Effects & Audio
Shader Effects (prefer these over simple modulate)
Hit Flash Shader
gdscript
# Load shaders/hit_flash.gdshader — see godot-assets skill for shader code
func flash_hit(node: CanvasItem, color: Color = Color.WHITE, duration: float = 0.12):
if node.material is ShaderMaterial and node.material.shader:
node.material.set_shader_parameter("flash_amount", 1.0)
node.material.set_shader_parameter("flash_color", color)
var tw = create_tween()
tw.tween_method(func(v): node.material.set_shader_parameter("flash_amount", v), 1.0, 0.0, duration)
else:
# Fallback
node.modulate = color * 3
var tw = node.create_tween()
tw.tween_property(node, "modulate", Color.WHITE, duration)
Dissolve Effect
gdscript
func dissolve(node: CanvasItem, color: Color = Color(1, 0.3, 0), duration: float = 0.5):
if ResourceLoader.exists("res://shaders/dissolve.gdshader"):
var mat = ShaderMaterial.new()
mat.shader = load("res://shaders/dissolve.gdshader")
mat.set_shader_parameter("edge_color", color)
node.material = mat
var tw = create_tween()
tw.tween_method(func(v): mat.set_shader_parameter("dissolve_amount", v), 0.0, 1.0, duration)
tw.tween_callback(node.queue_free)
else:
fade_out_and_free(node, duration)
Glow Outline
gdscript
func apply_glow(node: CanvasItem, color: Color, width: float = 2.0):
if ResourceLoader.exists("res://shaders/glow_outline.gdshader"):
var mat = ShaderMaterial.new()
mat.shader = load("res://shaders/glow_outline.gdshader")
mat.set_shader_parameter("outline_color", color)
mat.set_shader_parameter("outline_width", width)
node.material = mat
Screen Shake
gdscript
# Add to Camera2D
func shake(intensity: float = 5.0, duration: float = 0.2):
var tw = create_tween()
var steps = int(duration / 0.04)
for i in range(steps):
tw.tween_property(self, "offset",
Vector2(randf_range(-1, 1), randf_range(-1, 1)) * intensity, 0.04)
tw.tween_property(self, "offset", Vector2.ZERO, 0.04)
Scale Punch (on collect/score)
gdscript
func punch_scale(node: Node2D, amount: float = 1.3):
var tw = node.create_tween()
tw.tween_property(node, "scale", Vector2.ONE * amount, 0.1)
tw.tween_property(node, "scale", Vector2.ONE, 0.15).set_ease(Tween.EASE_OUT).set_trans(Tween.TRANS_ELASTIC)
Fade In/Out
gdscript
func fade_in(node: Node2D, duration: float = 0.3):
node.modulate.a = 0.0
var tw = node.create_tween()
tw.tween_property(node, "modulate:a", 1.0, duration)
func fade_out_and_free(node: Node2D, duration: float = 0.3):
var tw = node.create_tween()
tw.tween_property(node, "modulate:a", 0.0, duration)
tw.tween_callback(node.queue_free)
Death Explosion Particles
gdscript
func spawn_explosion(pos: Vector2, color: Color = Color.RED, amount: int = 20):
var particles = GPUParticles2D.new()
particles.position = pos
particles.emitting = true
particles.one_shot = true
particles.amount = amount
particles.lifetime = 0.6
var mat = ParticleProcessMaterial.new()
mat.direction = Vector3(0, 0, 0)
mat.spread = 180.0
mat.initial_velocity_min = 80.0
mat.initial_velocity_max = 250.0
mat.gravity = Vector3(0, 200, 0)
mat.damping_min = 2.0
mat.damping_max = 4.0
mat.scale_min = 2.0
mat.scale_max = 6.0
mat.color = color
particles.process_material = mat
get_tree().current_scene.add_child(particles)
get_tree().create_timer(1.5).timeout.connect(particles.queue_free)
Trail Effect (with gradient)
gdscript
func _build_trail(color: Color = Color(1, 1, 0.5, 0.5)) -> Line2D:
var trail = Line2D.new()
trail.name = "Trail"
trail.width = 3.0
trail.top_level = true
trail.z_index = -1
# Gradient: fading behind
var grad = Gradient.new()
grad.set_color(0, Color(color.r, color.g, color.b, 0.0))
grad.set_color(1, Color(color.r, color.g, color.b, 0.6))
trail.gradient = grad
add_child(trail)
return trail
# In _process:
func _update_trail(max_points: int = 15):
if has_node("Trail"):
var trail: Line2D = $Trail
trail.add_point(global_position)
if trail.get_point_count() > max_points:
trail.remove_point(0)
Slow Motion
gdscript
func hitstop(duration: float = 0.05):
Engine.time_scale = 0.1
await get_tree().create_timer(duration * 0.1).timeout # Real time
Engine.time_scale = 1.0
Muzzle Flash
gdscript
func muzzle_flash(pos: Vector2, dir: Vector2, color: Color = Color(1, 0.9, 0.5)):
var flash = Node2D.new()
flash.global_position = pos
flash.rotation = dir.angle()
get_tree().current_scene.add_child(flash)
var light = PointLight2D.new()
light.energy = 2.0
light.color = color
light.texture_scale = 0.3
flash.add_child(light)
var tw = flash.create_tween()
tw.tween_property(light, "energy", 0.0, 0.06)
tw.tween_callback(flash.queue_free)
Ambient Particles (background atmosphere)
gdscript
func create_ambient_particles(parent: Node, area: Vector2 = Vector2(600, 400)) -> GPUParticles2D:
var ambient = GPUParticles2D.new()
ambient.z_index = -98
ambient.amount = 30
ambient.lifetime = 6.0
var mat = ParticleProcessMaterial.new()
mat.emission_shape = ParticleProcessMaterial.EMISSION_SHAPE_BOX
mat.emission_box_extents = Vector3(area.x, area.y, 0)
mat.initial_velocity_min = 5.0
mat.initial_velocity_max = 15.0
mat.direction = Vector3(0, -1, 0)
mat.spread = 30.0
mat.scale_min = 1.0
mat.scale_max = 3.0
mat.color = Color(1, 1, 1, 0.04)
ambient.process_material = mat
parent.add_child(ambient)
return ambient
Audio Manager Pattern
gdscript
# audio_manager.gd — Autoload singleton
extends Node
var _music_player: AudioStreamPlayer
var _sfx_players: Array[AudioStreamPlayer] = []
const MAX_SFX := 8
func _ready():
_music_player = AudioStreamPlayer.new()
_music_player.bus = "Music"
add_child(_music_player)
for i in range(MAX_SFX):
var p = AudioStreamPlayer.new()
p.bus = "SFX"
add_child(p)
_sfx_players.append(p)
func play_music(path: String, volume_db: float = 0.0):
if ResourceLoader.exists(path):
_music_player.stream = load(path)
_music_player.volume_db = volume_db
_music_player.play()
func stop_music(fade_time: float = 1.0):
var tw = create_tween()
tw.tween_property(_music_player, "volume_db", -40.0, fade_time)
tw.tween_callback(_music_player.stop)
func play_sfx(path: String, volume_db: float = 0.0, pitch: float = 1.0):
if not ResourceLoader.exists(path):
return
for p in _sfx_players:
if not p.playing:
p.stream = load(path)
p.volume_db = volume_db
p.pitch_scale = pitch
p.play()
return
Sound Effect Triggers
gdscript
# Common SFX events — call AudioManager.play_sfx()
# Shoot: AudioManager.play_sfx("res://assets/audio/shoot.wav", -5, randf_range(0.9, 1.1))
# Hit: AudioManager.play_sfx("res://assets/audio/hit.wav")
# Explode: AudioManager.play_sfx("res://assets/audio/explode.wav", 0, randf_range(0.8, 1.0))
# Pickup: AudioManager.play_sfx("res://assets/audio/pickup.wav", -3, 1.2)
# Jump: AudioManager.play_sfx("res://assets/audio/jump.wav", -5)
# UI Click: AudioManager.play_sfx("res://assets/audio/click.wav", -8)
Color Palette (Game Prototyping)
gdscript
# Consistent colors for prototyping — use as defaults
const COLORS = {
"player": Color(0.2, 0.6, 1.0), # Blue
"enemy": Color(0.9, 0.15, 0.15), # Red
"enemy_patrol": Color(0.85, 0.5, 0.1), # Orange
"enemy_ranged": Color(0.8, 0.2, 0.6), # Magenta
"boss": Color(0.8, 0.1, 0.7), # Purple
"bullet": Color(1.0, 1.0, 0.2), # Yellow
"enemy_bullet": Color(1.0, 0.4, 0.0), # Orange
"pickup_health": Color(0.2, 0.9, 0.2), # Green
"pickup_score": Color(1.0, 0.8, 0.0), # Gold
"wall": Color(0.3, 0.3, 0.35), # Gray
"background": Color(0.04, 0.02, 0.1), # Deep dark
}