Godot: Mouse Locked After Quitting Embedded Game?

by Alex Johnson 50 views

Have you ever encountered a frustrating issue in Godot where your mouse cursor remains stubbornly locked after exiting an embedded game within the editor? You're not alone! This article delves into a specific bug in Godot that causes the mouse cursor to stay captured even after the game has stopped, rendering the editor temporarily unusable. Let's explore the details of this issue, how to reproduce it, and potential workarounds.

The Pesky Mouse Lock Bug

The issue arises when you're working on an embedded, non-floating game in the Godot editor. Specifically, if your game captures the mouse cursor using Input.mouse_mode = Input.MOUSE_MODE_CAPTURED and you then stop the game using a shortcut like Cmd + Period (on macOS), the cursor might remain locked. This means the mouse cursor doesn't reappear, and click events are still registered at the last location, effectively making the editor unresponsive until you find a way to release the mouse. This can be a real productivity killer, especially when you're in the middle of an intense development session.

Reproducing the Issue: A Step-by-Step Guide

To better understand the problem, let's walk through the steps to reproduce it. This will help you confirm if you're experiencing the same bug and allow you to test potential solutions.

  1. Create a New Project: Start by creating a fresh project in the Godot editor. This ensures that there are no existing configurations interfering with the reproduction.

  2. Add a Capture Script: Create a new script and attach it to a Control node in your scene. The script should contain the following code:

    extends Control

func _ready():
    Input.mouse_mode = Input.MOUSE_MODE_CAPTURED

    This simple script will capture the mouse cursor as soon as the scene starts.

  3. Configure Embedding Options: Navigate to the Game tab in the Godot editor. Under the Embedding options, make the following selections:

    • Check "Embed Game on Next Play"
    • Uncheck "Make Game Workspace Floating on Next Play"

    These settings ensure that the game runs embedded within the editor, which is crucial for triggering the bug.

  4. Run the Scene: Run the scene. You should observe that the mouse cursor disappears, indicating that it has been successfully captured by the game.

  5. Stop the Project: Stop the project using the keyboard shortcut (Cmd + Period on macOS) or the stop button in the editor. The game view will disappear as if the project has stopped.

  6. Observe the Bug: Check if the mouse cursor reappears. If the bug is present, the mouse will remain locked, and you won't be able to interact with the editor using the mouse.

Understanding the Code:

The GDScript code provided is very simple, but it is very effective at capturing the mouse and will cause the error. In the _ready() function is a function that is called when the node is initialized, which sets the mouse_mode property of the Input singleton to Input.MOUSE_MODE_CAPTURED. This tells Godot to hide the mouse cursor and keep it within the bounds of the game window. It is a common procedure to use a relative motion to simulate a camera.

Why Does This Happen?

The root cause of this issue likely lies in how Godot handles the mouse mode when the editor abruptly stops a running project. When the game is terminated, the mouse mode isn't properly reset, leaving it in the captured state. Because the editor is still running, but the game isn't, the mouse remains locked within the bounds of the now-defunct game view. This is further complicated by the game being embedded, which seems to prevent the editor from regaining control of the mouse.

Impact and Severity

While not catastrophic, this bug can significantly disrupt the development workflow. Having to find a workaround every time the mouse gets stuck is a major annoyance. It is particularly problematic for developers who frequently test their games within the editor, as it can lead to constant interruptions and reduced productivity. The severity is amplified when the editor becomes completely unusable, forcing a restart of the Godot editor which results in lost work.

Potential Workarounds

While a permanent fix is ideal, several workarounds can help you regain control of your mouse cursor when this issue occurs:

  • Alt + Tab (or equivalent): Switching to another application and then back to Godot can sometimes release the mouse cursor.
  • Press Meta (Windows Key): Pressing the meta key may cause the release of the capture. This method works for some users, but is not universally successful.
  • Force Quit Godot: As a last resort, you can force quit the Godot editor and restart it. This will definitely release the mouse cursor, but you'll lose any unsaved progress.
  • Modify the Project Settings: In your project settings, under application/run/embed_debug_window, set to false. This is useful if you do not need to see your game in an embedded window.
  • Add an "Uncapture" Button: Implement a button within your game that, when pressed, sets Input.mouse_mode = Input.MOUSE_MODE_VISIBLE. This allows you to manually release the mouse before stopping the project.

Is This a Known Issue?

Yes, this issue has been reported and is being tracked by the Godot development team. As indicated by the information given, it is reproducible in v4.6.dev.custom_build. This means the developers are aware of the problem and are working on a solution. You can track the progress of the fix on the Godot issue tracker (usually on GitHub) by searching for related bug reports.

What's Next?

Hopefully, a fix for this mouse lock bug will be included in a future release of Godot. In the meantime, the workarounds mentioned above should help you manage the problem. It's always a good idea to stay updated with the latest Godot releases and check the release notes for bug fixes that might address this issue.

Conclusion

The mouse lock bug in Godot's embedded game workflow can be a frustrating experience. By understanding how to reproduce the issue and implementing the provided workarounds, you can minimize its impact on your development process. Remember to keep an eye on future Godot releases for a permanent fix, and don't hesitate to contribute to the Godot community by reporting any bugs or suggesting improvements.

For more information on Godot's input handling, you can check the official documentation here.