Optimized builds for 2D only game as additional releases

[Infini-Creation]

It would be great to have a lighter, 2D only oriented editor, mostly in fact export templates I guess, to be able to have smaller 2d games, available as standard release build on github.

3D features as well as XR and maybe a few others, unneeded for 2D games, could be removed to save a few Mb. Same could apply to some import features which could be avoided by using other data types (mp3 decoding for instance.)

I've tried to play a bit with github tasks on my own fork of the Godot engine but I failed to get anything build, is there any help on this by the way ?

[Calinou]

• Related to Enable users to create GUI-only optimized builds for web and mobile #190.

I recall this being mentioned in passing in another proposal, but I can't find it right now.

This makes sense to do for mobile/web export templates in particular, but for other platforms, the added burden and download size may not be worth it (at least until #647 is implemented).

[Infini-Creation]

Could it be possible to add it an an experimental release maybe ?

So it will allow you to track how much interest such a build can have and decide later to add it officially.

If not, I would be very grateful to get some guide on how to build editor & template directly on github using actions.

[AThousandShips]

Building the export templates is pretty expensive, so it would be good to get more of an idea of what is requested before doing that building work

[Infini-Creation]

I understand, what more do you need ?

For instance, I've build my own templates but it took quite some time and that's why I would like to use github actions (or whatever it is to get binaries) for this.
Using for instance :

scons lto=full optimize=size disable_3d=yes target=template_release

But as far as I remember it didn't work so well, I'll need to try again.

[AThousandShips]

Knowing that there are people who would use this and find it helpful would be a good start, so that we can see that it wouldn't just go unused, that more than a few would appreciate this

[theraot]

Aside from mobile and web, this might make sense for desktop, for people using Godot to make non game applications that don't require 3D. I have recently made a tool for internal use that fits the criteria.

[AThousandShips]

Also note that for the time being 2D only builds don't support navigation, not until merging:

• [Navigation] Create a dedicated 2D navigation server godot#101504

[Infini-Creation]

ok thanks, still not all 2D games need navigation so it should not be such a roadblock, especially if such a lightweight build is considered at first and until things are improved beta/temporary/experimental.

[AThousandShips]

Wasn't a roadblock, just something people need to keep in mind, and would be a blocker for a large number of projects, navigation also includes things like avoidance and follow even in games where map based navigation isn't necessary, like an asteroids game with enemies avoiding asteroids and following the player

[AThousandShips]

Note also that the editor does not support disabling 3D, and changing that would involve quite a lot of work to make it happen, export templates are simple to do though