0.7.0 – Getting serious

App changes

This update features many important changes to make LDtk production ready and future proof. These changes will allow better support for large projects, better API creation and maintenance, and smoother user adoption.

We are getting really close to 1.0!

Changes

• New home layout: the app home screen has been re-organized to focus on what’s really important.

• Separate level files: when enabled, LDtk will save separately the project JSON and one file per level. A much needed feature to reduce JSON size and optimize parsing times! The option is in Project settings (press F1): “Separate level files”.

  When enabled, all the project settings and definitions will still be stored in the *.ldtk file, and all level data will now be saved to separate files (one per level) in a sub-folder, in *.ldtkl files (notice the extra l letter at the end of the extension).

  Important notes: this new feature might not be supported in all current existing APIs and loaders. Also, this option isn’t enabled by default, but this might change on 1.0.

• Save layers as PNG: if you really don’t want to bother with the LDtk JSON, you can check this new option in your project settings to export all your layers as PNG images (note: only supported layers will be exported, that is those with tiles).

• Backups: automatically keep extra copies of your project in a sub-folder every time you save (enable backups in your project settings). Important: LDtk only keeps up to 10 backup files per project.

• Crash backups: if, for some reasons, LDtk crashes, it will try to backup your unsaved work automatically. Obviously, this works even if the backup setting isn’t enabled.

• Level background image: each level can now have a custom background image (PNG, GIF or JPEG) that can be resized and aligned in various ways.

• New font: replaced the often hard-to-read pixel font with a sleeker “Roboto” font (this change affects entity fields and floating level informations).

• New APIs: LDtk JSON files can now be easily parsed in many languages, including C#, Python, Rust, C++, Javascript, using QuickType.io generator. These parsers are based on latest JSON schema file (see below) and are super easy to keep updated. You can check existing APIs on the LDtk website.

• JSON Schema: a schema file is now directly generated from source code (ie. a JSON that describes the LDtk project file format). It’s available on LDtk.io/json and contains a schema following Draft 7 standard from Json-schema.org. This file describes all fields from LDtk json files (value types and descriptions). The great thing about JSON schema is that it allows JSON “parser” generation using QuickType. That’s right: you can now generate Rust, C#, JS or Python parsers easily, right from the file format.

• HaxeFlixel support: the HaxeFlixel game framework has been added to the official LDtk Haxe API. You can now easily load and display a LDtk project in your game.

• Moving your mouse cursor over a Rule group in an auto-layer will now reveal all layer cells affected by the rules in this group.

• If the auto-layer rule panel is open, moving your mouse over the level will now also highlight rules affecting the current coordinate.

• The JSON documentation now shows clearly what parts are useful for game devs and what parts aren’t (trying to make your dev life even easier!).

• The app home now shows a list of recently opened folders along with recently opened project files.

• Optimized the rule pattern editor to update less UI stuff when being edited.

• Tiled TMX files are now exported in a sub folder (along with other optional external files, like levels or layer PNGs)

• Better organized world panel (shortcut W)

• Better level name display in Linear world layouts.

• Fixed reloading of tileset images.

• Fixed Electron related security policy.

• Fixed “Lost external enum file” dialog when loading a project.

• Many UI tweaks

• Bug fixes