Tiled To Godot Export

Tiled plugins for exporting Tilemaps and Tilesets in Godot 3.2 format

• export_to_godot_tilemap.mjs
• export_to_godot_tileset.mjs
• utils.mjs

The plugin requires Tiled version 1.3.4 or newer.

More information about the Tilemap structure of Godot can be found here:

• Using Tilemaps
• API Class Tilemap

And also I made a simple legend explaining the tile encoding in a tilemap.

• Godot Tilemap Encoding & Limits

Tiled Extensions

Tiled can be extended with the use of JavaScript. Scripts can be used to implement custom map formats, custom actions and new tools. Scripts can also automate actions based on signals.

More information:

• Tiled Scripting Docs

Installation

When you want to add these plugins to your Tiled installation:

• Open Tiled and go to Edit > Preferences > Plugins and click the "Open" button to open the extensions directory.

• Download the files in this repository and extract them to that location. The scripts can be placed either directly in the extensions directory or in a subdirectory.

  (Alternatively, clone this git repository into the extensions directory)

  Tiled extension directory is:

  • Windows C:/Users/%USERNAME%/AppData/Local/Tiled/extensions/
  • macOS ~/Library/Preferences/Tiled/extensions/
  • Linux ~/.config/tiled/extensions/

• If using a version older than Tiled 1.3.3, restart Tiled, but better update your Tiled installation

  (This was necessary because Tiled only watched existing scripts for changes. No restarts are necessary when making changes to existing script files, since it will trigger an automatic reloading of the scripts.)

How to use this extension

If you prefer watching check the video in YouTube:

How to export from Tiled To Godot 3.2

The exporter needs to know how to set resource paths correctly for Godot before exporting. There are several ways to do this:

• If your Tiled files exist in your Godot project structure alongside the exported files, the exporter can automatically determine the resource paths. There is also the option to use the projectRoot custom property if needed.
• If your Tiled files exist outside your Godot project structure, you will need to set the relativePath custom property so the exporter can determine resource paths.

!!! Pay attention to the "/" instead of standard windows "\". Single Backslash "\" is used for escaping special symbols.

Setting relativePath

The custom property relativePath : string contains the relative path to the exported files from the Godot project root. The value of relativePath is transformed to a resource path which Godot uses.

• When placed on a Tiled TileMap (.tmx) object, it will define where the Tileset objects (.tres) are located in the exported TileMap (.tscn).
• When placed on a Tiled TileSet (.tsx) object, it will define where the Image is located in the exported TileMap (.tres).

Example: If the location of an exported tileset is: C:/project/maps/level1/tileset.tres Then the relativePath custom property would be: /maps/level1

Setting projectRoot res://

The exporter needs to know where res:// is so when you export to a subfolder in your Godot project all the relative paths for the resources (res://) are set correctly and relative to the project root. res:// is equivalent to the location of project.godot in your Godot project.

By default, the exporter expects the Tiled files to be saved in a subfolder of your Godot project next to the exported files and will determine the project root automatically. Setting projectRoot is no longer required in this scenario.

If needed, you can override this path with a custom property projectRoot : string that is either relative to the file you are exporting (starting with a .) or an absolute path. Either way, the value of projectRoot is transformed to the res:// resource path which Godot uses and should be equivalent to the location of project.godot.

• When placed on a Tiled TileMap (.tmx) object it will be used as the root to determine the relative resource path to the Tileset objects (.tres) used in the exported TileMap (.tscn).
• When placed on a Tiled TileSet (.tsx) object it will be used as the root to determine the relative resource path to the Image used in the exported TileMap (.tres).

Example: If the location of an exported tileset is: C:/project/maps/level1/tileset.tres Then the projectRoot custom property would be: C:/project

Exporting to Godot

If everything is fine when you go to File -> Export As, a new option should exist:

Godot Tilemap format (*.tscn)

and for tilesets respectively:

Godot Tileset format (*.tres)

Nice to know! (...in case something goes wrong)

It's better to keep the Tiled files in the same folder as the exported ones because then all the paths will be the same as in your Godot project.

• Tiled and Godot have some differences in the Tileset concept.
• Tiled's Tileset can have only one sprite image (texture) but a Tiled Tilemap can have multiple tilesets.
• Tiled's Tilemap can have multiple layers and each layer can have tiles from different tilesets
• Godot's Tileset on the other hand can have multiple images and textures and multiple tile atlases.
• Godot's Tilemap can have only one tileset.

So, these impose the following limitations when exporting from Tiled:

• Each tileset will be exported as a stand-alone Tileset.
• Each layer will become a Tilemap in Godot with a single Tileset.
• If you use more than one tileset in a layer, each tiles from the tileset will be exported as child tilemap to the first one.

When you export a map Godot only needs to reload the scene. You can add something like this in your godot script:

if Input.is_action_just_pressed("reload_scene"):
 	get_tree().reload_current_scene()

Don't forget to add key/mouse/controller mapping for the "reload_scene" action ;)

Z index for tile layer and single tile

You can set the z-index for the whole tilelayer by adding a custom property z_index. This will set the z-index of the tile layer in the scene file.

You can also set the z-index for tiles in a tileset by adding a custom float property godot:z_index to the tile. This is stored in the exported tileset file.

Tileset objects for collisions & navigation

To setup a collision shape for a tile, first edit the tileset in Tiled:

• Select the tile in the tileset file
• You should see a side panel "Tile Collision Editor", use the menu above it to create a new shape. Use rectangle or polygon only.

For navigation, do the same thing, but with the Object shape selected, set the Type field to navigation.

Why use it?

The main focus was easily editing and creating new maps and tilesets.

An alternative is the Godot Import Plugin for Tiled Map Editor, but beware - it's a bit old and has some performance issues since it makes single tiles. Godot added the ability to create Tilesets with Atlas Tiles. This is more efficient than one Tileset object with 500 singe tiles. The Atlas needs a region and tile size - these are automatically taken from the Tiled editor. More about my struggles can be read in Tiled Forum or Godot reddit. Check the Contacts section.

Features list:

• Export Tiled file as a Godot scene. Each layer in Tiled is a TileMap in Godot
• Export TileSets from Tiled standalone tileset files
• Orthogonal maps
• Isometric, staggered, and hexagonal maps
• Export visibility and opacity from layers
• Export collision shapes^*
• Export occluder shapes^*
• Export navigation shapes^*
• Support for one-way collision shapes
• Support for image layers
• Support for tile objects, which are exported to Godot as Sprite nodes. (Other types of objects are not yet included.)
• Full support for object layers, which are exported as StaticBody2D, Area2D or LightOccluder2D for shapes (depending on the type property) and as Sprite for tiles
• Support for group layers
• Custom properties for maps, layers, and objects are exported as metadata.
• Custom properties for tilesets on tiles can be exported into the TileSet resource
• Map background layer exported as a parallax background

Legend: ticked = done, unticked = to do

* The Godot tileset editor supports only Rectangle and Polygon. That's Tiled are supported and are converted to polygons in Godot.

Supported entity types

Creating entities with these types will result in specific nodes to be created :

• type Area2D

  Creates an Area2D node in the scene, containing a CollisionShape2D with the rectangle set in the tiled map.

  You can add collision_layer and collision_mask integer custom properties to set these properties for Godot.

• type Node2D

  Creates an empty Node2D at the specified position. Can be useful for defining spawn points for example.

If present, the groups custom string property will add the generated entity to the specified Godot scene groups. Accepts multiple groups via comma separation: Group1, Group2.

Godot Custom Parameters

This plugin supports exporting custom parameters as Godot node parameters and Godot meta parameters.

• To set the Godot node name for the TileMap create a property on the Map that begins with "godot:name". The value of the property will be the name of the Node when imported into Godot.

  Example: godot:name = MapName

• To set the Godot node type for the TileMap create a property on the Map that begins with "godot:type". The value of the property should be the name of a built in Godot Type.

  Example: godot:type = Node2D

• To set the Godot node name for the GroupLayer create a property on the GroupLayer that begins with "godot:name". The value of the property will be the name of the Node when imported into Godot.

  Example: godot:name = GroupName

• To set the Godot node type for the GroupLayer create a property on the GroupLayer that begins with "godot:type". The value of the property should be the name of a built in Godot Type.

  Example: godot:type = YSort

• To set the Godot node parameters add a custom property on that object in Tiled that begins with "godot:node:". The value after the colon should be the full name of the paramter to be set in Godot.

  Example: godot:node:cell_y_sort = true

• To set the Godot node meta parameters add a custom property on that object in Tiled that begins with "godot:meta:". The value after the colon should be the full name of the meta paramter to be set in Godot.

  Example: godot:meta:custom_parameter = 123

Long term plans

I'm making a 2D platformer and I'm gonna focus on these needs for now. Generally, I would like to support everything Tiled offers because it's a very good level editor.

If you are using the plugins and have any problems, feature requests or have found any bugs - just open an issue here in the gitHub repo.

Customizing or contributing tips

If you want to debug something you can use the utils.mjs There are three useful functions:

• log() - shortcut for the console.log (infinite parameters)
• logf() - logs with flattening circular objects (single parameter)
• logk() - logs the keys of a object (single parameter)

Contacts:

Tiled forum:

https://discourse.mapeditor.org/t/tiled-editor-map-and-tileset-integration-with-godot-3-2/4347

Reddit topic:

https://www.reddit.com/r/godot/comments/f1wh4a/tiled_editor_map_and_tileset_integration_with/

Cheers! And happy game making with Godot.