Claude-Code-Game-Studios Documentation

File: README.md Copy Chapter

Why This Exists Copy Chapter

Building a game solo with AI is powerful — but a single chat session has no structure. No one stops you from hardcoding magic numbers, skipping design docs, or writing spaghetti code. There's no QA pass, no design review, no one asking "does this actually fit the game's vision?"

Claude Code Game Studios solves this by giving your AI session the structure of a real studio. Instead of one general-purpose assistant, you get 49 specialized agents organized into a studio hierarchy — directors who guard the vision, department leads who own their domains, and specialists who do the hands-on work. Each agent has defined responsibilities, escalation paths, and quality gates.

The result: you still make every decision, but now you have a team that asks the right questions, catches mistakes early, and keeps your project organized from first brainstorm to launch.

Table of Contents Copy Chapter

• What's Included
• Studio Hierarchy
• Slash Commands
• Getting Started
• Upgrading
• Project Structure
• How It Works
• Design Philosophy
• Customization
• Platform Support
• Community
• Supporting This Project
• License

What's Included Copy Chapter

Studio Hierarchy Copy Chapter

Agents are organized into three tiers, matching how real studios operate:

Tier 1 — Directors (Opus)
  creative-director    technical-director    producer

Tier 2 — Department Leads (Sonnet)
  game-designer        lead-programmer       art-director
  audio-director       narrative-director    qa-lead
  release-manager      localization-lead

Tier 3 — Specialists (Sonnet/Haiku)
  gameplay-programmer  engine-programmer     ai-programmer
  network-programmer   tools-programmer      ui-programmer
  systems-designer     level-designer        economy-designer
  technical-artist     sound-designer        writer
  world-builder        ux-designer           prototyper
  performance-analyst  devops-engineer       analytics-engineer
  security-engineer    qa-tester             accessibility-specialist
  live-ops-designer    community-manager

Engine Specialists Copy Section

The template includes agent sets for all three major engines. Use the set that matches your project:

Slash Commands Copy Chapter

Type / in Claude Code to access all 73 skills:

Onboarding & Navigation
/start /help /project-stage-detect /setup-engine /adopt

Game Design
/brainstorm /map-systems /design-system /quick-design /review-all-gdds /propagate-design-change

Art & Assets
/art-bible /asset-spec /asset-audit

UX & Interface Design
/ux-design /ux-review

Architecture
/create-architecture /architecture-decision /architecture-review /create-control-manifest

Stories & Sprints
/create-epics /create-stories /dev-story /sprint-plan /sprint-status /story-readiness /story-done /estimate

Reviews & Analysis
/design-review /code-review /balance-check /content-audit /scope-check /perf-profile /tech-debt /gate-check /consistency-check /security-audit

QA & Testing
/qa-plan /smoke-check /soak-test /regression-suite /test-setup /test-helpers /test-evidence-review /test-flakiness /skill-test /skill-improve

Production
/milestone-review /retrospective /bug-report /bug-triage /reverse-document /playtest-report

Release
/release-checklist /launch-checklist /changelog /patch-notes /hotfix /day-one-patch

Creative & Content
/prototype /onboard /localize

Team Orchestration (coordinate multiple agents on a single feature)
/team-combat /team-narrative /team-ui /team-release /team-polish /team-audio /team-level /team-live-ops /team-qa

Getting Started Copy Chapter

Prerequisites Copy Section

• Git
• Claude Code (npm install @anthropic-ai/claude-code)
• Recommended: jq (for hook validation) and Python 3 (for JSON validation)

All hooks fail gracefully if optional tools are missing — nothing breaks, you just lose validation.

Setup Copy Section

1. Clone or use as template:

   bash Copy

   git clone https://github.com/Donchitos/Claude-Code-Game-Studios.git my-game
   cd my-game

2. Open Claude Code and start a session:

   bash Copy

   claude

3. Run /start — the system asks where you are (no idea, vague concept,
   clear design, existing work) and guides you to the right workflow. No assumptions.

   Or jump directly to a specific skill if you already know what you need:

   • /brainstorm — explore game ideas from scratch
   • /setup-engine godot 4.6 — configure your engine if you already know
   • /project-stage-detect — analyze an existing project

Upgrading Copy Chapter

Already using an older version of this template? See UPGRADING.md
for step-by-step migration instructions, a breakdown of what changed between
versions, and which files are safe to overwrite vs. which need a manual merge.

Project Structure Copy Chapter

CLAUDE.md                           # Master configuration
.claude/
  settings.json                     # Hooks, permissions, safety rules
  agents/                           # 49 agent definitions (markdown + YAML frontmatter)
  skills/                           # 73 slash commands (subdirectory per skill)
  hooks/                            # 12 hook scripts (bash, cross-platform)
  rules/                            # 11 path-scoped coding standards
  statusline.sh                     # Status line script (context%, model, stage, epic breadcrumb)
  docs/
    workflow-catalog.yaml           # 7-phase pipeline definition (read by /help)
    templates/                      # 41 document templates
src/                                # Game source code
assets/                             # Art, audio, VFX, shaders, data files
design/                             # GDDs, narrative docs, level designs
docs/                               # Technical documentation and ADRs
tests/                              # Test suites (unit, integration, performance, playtest)
tools/                              # Build and pipeline tools
prototypes/                         # Throwaway prototypes (isolated from src/)
production/                         # Sprint plans, milestones, release tracking

How It Works Copy Chapter

Agent Coordination Copy Section

Agents follow a structured delegation model:

1. Vertical delegation — directors delegate to leads, leads delegate to specialists
2. Horizontal consultation — same-tier agents can consult each other but can't make binding cross-domain decisions
3. Conflict resolution — disagreements escalate up to the shared parent (creative-director for design, technical-director for technical)
4. Change propagation — cross-department changes are coordinated by producer
5. Domain boundaries — agents don't modify files outside their domain without explicit delegation

Collaborative, Not Autonomous Copy Section

This is not an auto-pilot system. Every agent follows a strict collaboration protocol:

1. Ask — agents ask questions before proposing solutions
2. Present options — agents show 2-4 options with pros/cons
3. You decide — the user always makes the call
4. Draft — agents show work before finalizing
5. Approve — nothing gets written without your sign-off

You stay in control. The agents provide structure and expertise, not autonomy.

Automated Safety Copy Section

Hooks run automatically on every session:

Note: validate-commit.sh, validate-assets.sh, and validate-skill-change.sh fire on every Bash/Write tool call and exit immediately (exit 0) when the command or file path is not relevant. This is normal hook behavior — not a performance concern.

Permission rules in settings.json auto-allow safe operations (git status, test runs) and block dangerous ones (force push, rm -rf, reading .env files).

Path-Scoped Rules Copy Section

Coding standards are automatically enforced based on file location:

Design Philosophy Copy Chapter

This template is grounded in professional game development practices:

• MDA Framework — Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics analysis for game design
• Self-Determination Theory — Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness for player motivation
• Flow State Design — Challenge-skill balance for player engagement
• Bartle Player Types — Audience targeting and validation
• Verification-Driven Development — Tests first, then implementation

Customization Copy Chapter

This is a template, not a locked framework. Everything is meant to be customized:

• Add/remove agents — delete agent files you don't need, add new ones for your domains
• Edit agent prompts — tune agent behavior, add project-specific knowledge
• Modify skills — adjust workflows to match your team's process
• Add rules — create new path-scoped rules for your project's directory structure
• Tune hooks — adjust validation strictness, add new checks
• Pick your engine — use the Godot, Unity, or Unreal agent set (or none)
• Set review intensity — full (all director gates), lean (phase gates only), or solo (none). Set during /start or edit production/review-mode.txt. Override per-run with --review solo on any skill.

Platform Support Copy Chapter

Primary development and testing on Windows 10 with Git Bash. All hooks use POSIX-compatible patterns (grep -E, not grep -P) and include fallbacks for missing tools, so they should run on macOS and Linux. The notify.sh hook uses PowerShell for Windows toast notifications and is a no-op elsewhere — desktop notifications on macOS/Linux are not yet wired. Cross-platform testing is ongoing; please file issues for any platform-specific breakage.

Community Copy Chapter

• Discussions — GitHub Discussions for questions, ideas, and showcasing what you've built
• Issues — Bug reports and feature requests

Supporting This Project Copy Chapter

Claude Code Game Studios is free and open source. If it saves you time or helps you ship your game, consider supporting continued development:

• Buy Me a Coffee — one-time support
• GitHub Sponsors — recurring support through GitHub

Sponsorships help fund time spent maintaining skills, adding new agents, keeping up with Claude Code and engine API changes, and responding to community issues.

Built for Claude Code. Maintained and extended — contributions welcome via GitHub Discussions.

License Copy Chapter

MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

File: docs/engine-reference/godot/modules/animation.md Copy Chapter

Godot Animation — Quick Reference

Last verified: 2026-02-12 | Engine: Godot 4.6

What Changed Since ~4.3 (LLM Cutoff) Copy Chapter

4.6 Changes Copy Section

• IK system fully restored: Complete inverse kinematics for 3D skeletons
  • CCDIK, FABRIK, Jacobian IK, Spline IK, TwoBoneIK
  • Applied via SkeletonModifier3D nodes (not the old IK approach)
• Animation editor QoL: Solo/hide/lock/delete for Bezier node groups; draggable timeline

4.5 Changes Copy Section

• BoneConstraint3D: Bind bones to other bones with modifiers
  • AimModifier3D, CopyTransformModifier3D, ConvertTransformModifier3D

4.3 Changes (in training data) Copy Section

• AnimationMixer: Base class for both AnimationPlayer and AnimationTree
  • method_call_mode → callback_mode_method
  • playback_active → active
  • bone_pose_updated signal → skeleton_updated
• Skeleton3D.add_bone(): Now returns int32 (was void)

Current API Patterns Copy Chapter

AnimationPlayer (unchanged API, new base class) Copy Section

@onready var anim_player: AnimationPlayer = %AnimationPlayer

func play_attack() -> void:
    anim_player.play(&"attack")
    await anim_player.animation_finished

IK Setup (4.6 — NEW) Copy Section

# Add SkeletonModifier3D-based IK nodes as children of Skeleton3D
# Available types:
# - SkeletonModifier3D (base)
# - TwoBoneIK (arms, legs)
# - FABRIK (chains, tentacles)
# - CCDIK (tails, spines)
# - Jacobian IK (complex multi-joint)
# - Spline IK (along curves)

# Configure in editor or code:
# 1. Add IK modifier node as child of Skeleton3D
# 2. Set target bone and tip bone
# 3. Add a Marker3D as the IK target
# 4. IK solver runs automatically each frame

BoneConstraint3D (4.5 — NEW) Copy Section

# Add as child of Skeleton3D
# Types:
# - AimModifier3D: Point bone at target
# - CopyTransformModifier3D: Mirror another bone's transform
# - ConvertTransformModifier3D: Remap transform values

AnimationTree (base class changed in 4.3) Copy Section

# AnimationTree now extends AnimationMixer (not Node directly)
# Use AnimationMixer properties:
@onready var anim_tree: AnimationTree = %AnimationTree

func _ready() -> void:
    anim_tree.active = true  # NOT playback_active (deprecated 4.3)

Common Mistakes Copy Chapter

• Using playback_active instead of active (deprecated since 4.3)
• Using bone_pose_updated signal instead of skeleton_updated (renamed in 4.3)
• Using old IK approach instead of SkeletonModifier3D system (restored in 4.6)
• Not checking is AnimationMixer when type-checking animation nodes

File: docs/engine-reference/godot/modules/audio.md Copy Chapter

Godot Audio — Quick Reference

Last verified: 2026-02-12 | Engine: Godot 4.6

What Changed Since ~4.3 (LLM Cutoff) Copy Chapter

No major breaking changes to the audio API in 4.4–4.6. The core audio system
remains stable. Key updates are workflow improvements:

4.6 Changes Copy Section

• No audio-specific breaking changes in this release

4.5 Changes Copy Section

• No audio-specific breaking changes in this release

Current API Patterns Copy Chapter

Playing Audio Copy Section

@onready var sfx_player: AudioStreamPlayer = %SFXPlayer
@onready var music_player: AudioStreamPlayer = %MusicPlayer

func play_sfx(stream: AudioStream) -> void:
    sfx_player.stream = stream
    sfx_player.play()

func play_music(stream: AudioStream, fade_time: float = 1.0) -> void:
    var tween: Tween = create_tween()
    tween.tween_property(music_player, "volume_db", -80.0, fade_time)
    await tween.finished
    music_player.stream = stream
    music_player.volume_db = 0.0
    music_player.play()

3D Spatial Audio Copy Section

@onready var audio_3d: AudioStreamPlayer3D = %AudioPlayer3D

func _ready() -> void:
    audio_3d.max_distance = 50.0
    audio_3d.attenuation_model = AudioStreamPlayer3D.ATTENUATION_INVERSE_DISTANCE
    audio_3d.unit_size = 10.0

Audio Buses Copy Section

# Set bus volumes
AudioServer.set_bus_volume_db(AudioServer.get_bus_index(&"Music"), volume_db)
AudioServer.set_bus_volume_db(AudioServer.get_bus_index(&"SFX"), volume_db)

# Mute a bus
AudioServer.set_bus_mute(AudioServer.get_bus_index(&"Music"), true)

Object Pooling for SFX Copy Section

# Pre-create multiple AudioStreamPlayer nodes for concurrent sounds
var _sfx_pool: Array[AudioStreamPlayer] = []

func _ready() -> void:
    for i in range(8):
        var player := AudioStreamPlayer.new()
        player.bus = &"SFX"
        add_child(player)
        _sfx_pool.append(player)

func play_pooled(stream: AudioStream) -> void:
    for player in _sfx_pool:
        if not player.playing:
            player.stream = stream
            player.play()
            return

Common Mistakes Copy Chapter

• Creating new AudioStreamPlayer nodes at runtime instead of pooling
• Not using audio buses for volume categories (Music, SFX, UI, Voice)
• Using _process() for audio timing instead of signals (finished)

File: docs/engine-reference/godot/modules/input.md Copy Chapter

Godot Input — Quick Reference

Last verified: 2026-02-12 | Engine: Godot 4.6

What Changed Since ~4.3 (LLM Cutoff) Copy Chapter

4.6 Changes Copy Section

• Dual-focus system: Mouse/touch focus is now separate from keyboard/gamepad focus
  • Visual feedback differs by input method
  • Custom focus implementations may need updating
• Select Mode keybind changed: "Select Mode" is now v key; old mode renamed "Transform Mode" (q key)

4.5 Changes Copy Section

• SDL3 gamepad driver: Gamepad handling delegated to SDL library for better cross-platform support
• Recursive Control disable: Single property disables mouse/focus for entire node hierarchies

4.3 Changes (in training data) Copy Section

• InputEventShortcut: Dedicated event type for menu shortcuts (optional)

Current API Patterns Copy Chapter

Input Actions (unchanged) Copy Section

func _physics_process(delta: float) -> void:
    var input_dir: Vector2 = Input.get_vector(
        &"move_left", &"move_right", &"move_forward", &"move_back"
    )
    if Input.is_action_just_pressed(&"jump"):
        jump()

Input Events (unchanged) Copy Section

func _unhandled_input(event: InputEvent) -> void:
    if event is InputEventMouseButton:
        if event.button_index == MOUSE_BUTTON_LEFT and event.pressed:
            handle_click(event.position)
    elif event is InputEventKey:
        if event.keycode == KEY_ESCAPE and event.pressed:
            toggle_pause()

Focus Management (4.6 — CHANGED) Copy Section

# Mouse/touch and keyboard/gamepad focus are now SEPARATE
# Visual styles may differ depending on which input method is active
# If you have custom focus drawing, test with both input methods

# Standard approach still works:
func _ready() -> void:
    %StartButton.grab_focus()  # Keyboard/gamepad focus

# But be aware: mouse hover focus != keyboard focus in 4.6

Gamepad (4.5+ — SDL3 backend) Copy Section

# API unchanged, but SDL3 provides:
# - Better device detection across platforms
# - Improved rumble support
# - More consistent button mapping

func _input(event: InputEvent) -> void:
    if event is InputEventJoypadButton:
        if event.button_index == JOY_BUTTON_A and event.pressed:
            confirm_selection()

Common Mistakes Copy Chapter

• Not testing both mouse and keyboard focus paths (dual-focus in 4.6)
• Assuming grab_focus() affects mouse focus (it only affects keyboard/gamepad in 4.6)
• Using string literals instead of StringName (&"action") for action names in hot paths

File: docs/engine-reference/godot/modules/navigation.md Copy Chapter

Godot Navigation — Quick Reference

Last verified: 2026-02-12 | Engine: Godot 4.6

What Changed Since ~4.3 (LLM Cutoff) Copy Chapter

4.5 Changes Copy Section

• Dedicated 2D navigation server: No longer a proxy to 3D NavigationServer
  • Reduces export binary size for 2D-only games
  • API remains the same for both 2D and 3D

4.3 Changes (in training data) Copy Section

• NavigationRegion2D: Removed avoidance_layers and constrain_avoidance properties

Current API Patterns Copy Chapter

NavigationAgent3D (Preferred for Most Cases) Copy Section

@onready var nav_agent: NavigationAgent3D = %NavigationAgent3D

func _ready() -> void:
    nav_agent.path_desired_distance = 0.5
    nav_agent.target_desired_distance = 1.0
    nav_agent.velocity_computed.connect(_on_velocity_computed)

func navigate_to(target: Vector3) -> void:
    nav_agent.target_position = target

func _physics_process(delta: float) -> void:
    if nav_agent.is_navigation_finished():
        return
    var next_pos: Vector3 = nav_agent.get_next_path_position()
    var direction: Vector3 = global_position.direction_to(next_pos)
    nav_agent.velocity = direction * move_speed

func _on_velocity_computed(safe_velocity: Vector3) -> void:
    velocity = safe_velocity
    move_and_slide()

NavigationAgent2D Copy Section

@onready var nav_agent: NavigationAgent2D = %NavigationAgent2D

func navigate_to(target: Vector2) -> void:
    nav_agent.target_position = target

func _physics_process(delta: float) -> void:
    if nav_agent.is_navigation_finished():
        return
    var next_pos: Vector2 = nav_agent.get_next_path_position()
    var direction: Vector2 = global_position.direction_to(next_pos)
    velocity = direction * move_speed
    move_and_slide()

Low-Level Path Query (3D) Copy Section

# Direct server query for custom pathfinding logic
var query := NavigationPathQueryParameters3D.new()
query.map = get_world_3d().navigation_map
query.start_position = global_position
query.target_position = target_pos
query.navigation_layers = navigation_layers

var result := NavigationPathQueryResult3D.new()
NavigationServer3D.query_path(query, result)
var path: PackedVector3Array = result.path

Avoidance Copy Section

# Enable RVO2-based local avoidance
nav_agent.avoidance_enabled = true
nav_agent.radius = 0.5
nav_agent.max_speed = move_speed
nav_agent.neighbor_distance = 10.0

# Use velocity_computed signal for avoidance-safe movement
nav_agent.velocity_computed.connect(_on_velocity_computed)

# Set velocity each frame (avoidance needs this)
nav_agent.velocity = desired_velocity

Navigation Layers Copy Section

# Use layers to separate walkable areas by agent type
# Layer 1: Ground units
# Layer 2: Flying units
# Layer 3: Swimming units
nav_agent.navigation_layers = 1  # Ground only
nav_agent.navigation_layers = 1 | 2  # Ground + Flying

Common Mistakes Copy Chapter

• Calling get_next_path_position() without checking is_navigation_finished()
• Not setting velocity on the agent when avoidance is enabled (required for RVO2)
• Using NavigationRegion2D.avoidance_layers (removed in 4.3)
• Forgetting to bake navigation mesh after modifying geometry
• Not setting navigation_layers (defaults to all layers)

File: docs/engine-reference/godot/modules/networking.md Copy Chapter

Godot Networking — Quick Reference

Last verified: 2026-02-12 | Engine: Godot 4.6

What Changed Since ~4.3 (LLM Cutoff) Copy Chapter

4.6 Changes Copy Section

• Networking section in breaking changes: See the official migration guide for
  specifics at the 4.5→4.6 level

4.5 Changes Copy Section

• No major networking API breaks — core multiplayer API remains stable

Current API Patterns Copy Chapter

High-Level Multiplayer Copy Section

# Server
func host_game(port: int = 9999) -> void:
    var peer := ENetMultiplayerPeer.new()
    peer.create_server(port)
    multiplayer.multiplayer_peer = peer
    multiplayer.peer_connected.connect(_on_peer_connected)
    multiplayer.peer_disconnected.connect(_on_peer_disconnected)

# Client
func join_game(address: String, port: int = 9999) -> void:
    var peer := ENetMultiplayerPeer.new()
    peer.create_client(address, port)
    multiplayer.multiplayer_peer = peer

RPCs Copy Section

# Server-authoritative pattern
@rpc("any_peer", "call_local", "reliable")
func request_action(action_data: Dictionary) -> void:
    if not multiplayer.is_server():
        return
    # Validate on server, then broadcast
    _execute_action.rpc(action_data)

@rpc("authority", "call_local", "reliable")
func _execute_action(action_data: Dictionary) -> void:
    # All peers execute the validated action
    pass

MultiplayerSpawner and MultiplayerSynchronizer Copy Section

# Use MultiplayerSpawner for automatic node replication
# Use MultiplayerSynchronizer for property synchronization

# MultiplayerSynchronizer setup:
# 1. Add as child of the node to sync
# 2. Configure replication properties in editor
# 3. Set visibility filters for relevancy

SceneMultiplayer Configuration Copy Section

func _ready() -> void:
    var scene_mp := multiplayer as SceneMultiplayer
    scene_mp.auth_callback = _authenticate_peer
    scene_mp.server_relay = false  # Direct peer connections

func _authenticate_peer(id: int, data: PackedByteArray) -> void:
    # Custom authentication logic
    pass

Common Mistakes Copy Chapter

• Not using "any_peer" for client-to-server RPCs (defaults to authority only)
• Trusting client data without server-side validation
• Using "unreliable" for game state changes (use for position updates only)
• Not setting multiplayer authority (set_multiplayer_authority()) on spawned nodes

File: docs/engine-reference/godot/modules/physics.md Copy Chapter

Godot Physics — Quick Reference

Last verified: 2026-02-12 | Engine: Godot 4.6

What Changed Since ~4.3 (LLM Cutoff) Copy Chapter

4.6 Changes Copy Section

• Jolt Physics is the DEFAULT 3D engine for new projects
  • Existing projects keep their current physics engine setting
  • Better determinism, stability, and performance than GodotPhysics3D
  • Some HingeJoint3D properties (damp) only work with GodotPhysics3D
  • 2D physics UNCHANGED (still Godot Physics 2D)

4.5 Changes Copy Section

• 3D physics interpolation rearchitected: Moved from RenderingServer to SceneTree
  • User-facing API unchanged, but internal behavior may differ in edge cases

Physics Engine Selection (4.6) Copy Chapter

Project Settings → Physics → 3D → Physics Engine:
- Jolt Physics (DEFAULT for new projects)
- GodotPhysics3D (legacy, still available)

Jolt vs GodotPhysics3D Copy Section

Current API Patterns Copy Chapter

Basic Physics Setup (unchanged) Copy Section

# CharacterBody3D movement — API unchanged across engines
extends CharacterBody3D

@export var speed: float = 5.0
@export var jump_velocity: float = 4.5

func _physics_process(delta: float) -> void:
    if not is_on_floor():
        velocity += get_gravity() * delta

    if Input.is_action_just_pressed("jump") and is_on_floor():
        velocity.y = jump_velocity

    var input_dir: Vector2 = Input.get_vector("left", "right", "forward", "back")
    var direction: Vector3 = (transform.basis * Vector3(input_dir.x, 0, input_dir.y)).normalized()
    velocity.x = direction.x * speed
    velocity.z = direction.z * speed

    move_and_slide()

Raycasting (unchanged) Copy Section

var space_state: PhysicsDirectSpaceState3D = get_world_3d().direct_space_state
var query := PhysicsRayQueryParameters3D.create(from, to)
query.collision_mask = collision_mask
var result: Dictionary = space_state.intersect_ray(query)
if result:
    var hit_point: Vector3 = result.position
    var hit_normal: Vector3 = result.normal

Common Mistakes Copy Chapter

• Assuming GodotPhysics3D is the default (Jolt since 4.6)
• Using HingeJoint3D damp property without checking physics engine (Jolt ignores it)
• Not testing collision edge cases when switching between physics engines

File: docs/engine-reference/godot/modules/rendering.md Copy Chapter

Godot Rendering — Quick Reference

Last verified: 2026-02-12 | Engine: Godot 4.6

What Changed Since ~4.3 (LLM Cutoff) Copy Chapter

4.6 Changes Copy Section

• D3D12 is the default rendering backend on Windows (was Vulkan)
• Glow processes before tonemapping (was after) — uses screen blending mode
• AgX tonemapper: new white point and contrast controls
• SSR overhauled: better realism, visual stability, and performance

4.5 Changes Copy Section

• Shader Baker: Pre-compiles shaders to reduce startup time
• SMAA 1x: New anti-aliasing option (sharper than FXAA, cheaper than TAA)
• Stencil buffer support: Enables selective geometry masking/portal effects
• Bent normal maps: Directional occlusion encoded in normal map textures
• Specular occlusion: Ambient occlusion now correctly affects reflections

4.4 Changes Copy Section

• RenderingDevice.draw_list_begin: Many parameters removed; optional breadcrumb added
• Shader texture types: Changed from Texture2D to Texture base type
• Particles .restart(): Added optional keep_seed parameter

4.3 Changes (in training data) Copy Section

• Compositor node: Compositor + CompositorEffect for post-processing chains

Current API Patterns Copy Chapter

Post-Processing (4.3+) Copy Section

# Use Compositor node — NOT manual viewport shader chains
# Add Compositor as child of WorldEnvironment or Camera3D
# Create CompositorEffect resources for each post-process step

Anti-Aliasing Options (4.6) Copy Section

Project Settings → Rendering → Anti Aliasing:
- MSAA 2D/3D: Hardware MSAA (quality but expensive)
- Screen Space AA: FXAA (fast, blurry) or SMAA (sharp, moderate cost)  # SMAA new in 4.5
- TAA: Temporal (best quality, ghosting on fast motion)

Rendering Backend Selection (4.6) Copy Section

Project Settings → Rendering → Renderer:
- Forward+ (default): Full featured, desktop-focused
- Mobile: Optimized for mobile/low-end, limited features
- Compatibility: OpenGL 3.3 / WebGL 2, broadest hardware support

Windows default backend: D3D12 (was Vulkan pre-4.6)

Common Mistakes Copy Chapter

• Assuming Vulkan is the default backend on Windows (D3D12 since 4.6)
• Using manual viewport chains instead of Compositor for post-processing
• Using Texture2D in shader uniform types (use Texture since 4.4)
• Not using Shader Baker for projects with many shader variants

File: docs/engine-reference/godot/modules/ui.md Copy Chapter

Godot UI — Quick Reference

Last verified: 2026-02-12 | Engine: Godot 4.6

What Changed Since ~4.3 (LLM Cutoff) Copy Chapter

4.6 Changes Copy Section

• Dual-focus system: Mouse/touch focus is now SEPARATE from keyboard/gamepad focus
  • Visual feedback differs by input method
  • Custom focus implementations may need updating
• TabContainer: Tab properties editable directly in Inspector
• TileMapLayer scene tile rotation: Scene tiles can be rotated like atlas tiles

4.5 Changes Copy Section

• FoldableContainer: New accordion-style UI node for collapsible sections
• Recursive Control behavior: Disable mouse/focus for entire node hierarchies
  with a single property
• Screen reader support: Control nodes work with AccessKit
• Live translation preview: Test different locales in-editor
• RichTextLabel.push_meta: Added optional tooltip parameter (from 4.4)

4.4 Changes Copy Section

• GraphEdit.connect_node: Added optional keep_alive parameter

Current API Patterns Copy Chapter

Theme and Style (4.6) Copy Section

# Editor uses new "Modern" theme by default
# For game UI, use custom themes as before:
var theme := Theme.new()
theme.set_color(&"font_color", &"Label", Color.WHITE)
theme.set_font_size(&"font_size", &"Label", 24)

Focus Management (4.6 — CHANGED) Copy Section

# Keyboard/gamepad focus (grab_focus still works)
func _ready() -> void:
    %StartButton.grab_focus()

# IMPORTANT: In 4.6, mouse hover is separate from keyboard focus
# Both can be active simultaneously on different controls
# Test your UI with BOTH mouse and keyboard/gamepad

# Focus neighbors (unchanged)
%Button1.focus_neighbor_bottom = %Button2.get_path()
%Button1.focus_neighbor_right = %Button3.get_path()

FoldableContainer (4.5 — NEW) Copy Section

# Accordion-style collapsible container
# Add as parent of content you want to make collapsible
# Children show/hide when header is clicked
# Configure via editor properties or code

Recursive Disable (4.5 — NEW) Copy Section

# Disable all mouse/focus interactions for a hierarchy
# Useful for disabling entire menu sections
%SettingsPanel.mouse_filter = Control.MOUSE_FILTER_IGNORE
# In 4.5+, this can propagate recursively to children

Localization-Ready UI (best practice) Copy Section

# Use tr() for all visible strings
label.text = tr("MENU_START_GAME")

# Use auto-wrap for labels (text length varies by language)
label.autowrap_mode = TextServer.AUTOWRAP_WORD_SMART

# Test with live translation preview in editor (4.5+)

Common Mistakes Copy Chapter

• Assuming grab_focus() affects mouse focus (keyboard/gamepad only in 4.6)
• Not testing UI with both mouse and gamepad after upgrading to 4.6
• Hardcoding strings instead of using tr() for localization
• Not using FoldableContainer for collapsible UI (new in 4.5, cleaner than custom)

File: docs/engine-reference/godot/breaking-changes.md Copy Chapter

Godot — Breaking Changes

Last verified: 2026-02-12

Changes between Godot versions, focused on post-LLM-cutoff changes (4.4+).

4.5 → 4.6 (Jan 2026 — POST-CUTOFF, HIGH RISK) Copy Chapter

4.4 → 4.5 (Late 2025 — POST-CUTOFF, HIGH RISK) Copy Chapter

4.3 → 4.4 (Mid 2025 — NEAR CUTOFF, VERIFY) Copy Chapter

4.2 → 4.3 (In Training Data — LOW RISK) Copy Chapter