Godot 3D Essentials (4.x)

Assemble a working 3D scene: transforms, camera, lights, environment/post, materials, and GridMap blockouts. Targets Godot 4.7.

When to use

• Use when starting or fixing a 3D scene: positioning a Camera3D, adding lights, setting up a WorldEnvironment (sky, ambient, tonemap, glow/SSAO), assigning materials, or building levels with GridMap.

When not to use: writing spatial shaders → godot-shaders; 3D physics bodies and raycasts → godot-physics; character animation blending → godot-animation; full FPS template → the fps-shooter genre skill.

Core workflow

1. Everything 3D is a Node3D with a Transform3D (position, rotation basis, scale). Move with global_position, rotate with rotate_y(angle) or look_at(target).
2. Add a Camera3D. Mark it current (or call make_current()); set fov, near, far. Parent it to a rig/pivot for orbit or follow cameras.
3. Light the scene. A DirectionalLight3D is the sun; OmniLight3D/SpotLight3D are local; AreaLight3D (4.7+) is a rectangular panel light that costs more than omni/spot. Enable shadows per light. Without lights and ambient, surfaces render black.
4. Add a WorldEnvironment with an Environment resource: background (sky/color), ambient light, tonemap, and post (glow, SSAO, fog, adjustments).
5. Give meshes materials (StandardMaterial3D or a ShaderMaterial) on MeshInstance3D.
6. Block out levels with GridMap, which places MeshLibrary items on a 3D grid (the 3D analog of a tilemap).

Patterns

1. A follow camera (third-person, smoothed)

extends Camera3D

@export var target: Node3D
@export var offset := Vector3(0, 4, 8)
@export var smooth := 6.0