Introduction
When you start building games in GDevelop, one of the first confusing things is flow. Like… how does the game know when to show the menu, when to start gameplay, or when to show game over. It almost feels magical at first. But honestly it’s not magic, it’s something called game states.
Game states sound technical but they are actually very simple. Once you understand them, your projects suddenly become more organized and less chaotic. Lemme explain this in a super beginner friendly way so you don’t overthink it.
This guide is kinda like a mini GDevelop game states tutorial where we’ll talk about menus, gameplay, pause, and game over. No heavy coding talk. Just real logic you can use immediately.
What Are Game States in Game Development
Let’s answer the main beginner question straight.
What are game states in GDevelop?
A game state is basically a phase or mode of your game. It tells the game what is currently happening.
Think of a game like a movie with different scenes.
- Main Menu
- Playing the Game
- Paused Screen
- Game Over Screen
Each of these is a state. The game behaves differently in each one. In the menu you click buttons. In gameplay you move the character. In pause nothing moves. In game over you restart or quit.
Game states are not always separate scenes, but in GDevelop beginners usually implement them using scene management, which is totally fine and actually recommended early on.
Why Game States Matter
Without game states, everything happens at once. Imagine your player moving while the menu is open or enemies attacking during pause. Chaos.
Game states help you:
- Organize logic cleanly
- Avoid overlapping events
- Make transitions smooth
- Control player input
- Build professional flow
Many beginners skip this thinking “I’ll fix it later” but later becomes messy fast. Understanding GDevelop beginner guide game flow early saves tons of frustration.
It’s like organizing folders on your computer. If everything is on the desktop, you’ll lose your mind eventually.
Main Menu State Explained
The Main Menu is usually the first state players see. It’s where you have buttons like Start Game, Settings, Exit.
In GDevelop, this is often a separate scene called “Menu” or “MainMenu”. That’s the easiest approach for beginners learning how to make menu in GDevelop.
What Happens in Menu State
- Display title logo
- Show buttons
- Play background music
- Wait for player input
No enemies, no gameplay logic, no score counting. Only UI stuff.
A common beginner mistake is leaving gameplay events active inside the menu scene. Suddenly the character spawns behind the menu and moves. Looks funny but yeah… not ideal.
Gameplay State Explained
This is the heart of the game. When players press Start, they enter the Gameplay State.
Here you handle:
- Player movement
- Enemy AI
- Score updates
- Physics and collisions
- Level logic
Everything interactive happens here. Usually this is another scene like “Level1” or “GameScene”.
The gameplay state should focus only on playing. No heavy menu UI, no exit buttons floating around unless designed intentionally.
When people search GDevelop scene management, this is exactly what they’re learning. Separating menu and gameplay into different scenes keeps logic clean.
Pause and Game Over States
Pause State
Pause is like freezing time. Nothing moves, nothing updates, but the screen stays visible.
In GDevelop you can pause by:
- Using a pause layer
- Using a variable to stop movement
- Or switching to a pause scene
For beginners, using a variable or layer is easier. Full scene switch can be overkill sometimes.
Pause state usually includes:
- Resume button
- Restart option
- Settings
One mistake beginners make is pausing visually but logic still running in background. Enemies keep moving, timers continue. That defeats the purpose.
Game Over State
Game Over happens when player loses all health or fails objectives. This state is emotional but also logical.
GDevelop game over screen logic usually includes:
- Showing final score
- Restart button
- Back to menu button
Game Over can be a new scene or a layer overlay. Both work. New scene is simpler for beginners because it isolates logic completely.
From personal experience… early on I tried mixing game over logic in the same gameplay scene and it became messy. Separate scene instantly fixed clarity.
How to Switch Between States in GDevelop
Now the practical part beginners always ask.
How do I switch scenes in GDevelop?
You use the Change Scene action inside events.
Example flow:
Menu Scene
Condition: Start button clicked
Action: Change Scene → Gameplay Scene
Gameplay Scene
Condition: Player health = 0
Action: Change Scene → Game Over Scene
Game Over Scene
Condition: Restart button clicked
Action: Change Scene → Gameplay Scene
That’s basically the whole loop. Simple but powerful.
Switching scenes is the backbone of GDevelop scene management and how most beginner games handle states.
Beginner Examples and Use Cases
Menu to Gameplay
Condition: Player clicks Start
Action: Change Scene to “Level1”
Simple and clean. No overthinking.
Gameplay to Game Over
Condition: Player Health <= 0
Action: Change Scene to “GameOver”
This is classic and used in almost every tutorial.
Pause Toggle
Condition: Press “P”
Action: Toggle Pause Variable
Then add conditions to stop movement when pause variable is true.
Restart Level
Condition: Click Restart
Action: Change Scene to current level
Instant reset without manual cleanup.
These examples are the practical side of GDevelop beginner guide game flow and once you do them once or twice, they become second nature.
Common Mistakes with Game States
Mixing All Logic in One Scene
Leads to confusion and bugs everywhere.
Forgetting to Reset Variables
Score or health carrying unintentionally.
Background Logic Running During Pause
Enemies moving even when paused.
No Clear Transition Buttons
Player stuck without restart or exit.
Overcomplicating Early
Trying advanced state machines before understanding basics.
Honestly everyone makes these mistakes. They are part of learning, not failure.
Tips for Better State Management
Use Separate Scenes for Major States
Menu, Gameplay, Game Over. Keeps sanity intact.
Name Scenes Clearly
“MenuScene” is better than “Scene1”.
Keep UI and Gameplay Separate
Different layers help.
Test Transitions Frequently
Click every button during testing.
Use Variables Only When Needed
Don’t create 20 state variables on day one.
Think Like a Player
Ask what should happen next logically.
Game states are less about technical skill and more about organization. Clean structure makes development smoother and debugging easier.
Conclusion
Game states in GDevelop are basically the flow of your game. They tell the engine what mode it should be in right now. Menu mode, gameplay mode, pause mode, or game over mode. Once this concept clicks, building games becomes way less confusing and way more fun.
The key idea is separation. Menu handles UI. Gameplay handles action. Pause freezes things. Game Over resets or exits. Simple structure, huge impact.
Many beginners struggle not because GDevelop is hard, but because game flow feels messy. Understanding GDevelop game states tutorial concepts early changes everything. Suddenly your project feels organized instead of chaotic.
And honestly… once you build your first proper menu → gameplay → game over loop, you’ll feel like a real game developer. It’s one of those small milestones that boost confidence a lot you know.
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