Merge pull request #4258 from willnationsdev/learning-new-features

Add 'Learning new features' page.

community/tutorials.rst

@@ -14,11 +14,14 @@ The Godot video tutorials by `GDQuest <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxboW7x0
 
 If you're interested in Visual Scripting, `Emilio's tutorials <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9DR22-qohBDtZ74R3FxOZg>`_ may be worth a look.
 
+If you're interested in a complete introduction to programming using Godot and GDScript, the unofficial `Godot Tutorials <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnr9ojBEQGgwbcKsZC-2rIg>`_ YouTube channel is a good place to start.
+
 Some tutorials mentioned below provide more advanced tutorials, e.g. on 3D or shaders.
 
 Video tutorials
 ---------------
 
+- `Godot Tutorials <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnr9ojBEQGgwbcKsZC-2rIg>`_ (2D, GDScript, Programming Basics).
 - `Emilio <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9DR22-qohBDtZ74R3FxOZg>`_ (2D, GDScript and VisualScript).
 - `GDQuest <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxboW7x0jZqFdvMdCFKTMsQ/playlists>`_ (2D and 3D, GDScript, VisualScript and C#).
 - `Game Development Channel <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClseGZiVmeHamsjYmpbiAmQ/playlists>`_ (2D, GDScript).

getting_started/introduction/index.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+Introduction
+============
+
+This series will introduce you to Godot and give you an overview of its
+features.
+
+In the following pages, you will get answers to questions such as "Is Godot for
+me?" or "What can I do with Godot?". We will then run you through the editor's
+interface, introduce the engine's most essential concepts, and give you tips to
+make the most of your time learning it.
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 1
+   :name: toc-learn-introduction
+
+   learning_new_features

getting_started/introduction/learning_new_features.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+.. _doc_learning_new_features:
+
+Learning new features
+=====================
+
+Godot is a feature-rich game engine. There is a lot to learn about it. This page
+explains how you can use the online manual, built-in code reference, and join
+online communities to learn new features and techniques.
+
+Making the most of this manual
+------------------------------
+
+What you are reading now is the user manual. It documents each of the engine's
+concepts and available features. When learning a new topic, you can start by
+browsing the corresponding section of this website. The left menu allows you to
+explore broad topics while the search bar will help you find more specific
+pages. If a page exists for a given theme, it will often link to more related
+content.
+
+.. image:: img/manual_search.png
+
+The manual has a companion class reference that explains each Godot class's
+available functions and properties when programming. While the manual covers
+general features, concepts, and how to use the editor, the reference is all
+about using Godot's scripting API (Application Programming Interface). You can
+access it both online and offline. We recommend browsing the reference offline,
+from within the Godot editor. To do so, go to Help -> Search or press
+:kbd:`Shift F1`.
+
+.. image:: img/manual_class_reference_search.png
+
+To browse it online, head to the manual's :ref:`Class Reference <toc-class-ref>`
+section.
+
+A class reference's page tells you:
+
+1. Where the class exists in the inheritance hierarchy. You can click the top
+   links to jump to parent classes and see the properties and methods a type
+   inherits.
+
+   .. image:: img/manual_class_reference_inheritance.png
+
+2. A summary of the class's role and use cases.
+
+3. An explanation of the class's properties, methods, signals, enums, and
+   constants.
+
+4. Links to manual pages further detailing the class.
+
+.. note:: If the manual or class reference is missing or has insufficient
+          information, please open an Issue in the official `godot-docs
+          <https://github.com/godotengine/godot-docs/issues>`_ GitHub repository
+          to report it.
+
+You can Ctrl-click any underlined text like the name of a class, property,
+method, signal, or constant to jump to it.
+
+Learning to think like a programmer
+-----------------------------------
+
+Teaching programming foundations and how to think like a game developer is
+beyond the scope of Godot's documentation. If you're new to programming, we
+recommend two excellent free resources to get you started:
+
+1. Harvard university offers a free courseware to learn to program, `CS50
+   <https://cs50.harvard.edu/x/2020/>`_. It will teach you programming
+   fundamentals, how code works, and how to think like a programmer. These
+   skills are essential to become a game developer and learn any game engine
+   efficiently. You can see this course as an investment that will save you time
+   and trouble when you learn to create games.
+
+2. If you prefer books, check out the free ebook `Automate The Boring Stuff With
+   Python <https://automatetheboringstuff.com/>`_ by Al Sweigart's.
+
+Learning with the community
+---------------------------
+
+Godot has a growing community of users. If you're stuck on a problem or need
+help to better understand how to achieve something, you can ask other users for
+help on one of the many `active
+communities <https://godotengine.org/community>`_.
+
+The best place to ask for questions and find already answered ones is the
+official `Questions & Answers <https://godotengine.org/qa/>`_ site. These
+responses show up in search engine results and get saved, allowing other users
+to benefit from discussions on the platform. Once you asked a question there,
+you can share its link on other social platforms. Before asking a question, be
+sure to look for existing answers that might solve your problem on this website
+or using your preferred search engine.
+
+Asking questions well and providing details will help others answer you faster
+and better. When asking questions, we recommend including the following
+information:
+
+1. **Describe your goal**. You want to explain what you are trying to achieve
+   design-wise. If you are having trouble figuring out how to make a solution
+   work, there may be a different, easier solution that accomplishes the same
+   goal.
+
+2. If there is an error involved, **share the exact error message**. You
+   can copy the exact error message in the editor's Debugger bottom panel by
+   clicking the Copy Error icon. Knowing what it says can help community members
+   better identify how you triggered the error.
+
+3. If there is code involved, **share a code sample**. Often, other users won't
+   be able to help you fix a problem without seeing your code. Try to share the
+   code as text directly. To do so, you can copy and paste a short code snippet
+   in the chat directly, or use a website like `Pastebin
+   <https://pastebin.com/>`_ to share long files. A screenshot of the scene in
+   which your code runs also helps.
+
+4. If you're not using the stable version of Godot, please mention the version
+   you're using. The answer can be different as available features and the
+   interface evolve rapidly.
+
+Community tutorials
+-------------------
+
+This manual aims to provide a comprehensive reference of Godot's features. Aside
+from the 2D and 3D getting started series, it does not contain tutorials to
+implement specific game genres. If you're looking for a tutorial about creating
+a role-playing game, a platformer, or other, please see
+:ref:`doc_community_tutorials`, which lists content made by the Godot community.

index.rst

@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ The main documentation for the site is organized into the following sections:
    :caption: Getting started
    :name: sec-learn
 
+   getting_started/introduction/index
    getting_started/step_by_step/index
    getting_started/editor/index
    getting_started/workflow/index