Chapter 5a - Vectors and the game kit

Real engine types in the sandbox

Even without the Godot editor, headless scripts still get real engine math:

Type	What you use it for
Vector2	Positions, directions, velocities
Color	Colors (tint, UI)
Time	Timestamps

var v = Vector2(3, 4)
print(v.length())       # 5
print(v.normalized())   # length 1, same direction
print(Vector2.RIGHT)    # (1, 0)
print(Vector2.UP)       # (0, -1)  — Godot Y grows downward on screen

🧪 Try Vector2

Mini quiz — vectors

Quiz

Vector2

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What is Vector2(3, 4).length()?

Pick an answer to see if you are right.

The teaching kit (game_kit.gd)

Full scenes, Input, and physics frames need the editor. For sandbox lessons, Piston injects res://game_kit.gd — small mocks shaped like game actors.

var Kit = preload("res://game_kit.gd")
var game = Kit.make_game()
var foe = game.spawn_enemy(Vector2(40, 0))
game.player.speed = 80
game.player.move(Vector2.RIGHT, 0.5)
print(game.player.position)
print(Kit.near(game.player.position, foe.position, 50))

🧪 Try the kit

Real vs mock

Use	Approach
Math / vectors / colors	Real Godot (Vector2, Color)
Simple actors / combat / score	game_kit Player / Enemy / Game
Character / rigid / area bodies	game_kit body mocks (next lessons)
Full scenes, Input, real physics	Godot editor (not this sandbox)

Player.move(direction, delta) does:

velocity = direction.normalized() * speed
position += velocity * delta

Challenge: survive one hit

Create a game, spawn an enemy, let it attack once, print the player's hp.

Starter HP is 100. Enemy damage is 5. Expected: 95.

Exercises

Vectors first, then movement, then proximity.

Activity: Vector length

Create Vector2(6, 8) and print its length() as an int.

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