The first beta version of the Godot 4.0 version is now released and available for download, which means that the feature set of Godot 4.0 is frozen and all that remains is to fix bugs and optimize performance.

Some new features:

render

Over the past few years, Godot rendering has been completely overhauled and now targets Vulkan by default, with future support for Direct3D 12 and other rendering APIs in mind.

Additionally, Godot has created an OpenGL-based compatibility renderer for legacy and low-end devices that do not support Vulkan or other modern GPU APIs.

new rendering effects

Volumetric fogFirst appearing in Godot 4, the volumetric fog effect uses temporal reprojection to strike a balance between realistic appearance and performance. Effects can be configured globally, or use the FogVolume node to define specific regions. You can even create complex dynamic effects by writing custom shaders that run on the FogVolume node.

For other atmospheric effects, Godot 4.0 introduces sky shaders, allowing users to create dynamic skies (including reflections) that update in real time. For more information, see the article introducing sky shaders.

Override the global illumination renderer

In the new version, GIProbe has been replaced by VoxelGI node, a real-time solution for small to medium environments. For the first time ever, Godot also offers a GI technology that can be used in large open worlds – Directed Distance Field Global Illumination (SDFGI), which was created and implemented by Godot lead developer Juan Linietsky and supports real-time (real-time) -time), click here for more information.

Godot Physics

Godot 4 marks Godot’s internal 3D physics engine Godot Physics a major comeback.Godot has been using Bullet The engine provides a solid foundation for 3D projects. However, the team felt that a custom solution would allow for more flexibility in implementing new features and solving problems.

Many properties that were previously unique to specific body types are now available for all PhysicsBody node.Therefore, it is possible to introduce new CharacterBody nodes to replace the old kinematics and make character configuration easier.

script

This release adds some of the most popular and long-awaited language features to GDScript to truly optimize the coding experience in Godot 4. Examples include function support for first-class citizens, lambdas, the new property syntax, the await and super keywords, and typed arrays. Additionally, new built-in comments make the language clearer and improve the syntax for exporting properties. On top of that, scripts can now automatically generate documentation that can be learned with built-in help and tooltips in the Inspector dock.

For more new features, please check the release announcement.