Node Essentials Godot 3 Edition The Gamedev's Almanac

Uncover the secrets of Godot's nodes!
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    Templates for 100+ game mechanics
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    60 day "no questions asked" refund policy
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    Lifetime access
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Released On
Jun 1, 2021
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Godot version
Godot 3
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Duration
Self-paced
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Language
English
graduation cap
Prerequisites
Programming skills

What you can expect from this course:

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Teaches 40+ nodes and 100+ mechanics
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Designed for experienced developers
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Uses Godot 3 and GDScript
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Examples are bite-sized and to the point
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Backed by convenient search
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Covers it all: 3D, 2D, UI...
We're all here to make games, and Godot is an excellent engine for that.
It's packed with so many time-saving features to code game mechanics that feel great.
However, to enjoy them, you need to learn and master its many nodes.
Nodes are central to Godot, but there is an overwhelming amount of them, with literally thousands of functions, many of which you won't need.
Which are the most important nodes? How do I use them in practice to create game mechanics that feel great?
To answer these questions, you have to spend weeks enduring dozens of hours of tutorials.
Even then, you only get to scratch the surface and you're left on your own.
You may slowly collect gold nuggets here and there, but it'll take you years to get all the power of Godot's node system.
Or you could use Godot node essentials and save dozens of hours.

A carefully crafted cookbook

Node Essentials is a deep cookbook you can come back to again and again as you build your games.
Unlike your good old code reference, it focuses entirely on real game mechanics and how to use the nodes in practice.
You'll learn things like using the AnimationPlayer node to sequence a monster's attack patterns, saving you many lines of code.
Or how to make objects interact, like having a character push rocks with KinematicBody2D and RigidBody2D.
Or how to use an Area2D node to attract collectibles to the player.
And so much more.
You'll also find all the most common uses, which you'll use in almost every project:
  • How to create hit and hurt boxes with areas.
  • Creating smooth top-down movement with kinematic bodies and steering.
  • Using a procedural noise generator for a beautiful camera shake.
  • Giving your AIs a line of sight with raycasts.
2D, UI, 3D, Godot Node Essentials covers everything.
The cookbook comes with over 100 demos to play straight in Godot with a convenient in-game navigation.

Load years of experience from the most dedicated Godot tutors

Node essentials is a fast-track created by experienced Godot developers to make the most of Godot's nodes.
It is dense with valuable practical applications, shortcuts to learning Godot, and kernels of truth to create your games.

The perfect resource for developers

We designed node essentials to be as convenient as possible for you, as a Godot developer:
  • Text-based guides for fast search and easy code copy-paste.
  • All guides follow the same optimized format: scan them quickly and jump straight to what you're most interested in.
  • Complete Godot demos with fast navigation to see the examples in action.
  • The code is MIT-licensed so you can reuse it in all your projects, even commercial ones.
We put hundreds of hours into it so you don't have to.

Node Essentials grows with you

We all know how quickly software evolves, and Godot is no exception.
Nodes, which are Godot's building blocks, have and will continue to evolve with the engine.
With over 100 nodes to cover, Node Essentials has the potential to teach you more than any other course.
We'll keep it up to date and cover a ton of material over time.
If you purchased Node Essentials Godot 3 Edition before Nov. 30, 2023, your purchase with comes with a free upgrade to Node Essentials Godot 4 Edition.
All this makes buying into Node Essentials early an excellent way of staying in the game.

Pre-requisites

While Node Essentials is a learning resource that'll grow with you, it is not a resource for absolute beginners.
As a cookbook, it requires a good understanding of GDScript, Godot's programming language.
We recommend it to developers or people who already have some experience with Godot.
If you're new to Godot or development, you can get started with our free 5-hour beginner Godot course.

Get started with the free edition

You shouldn't have to buy without being sure this is the right resource for you.
That's why we are giving you 3 complete free guides and Godot demos to get you started at no cost.
Just enter your email and you'll get one every day for three days, straight in your inbox.
Get the free guides

Level up with Godot node essentials

If you're ready to take your Godot skills to the next level, you will get dozens more guides and examples in the full product.
It also comes with exclusive bonuses:
  • An interactive cheatsheet to find the nodes you need, and which one you should start with.
  • Ask your questions on any node conveniently, straight from this website
  • Complete navigation system for the Godot demos to jump to the one you want anytime.
Nathan Lovato avatar
Nathan Lovato shield
GDQuest founder and early contributor to the Godot documentation. Teaching gamedev with Godot for over 8 years. Here to help you become a game developer!

Frequently Asked Questions

Below, you'll find answers to the most common questions on Node Essentials.
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Do I need to know how to code to follow this course?
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Will you make a version of the courses for C#?
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How long can I access the courses?
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Do you offer refunds?
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Will this course teach me the basics of Godot and programming?
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What if I have more questions about a node?
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Why should I pay that price?

What people have said about our courses

I published 6 games on Steam. All of them are made with Godot and GDQuest is my day one teacher. Thank you so much. 😄

Avatar of Napas Torteeka
Napas Torteeka
Game developer
Farm Keeper on Steam

See also

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