You can do Godot with a code only workflow. The UI is just an abstraction over setting variables and writing configuration files. You’ll likely want to use a language with good IDE support though, like C# (Mono). The Scene files can also be written by hand.
But the Tool class (which you use to leverage the GUI) is so useful in Godot. You’re probably going to use egui or imgui to build a replacement yourself in any other engine anyway.
The instant feedback of changing key variables and seeing their effect is too useful not to leverage.
Really good idea actually, I could test out the workflow of a framework whilst working with something I know. I remember I briefly looked this up in the past and there wasn't much on it, but maybe I should take another look.
As for the tool class, I don't use that much in regular godot to be honest. It always felt a little like variable exports, a bit of a hack for users coming over from Unity to feel more at home but not "standard practice". Not sure why it feels like that to me, but I do alright without it.
Oh man, it’s so much more. You can put any code behind Engine.EditorHint condition and it only runs inside the editor. You can make shortcut keys to do things or execute code in _Process.
For example, i’ve made a script where editing one tilemap updated another, the first being a palette for wave function collapse, generating the other.
When i implemented vector fields, i first had it track the mouse instead of the player and did it all in the editor (not hitting play)
Quick question, if I were to try the code only workflow, how would I actually run the game? Is there a cli godot has or something, or would I need to go back to the editor itself to click play?
But the Tool class (which you use to leverage the GUI) is so useful in Godot. You’re probably going to use egui or imgui to build a replacement yourself in any other engine anyway.
The instant feedback of changing key variables and seeing their effect is too useful not to leverage.