Changelog: new content in the course

This document lists new content, changes, and fixes in each release.

Godot 2D Secrets 1.2.0

Released on 14/09/2021

This major update brings a massive FTL-like tactical space game tutorial series with 22 new lessons.

Other fixes in the simulation game series:

• Make power_direction a public var in 07.placing-items-and-fixing-their-look and 11.battery-entity.
• Fix wrong path to EntityPlacer.gd in 07.placing-items-and-fixing-their-look.
• Fix custom project setting instructions due to a change in Godot 3.3.3 in 07.placing-items-and-fixing-their-look.

Godot 2D Secrets 1.1.0

Released on 20/08/2021

This major update brings the Tower Defense tutorial series with 27 new lessons.

As usual, the update’s free for anyone who owns 2D Secrets.

Simulation game series:

• Fix code bug in 10.chest-entity where get_inventory() would crash the game when consuming fuel.
• Fix code bug in 10.putting-items-in-inventory that only picked up some of the items when a panel was almost full.
• Fix code bug in 02.the-information-tooltip-part-1 where holding an item did not clear the tooltip when leaving a panel.
• Fix code bug in 11.inventory-slots-for-specific-items where swapping items allowed any item to be put in a filtered inventory panel.

Mini-tuts series:

• Fix the wrong image being used in 02.limiting-vision-with-lights.

Godot 2D Secrets 1.0.7

Released on 03/06/2021

Simulation game series:

• Fix typo in 06.creating-items-with-crafting-recipes.
• Fix code bug where rand_range() was used for region indices, leading to sprites not being used. In:
  • 11.rocks-sticks-and-debug.
  • 07.requiring-tools-to-mine.
  • 08.trees-ore-and-mining-feedback.
• Rename GUI._is_open property to is_open.
• Remove unused _get_pickup_count() function, update images in 08.trees-ore-and-mining-feedback.
• Remove outdated sentence in 09.dropping-and-picking-up.

Godot 2D Secrets 1.0.6

Released on 31/05/2021

Simulation game series:

• Fix node hierarchy in a screenshot in 03.initial-setup.
• Fix a typo in 11.battery-entity.

Godot 2D Secrets 1.0.5

Released on 29/05/2021

Simulation game series:

• Make instruction to use a script explicit in 11.battery-entity.
• Fix typo in 06.creating-items-with-crafting-recipes.

Godot 2D Secrets 1.0.4

Released on 24/05/2021

Simulation series (all 3 chapters):

• All classes and scenes now have an explicit path with their directory, to know where to save and find them.

Simulation crafting series:

• Fix typos in 03.the-information-tooltip-part-2.
• Fix two typos in 04.designing-the-crafting-gui.

Godot 2D Secrets 1.0.3

Released on 21/04/2021

This update brings a bunch of fixes and minor improvements.

JRPG core series:

• Add two missing setter functions in a code listing in 20.status-effects.
• Write about inherited scenes and sharing nodes in battler scenes in 21.applying-status-effects.

JRPG UI series:

• Remove duplicated instruction to delete a node in 02.the-action-menu.
• Add instruction to assign a scene using the inspector in 03.selecting-a-target.
• Add gif animation for the selected animation in 08.battler-and-hud-selection.

Simulation game:

• Rename an outdated variable in 10.power-paths-and-updates.

Design pattern series:

• Fixed typo in 01.finite-state-machine.

Godot 2D Secrets 1.0.2

Released on 08/04/2021

JRPG UI series:

• Fixed a typo in 01.actions-button.

Tactical RPG movement:

• Fixed a typo in 03.player-cursor.

Godot 2D Secrets 1.0.1

Released on 01/04/2021

Rhythm game series:

• Fixed a typo in 09.animated-scoring-sprites.

JRPG combat series:

• Added missing two lines of code in the code reference in 07.active-turn-queue.

Godot 2D Secrets 1.0.0

Released on 31/03/2021

This new release brings the rhythm game series, with 20 new lessons, for a total of about 140!

Simulation game:

• Fixed the code reference in 09.dropping-and-picking-up that showed both the old “drop” action and the new one.
• Added missing multiplication by time modifier in the deconstruct timer in 08.trees-ore-and-mining-feedback.
• Removed typo in a comment in 10.putting-items-in-inventory.

Tactical RPG movement:

• Fixed a typo in a comment in 06.game-board-and-flood-fill.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.11.1

Released on 17/03/2021

Simulation game:

• Fixed a code bug in 06.creating-items-with-crafting-recipes where it consumed an item from every inventory slot that had the ingredient it needed instead of stopping once finished.
• Fix duplicate text in 06.creating-items-with-crafting-recipes.

JRPG series:

• Use an enum as an export type hint in 12.01.implementing-formulas and update corresponding explanation.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.11.0

Released on 12/03/2021

Design pattern series:

• New lesson: the Strategy pattern

Simulation game series:

• Fixed a code bug in 09.power-system that could cause power sources to draw more power than they can produce and power receivers to receive negative power.

JRPG series:

• Add explanations about yield and the completed built-in signal in 14.taking-and-inflicting-damage.
• Add a note to play the project’s main scene to test changes in 14.taking-and-inflicting-damage.
• Complete a code comment in 14.taking-and-inflicting-damage.
• Add a step when creating new battlers in 15.adding-base-animations.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.10.0

Released on 08/03/2021

This major content update brings the third and last chapter in the Simulation game series!

Through its 18 lessons, you’ll learn about crafting, creating and using tools, mining, machine automation, and UI polish.

Simulation game series:

• Added the third chapter with 18 new lessons.
• Fixed a code bug typo in 05.item-stacks-and-mouse-drag-preview and 06.the-inventory-panel that still showed a label even when the item had only 1 item.
• Fix comment typos in 06.the-inventory-panel so that the comments match what the code is doing.
• Fix a code bug in 10.power-paths-and-updates that added a power receiver to power paths multiple times if it had wires on multiple sides.
• Fix a code bug that causes crashes due to a change in Godot 3.2.4 in 06.the-inventory-panel by replacing null checks with is_instance_valid().

Design pattern series:

• New lesson: the Adapter pattern.

JRPG core series:

• Simplified two ternary expressions that could use boolean expressions instead.

Tactical RPG series:

• Simplified a ternary expression that could use a boolean expression instead.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.9.0

Released on 01/03/2021

This is a small content update to address two of your requests regarding the visual novel series (more to come), and to fix some typos and other issues.

Visual novel series:

• New lesson: 10.refining-animations.
• New lesson: 11.the-skip-button.
• Remove condition from a code listing in 04.displaying-characters.
• Fix two typos in 09.sequencing-scenes.
• Fix visual artifacts with character animation happening when pressing Enter fast and repeatedly in 04.displaying-characters.

Simulation game series:

• Update the code to use the power direction on power movers in 10.power-paths-and-updates.
• Updated the start-project-2 to fix a bug causing batteries not to charge.
• Fix a typo in code comment for Library.gd that refers to a dictionary instead of a directory.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.8.0

Released on 19/02/2021

New visual novel tutorial series!

This series covers all the foundations of a visual novel engine or dialogue system. It teaches the foundations and techniques you can apply to any game.

Simulation game series:

• Fixed a typo in a script name in the code reference at the end of 05.entity-tracker-events.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.7.1

Released on 10/02/2021

JRPG combat series:

• Fix incorrect function name and move function from Hit class to AttackAction in 13.attack-actions.

Tactical RPG movement:

• Fixed the Grid.clamp() function that would allow coordinates one unit too high.
• Fixed a typo in the final code example in 06.game-board-and-flood-fill.

Design patterns:

• Fixed typos in 01.finite-state-machine.
• Updated code in 01.finite-state-machine and added and tested player movement code demo without states.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.7.0

Released on 31/01/2021

New Simulation game UI and inventory series!

In it, you’ll achieve the following:

1. Creating a complete inventory system as seen in Minecraft and Factorio. You can select items, stack them, swap them, split stacks, and place them in the game world.
2. Coding a quick item bar to select items with the mouse or keyboard shortcuts. The quick-bar automatically jumps to the inventory window to reduce the distance to assign items to shortcuts when opening it.
3. Dropping items on the floor and looting them, which places them in the most appropriate item stack or a new slot.

There’s one more chapter coming in the simulation game series dedicated to crafting and rounding out the demo.

JRPG UI series:

• Added an assignment and its solution: 08.CHALLENGE-the-battler-hud.

Tactical RPG movement:

• Added an assignment and its solution: 08.CHALLENGE-moving-to-units.md.

Simulation game series:

• Fixed a typo in file name in 04.engine-entity.

Design patterns:

• Rewrote 01.finite-state-machine, adding more details and improved code.
• Fixed mixed tabs and spaces in code indents in 01.finite-state-machine

Godot 2D Secrets 0.6.0

Released on 14/01/2021

This little content update brings one new design pattern guide, as well as a bunch of fixes and improvements.

Design patterns chapter:

• New guide about the Entity-Component-System (ECS) pattern.

JRPG core series:

• Added missing expire() function definition in 20.status-effects.

JRPG UI series:

• Added instructions to position the UIActionMenu in 02.the-action-menu.
• Fixed typo in 04.turn-bar.
• Changed ProgressBar into TextureProgress in 05.life-bar.
• Fixed call to initialize() instead of setup() in 07.the-battler-hud.
• Fixed typos in 10.damage-and-miss-labels.
• Swapped order of the last two lessons on the website.

TRPG movement series:

• Fix 3 pictures showing as filenames instead of pictures in 01.grid.
• Add missing variable definition and idle animation in 02.the-unit.
• Add missing condition and timer property change in 03.player-cursor.

Simulation game series:

• Fixed typo in class name.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.5.1

Released on 06/01/2021

Simulation game:

• Fixed instruction saying to create a Node2D instead of a BlueprintEntity in lesson 04.engine-entity.

JRPG series:

• Clarified instruction about instantiating battlers in 07.active-turn-queue.
• Added missing signal definitions and updated code reference in 14.taking-and-inflicting-damage.
• Added section about creating unique battler scenes in 15.adding-base-animations.
• Added missing call to emit_signal() in the code reference in lesson 17.queueing-player-turns.
• Renamed BattlerAI._is_health_*()’s rate argument to ratio in 18.ai-controlled-battlers.

Tactical RPG movement:

• Fixed typo in 02.the-unit.
• Fixed misplaced text inside a code block in 02.the-unit.
• Added missing instructions about the selected animation in 02.the-unit.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.5.0

Released on 30/12/2020

New Simulation game series inspired by Factorio.

The first chapter and its 12 lessons cover:

• Basics of working with isometric graphics in Godot.
• Entity Component System (ECS) design pattern.
• Grid-based object placement and recollection.
• Power (electricity) management system and powering machines connected to an engine with wires.

And some more. It’ll get more content in a future release.

New Design patterns in Godot chapter. Its first release comes with two guides:

1. Introduction to design patterns.
2. The State pattern (Finite State Machines).

We have more planned for future updates, just as with the best practices series.

New mini-tutorial by Pigdev: Visibility 2D nodes.

Other change: moved the Events bus singleton pattern page to the new Design Pattern series.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.4.0

Released on 14/12/2020

New Tactical-RPG grid-based movement series. It covers:

• Grid-based movement.
• Cursor to navigate the map and select a unit.
• Displays the unit’s walkable area.
• Displays the unit’s path preview.
• The user can validate or cancel the movement.
• Units move smoothly to the target location.

Added a best practices chapter with:

1. Recommended practices with signals.
2. A guide about the Events bus singleton.
3. Tips and guidelines to write clean code.
4. A guide about savegames and how to save data in Godot.

We’ll keep adding content to this chapter based on your requests.

JRPG combat series:

1. Added missing pictures in 04.the-demos-code-structure.

JRPG UI series:

1. Added a diagram and explanations for the code structure in 00.intro.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.3.0

Released on 05/12/2020

This release improves the JRPG series based on the feedback we got from you, and improves the introduction too.

1. Added the open-source projects’ license terms in the introduction and link to all projects on our GitHub.
2. Rewrote the early-access page and added contact information, so you have it handy.
3. Added credits with the list of backers.
4. Added feedback form to the course.

JRPG series:

1. Added explanations about when or why to use a resource and write a nicer introduction in 08.base-stats
2. Added code to play the die animation when an enemy dies in lesson 16.coding-the-BattlerAnim.
3. Added a code diagram in the introduction and explanations about composition over inheritance and code planning.
4. Wrote a breakdown of how the game demo plays and clarified the lesson about prototyping.
5. Reordered the first few lessons.

JRPG UI series:

1. Added instructions about creating the BattlerUIData resource that stores a battler’s display name and icon.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.2.1

Released on 01/12/2020

New features:

1. Added an index.html file to the downloadable version of the course.

Fixes and improvements in the JRPG series:

1. Improved explanations in lesson 06.the-battler, added more details and a simplified UML graph. Rewrote an unclear sentence.
2. Added code to deactivate a battler when their health depletes and two extra notes about using signals and code duplication. That’s in lesson 08.base-stats.
3. Added missing method Battler.get_ai() in lesson 19.ai-choices.
4. Renamed a signal callback in the JRPG UI series, in lesson 09.combat-result-panel.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.2.0: Early Access release 2

Released on 30/11/2020

This update adds the JRPG combat user interface series:

• Building a menu from a character’s combat actions.
• Selecting targets.
• Designing a user interface displaying each character’s life and energy and showing which character is active.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.1.2

Released on 30/10/2020

This update brings two fixes to the JRPG combat series:

1. Fix incorrect comparisons in _is_health_below() and _is_health_above() in lesson 18.ai-controlled-battlers.md.
2. Fix using get_tree() as a placeholder in AttackAction.gd instead of Engine.get_main_loop().

Godot 2D Secrets 0.1.1

Released on 18/10/2020

• Address an issue in the turn queue lesson with yield() calls causing linting errors.
• Added instructions to download the offline and DRM-free version of the course on Mavenseed.

Godot 2D Secrets 0.1.0: Early Access release 1

Released on 17/10/2020

This first release brings the JRPG combat core series, which covers the following topics:

• Managing an active time battle with time slowing down on the player’s turn.
• Coding combat actions using the Command programming pattern.
• Implementing turn-based AI.
• Sequencing battler attacks with simple animations.
• Winning and defeat conditions.
• A stat system with base and final stats, showing support for buffs and debuffs.
• Status effects, applying buffs, or dealing damage periodically.

You will also find five mini-tutorials:

1. Lighting with normal maps
2. Limiting vision with lights
3. Character customization
4. Game settings menu
5. Camera zoom

These tutorials are short and self-contained. You can follow them in any order.