automating the Export Process
If you’re managing frequent builds, automating the export process saves time and reduces errors. Here’s a script that automatically exports your game to a specified output path:
var export_preset = EditorExport.get_export_preset('Windows Desktop')
var output_path = "C:\\Game_Builds\\My_Game.exe"
EditorExport.export_project(export_preset, true, output_path)
By scripting your export process, you can integrate it into a continuous integration pipeline for regular builds.
Setting Application Metadata
Application metadata is crucial for a professional look and feel of your game. Here’s how you can set application metadata like version information:
export_preset.set('application/company_name', 'My Game Company')
export_preset.set('application/file_version', '1.0.0')
export_preset.set('application/product_version', '1.0.0')
Metadata settings such as these inform players and systems about the details of your game, ensuring better integration with the operating system.
These code examples demonstrate the ability to deeply customize the exporting process in Godot 4 tailored to the Windows platform. Learning and utilizing these capabilities will not only save you time and effort in the long run but also contribute to a smoother and more professional final product.Exporting your game from Godot for Windows involves not only dealing with the game build itself but also with managing things like screen resolutions, handling DPI scaling, and managing version control systems. Below are some examples to help guide you through these various aspects:
Managing Screen Resolutions
Customizing the screen size and allowing for different resolutions can be specified during the export process. You can set the default resolution and whether the window is resizable:
export_preset.set('display/window/size/width', 1920)
export_preset.set('display/window/size/height', 1080)
export_preset.set('display/window/resizable', true)
This sets your game’s window size to a standard 1920×1080 and allows the player to resize the game window.
DPI scaling is particularly important for ensuring your game looks crisp across various display sizes and resolutions. Set the DPI mode to maintain the game’s visual integrity:
export_preset.set('display/window/dpi/allow_hidpi', true)
With this option enabled, Godot will support high-DPI resolutions often found on modern Windows devices.
Version Control and Exports
If you are using a version control system like Git, you can automate version numbering based on your commits. This snippet demonstrates how to increment version numbers programmatically:
var version_code = OS.execute("git rev-list HEAD --count", [], true).strip_edges()
export_preset.set('application/version/code', version_code)
export_preset.set('application/version/name', "v1.0.0 Build " + version_code)
This script uses the number of commits in your Git repository as the build number, helping keep track of the game’s progress and ensuring that each export is uniquely identifiable.
Codesigning for Windows
For distribution on Windows, it’s often necessary to code sign your executables to prevent security warnings and to establish trust with end-users. Here’s how you might include code signing as part of your export process:
// After export:
post_export_code = """
$SignTool = "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Windows Kits\\10\\bin\\x86\\signtool.exe"
&$SignTool sign /a /fd SHA256 /f "C:\\my_certificate.pfx" /p "my_password" "{export_info.out_path}"
"""
EditorExport.export_project(export_preset, true, output_path, post_export_code)
This script automatically signs your exported executable with your specified certificate and password, crucial for Windows deployments.
Remote Build Deployments
Sometimes, you may want to deploy your builds to a remote server. Through Godot’s export system, you can set up your process to push builds to a remote location after exporting:
post_export_code = """
$scp = "C:\\Program Files\\PuTTY\\pscp.exe"
&$scp -pw my_server_password {export_info.out_path} my_username@my_server:/path/to/destination/
"""
EditorExport.export_project(export_preset, true, output_path, post_export_code)
This snippet utilizes PuTTY’s `pscp` tool to securely copy the exported game to a specified server, allowing for automated distribution or testing from a central location.
Debugging and Exporting
When exporting your game, it is vital to consider different build configurations for debugging and release. Here is how you can change project settings for debugging purposes:
if is_debug:
export_preset.set('debugging/debugger/host', 'localhost')
export_preset.set('debugging/debugger/port', 6007)
This configures your debug export to connect to a debugger listening on `localhost` with port `6007`, facilitating game testing and debugging.
By mastering these features and writing scripts that address these various needs, you are equipping yourself with the knowledge to make your game’s transition from a Godot project to a widely distributable Windows application as smooth as possible. This kind of technical polish can greatly enhance the professionalism of your game and improve the user experience for your players.
Continuing Your Game Development Journey
The world of game development is ever-expanding, and your learning journey shouldn’t stop here. We’re thrilled that you’ve taken the time to learn about exporting for Windows with Godot 4. To keep building on your skills and knowledge, we invite you to explore our Godot Game Development Mini-Degree. This comprehensive program covers a wide range of topics to take you from beginner to producing fully-functional games. Whether you’re keen on honing your scripting skills or diving into creating engaging gameplay mechanics, our Mini-Degree has got you covered.
If you’re looking for a more diverse range of topics or want to delve into specific aspects of Godot, our collection of Godot courses is the perfect next step. Covering 2D, 3D, and everything in between, our courses are designed to suit both novices and seasoned developers looking to upgrade their capabilities.
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Conclusion
Congratulations on taking an important step towards mastering game exports with Godot 4 for the Windows platform. By understanding how to leverage the `EditorExportPlatformWindows` class, you’re now better equipped to bring your creative visions to one of the largest gaming communities out there. Remember, this journey is about continuous learning and improvement; each game you create and each problem you solve makes you a more proficient and confident developer.
Stay curious, keep exploring, and always seek new heights in your game development path. For your next step, consider expanding your skills with our Godot Game Development Mini-Degree. It’s tailored to guide you through every stage of game creation. Together, let’s turn your passion for game development into your greatest strength. Happy coding, and may your games captivate the imagination of players around the world!
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