Godot 3D or Godot 2D? Which one should I choose?

[esp8266]

Hi guys! As you know, I’m new to the Godot Engine. I’m currently using Godot Engine 4.4.1.
I’m interested in both styles, but I’m not sure where to start as a beginner.
Its scripting language, GDScript, is very simple and beginner-friendly.
But I’m not sure which one to choose — 3D games or 2D. What do you guys prefer?

[hexgrid]

2D is simpler, so it’s a good place to start.

[esp8266]

Thank you so much for replying!
Yeah, makes sense! I’ve done some 3D stuff before, but 2D seems like a good way to learn Godot’s flow without overcomplicating things

[hexgrid]

If you’re familiar with 3D, Godot should be fairly simple, but 2D is just simpler while you’re learning how Godot describes things. For example, you can rotate a vector in two or three dimensions:

var v2: Vector2 = Vector2.RIGHT.rotated(PI)
var v3: Vector3 = Vector3.RIGHT.rotated(Vector3.UP, PI)

Both of those apply a 90 degree rotation to a vector, but the 3D one you also have to specify the axis of rotation. They work similarly, in the end.

2D also has less setup; you can throw sprites and tilemaps at the screen and they’ll just appear, while in 3D if you don’t get your camera and lighting set up right you’ll have a black (or clear color) screen.

You could go straight to 3D if you want, but I think while you’re learning the engine 2D is the quickest route to understanding.

[esp8266]

That clears things up! I’ve done some 3D before — made engines sweat a little — but yeah, I’ll roll with 2D for now. Less setup, more learning. Then I’ll come back and bend the 3D space-time.

[soapspangledgames]

Godot’s 2D and 3D APIs are very similar, so learning either one is a good choice. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, so go with whichever one interests you.

[dragonforge-dev]

I strongly recommend you decide for yourself. Do the 2D and 3D tutorials in the documentation. They will teach you how to use the editor, and will make the decision for you much easier.

Your first 2D game

Your first 3D game

[esp8266]

Thank you so much for replying! As you said yes, they are similar. Alright, 3D it is! I’ll either make something cool… or break the engine trying

[esp8266]

Appreciate it! I skimmed through both tutorials — 2D felt chill, but 3D gave me that “let’s build a universe” vibe. So… yeah, 3D it is

[dragonforge-dev]

I recommend you actually do the tutorials. I had over 25 years of professional programming experience when I came to Godot and I found them very helpful to get going quickly. Especially when watching YouTube videos because you want to do something new. Doing them will familiarize you with the engine and the tools. Which will also make asking questions on here easier. Also, 3D games still use 2D, generally Controls, but still understanding both will help you in a 3D game.

[esp8266]

That’s really encouraging to hear — thanks! I’ll definitely go through the official tutorials first then. Makes sense that even in 3D, understanding 2D (especially UI stuff) is still important. I’m also planning to take structured notes in Obsidian as I go, to keep track of what I learn. Appreciate the advice!