Godot: Proposal for a better "start-up screen" (aka Project Manager)

[nunodonato]

This sprouted a bit from the discussion about #8134. A better welcome screen could provide

• list of all created/imported projects
• a better "new project" screen, where we could provide options for a few basic templates (2d, 3d, GUI application, etc). This also because @reduz mentioned that in Godot 3, 3d games should have a default skybox.
• temples/asset lib (maybe a better name could be found? online content?)
• a quick-start help screen with links to the main docs, Q&A, video channels, etc
• quick access to editor settings (language, hidpi, control scheme, etc)

I did a very quick change in the layout of the project manager screen to include a few of these changes

notice that I also added a "automatically start this project on start". I found this option quite useful. When you are working on a serious project, you dont really start Godot for anything else, so its good to just jump right-in :)

Would be great to hear more options on this and get the discussion started!

[eon-s]

• About New Project tab: Oh, yes, please, I find the current "new project" tool really confusing for new and sometimes for old users (depending on the sleep deprivation). Project creation could make use of a template too.

• Access to editor settings, at least a limited selection like the other issue mentioned.

• Templates name needs to change but can't think a better name, templates sounds just a section for the downloadable projects (there could be full projects, demos, tutorials).

• The help screen, I think that the internal help is a better place for that (it could have a curated list of tutorials, something like the asset lib but just with links), because users will need help after opening a project, not before.

[nunodonato]

Regarding help, yeah I wasn't proposing a real help thing, justa "getting started with godot" or helpful links.
Imagine something like this https://godotengine.org/community

[nunodonato]

New project "presets", we could have these options

• Blank slate (what we have now)
• 2D project (editor shows in 2D, starts with no nodes or a simple scene with Node2D called 'root')
• 3D project (editor shows in 3D, starts with a World Environment with a default skybox, a camera and perhaps a testcube?)
• GUI application (do we want this?) (starts in 2D, with a Control node as root)

[eon-s]

Basic presets need to be in a way that if hit "run" shows something, but minimum.

• 2D can add a sprite with Godot icon too and maybe stretch options on viewport-keep.
• 3D, like Blender, a cube, a light and a camera and yes, the default skybox sounds good.
• GUI, could have a pair of buttons and a title label with different anchors.

I guess people will tend to use a blank project but for the first impression this is important, I think (panel layout too).

[nunodonato]

Other useful preset for 2d could be Mobile Game, with a few changed settings like default display size

[eon-s]

@nunodonato now I'm thinking on something like Krita's new file menu:
On the left, major options
-Blank
-2D
-3D

On the right, specific options:
-Screen size (even for blank)
-Stretch options (even for blank)
-2D scene (for 2D)
-GUI preset (for 2D)
-Basic 3D scene (3D)
-Basic VR preset (3D)

[CharlesWoodhill]

This also because @reduz mentioned that in Godot 3, 3d games should have a default skybox.

Dont do this! As shown in the link below the most famous engine doesnt do it! and its capabilities are enormous. u better stick to what they do:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGZiLMGdCE0

[nunodonato]

current status

[CharlesWoodhill]

maybe hide scan and import behind some some sort of "advanced" button? maybe near quick settings.
or in an advanced tab.
since scan/import not item-related, like editar and remove.
i remember it was confusing me when i first opened godot :)

[CharlesWoodhill]

if this is a wish-concert, a master/detail view would be nice, once u click an existing project on the left then on the right some project properties could be shown. like editar, larger icon or maybe a large picture or longer project description, then its nicer to browse downloaded example projects. same for templates.

[eon-s]

@nunodonato the ability to sort and filter projects by different properties will be nice.

[nunodonato]

I was just re-ordering things and trying to make it look a bit cleaner, no new functionality was added :)

[eon-s]

If the edit and remove buttons appear on the same entry as the selected project?

Disclaimer: I'm really bad at designing GUI elements.

[novemberist]

While we're at it: Having to create and/or specify a project folder manually each time when starting a new project is also not a good (and newbie-friendly) way to do things and adds another unnecessary step. Godot should create a default projects folder in the the user's home directory or ask to specify one somewhere when first started and create a new subfolder for a project according to its given name automatically (with the option to change it, if needed, of course) when starting a new project. This is also the way Unity and UE4 are doing it.

[nunodonato]

@novemberist I think that might conflict with what we have now, since Godot allows to scan and import projects from other folders. I personally like that freedom, but this discussion is out of the scope of this issue, so I'd advise you to open a new one for that purpose.

[nunodonato]

I played with this a bit more today. Somehow the alignment on the top is messed up, but at least there is code in it, not just looks, so its actually working ;)
(except for the editor settings, which I haven't been able to workout)

[hubbyist]

Looking good and clean. :+1:

What about putting "New, Edit, Run" menu to left and putting "Import" outside of advanced menu on the right side as "Import, Advanced" thus making all basics available when starting and in the places where eyes will search first for them since there is no left column anymore.

[nunodonato]

If anyone wants to test it or develop it further, I've uploaded a branch here https://github.com/nunodonato/godot/tree/newwelcome

[nunodonato]

I was revisiting this idea today, but starting from scratch. Instead of moving the buttons I switched the project list to a GridContainer, to make better use of the space. What do you think?

oh, also removed the exit button (which I found quite useless) and made the tab fonts bigger.

[eon-s]

@nunodonato is a good way to use the empty space but I'll prefer descriptions on the projects (but that will need new features on project files).

[nunodonato]

@eon-s even with descriptions I think this would be good. Its not easy to read long lines of text :)

[kubecz3k]

Now after a year from the last message in this issue, some of those ideas seems to be implemented others are not. I will close this issue. If there is a need please open a fresh one with current informations, so a clean discussion could be started.