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Polyphase Templates

Templates are pre-made project starting points that help you quickly begin new projects with a specific setup, assets, and code already in place.

Using Templates

Creating a Project from a Template

  1. Open the Project Select window (appears on startup or via File > Project Select...)
  2. Click the Templates tab
  3. Browse available templates and select one
  4. Click Create from Template
  5. Choose a location and name for your new project
  6. The template's contents will be copied to your new project

Installing Templates

Templates can be installed from two sources:

From a .zip File

  1. In the Templates tab, click + Add Template
  2. Click Browse for .zip...
  3. Select a template .zip file
  4. The template will be extracted and added to your library

From a GitHub URL

  1. In the Templates tab, click + Add Template
  2. Enter the GitHub repository URL (e.g., https://github.com/author/my-template)
  3. Click Download & Install
  4. The template will be downloaded and added to your library

Removing Templates

  1. Select a template in the Templates tab
  2. Click Remove Template
  3. The template will be removed from your library (does not affect projects already created from it)

Creating Templates

Anyone can create and share templates. A template is simply a project structure packaged with a package.json metadata file.

Template Structure

my-template/
    package.json        # Required: Template metadata
    thumbnail.png       # Optional: Preview image (recommended 256x256)
    Assets/             # Your template's assets
        Scenes/
        Textures/
        Materials/
        ...
    Scripts/            # Your template's scripts
        Main.lua
        ...
    MyTemplate.octp     # Project file (will be renamed when used)

package.json Format

Create a package.json file in your template's root directory:

{
    "name": "My Awesome Template",
    "author": "Your Name",
    "description": "A brief description of what this template provides and who it's for.",
    "url": "https://github.com/yourname/my-template",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "updated": "2024-01-15",
    "tags": ["2D", "platformer", "beginner"],
    "type": "lua"
}

Fields

Field Required Description
name Yes Display name shown in the template browser
author Yes Your name or organization
description Yes What this template includes and its intended use
url No Link to the template's repository or webpage
version Yes Semantic version (e.g., "1.0.0")
updated Yes Last update date (YYYY-MM-DD format)
tags No Array of tags for filtering (e.g., "2D", "3D", "RPG")
type Yes Either "lua" or "cpp"

thumbnail.png

Include a thumbnail.png image to show a preview of your template:

  • Recommended size: 256x256 pixels
  • Format: PNG with transparency supported
  • Shows in the template browser grid

Tips for Good Templates

  1. Include a README - Add a README.md explaining how to use the template
  2. Keep it focused - Templates should have a clear purpose
  3. Document assumptions - Note any required setup or external dependencies
  4. Test thoroughly - Ensure the template works on a fresh install
  5. Use placeholder names - Use generic names that users can easily rename

Project File Handling

When a user creates a project from your template:

  1. All files are copied to the new project location
  2. The .octp file is renamed to match the new project name
  3. The project is opened automatically

Distributing Templates

As a .zip File

  1. Zip your template folder (the folder containing package.json)
  2. Share the .zip file via download links, email, etc.

Via GitHub

  1. Create a GitHub repository for your template
  2. Ensure package.json is in the repository root
  3. Share the repository URL (e.g., https://github.com/yourname/my-template)
  4. Users can install directly from the URL

Template Repository Structure

For GitHub distribution:

my-template/           (repository root)
    package.json
    thumbnail.png
    Assets/
    Scripts/
    MyTemplate.octp
    README.md

Template Storage Location

Installed templates are stored in:

  • Windows: %APPDATA%/PolyphaseEditor/Templates/
  • Linux: ~/.config/PolyphaseEditor/Templates/

Each template is stored in its own subdirectory named after its ID (typically the folder name from the zip or repo).

Example: Minimal Template

Here's the simplest possible template:

package.json:

{
    "name": "Blank Lua Project",
    "author": "Polyphase Team",
    "description": "A minimal starting point with just a main scene.",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "updated": "2024-01-01",
    "type": "lua"
}

Assets/Scenes/SC_Main.oct: (default scene)

Scripts/Main.lua:

function Start()
    -- Your game starts here
end

function Update(deltaTime)
    -- Called every frame
end

BlankProject.octp:

name=BlankProject

package.json:

{
    "name": "2D Platformer Starter",
    "author": "Polyphase Team",
    "description": "A complete 2D platformer foundation with player movement, physics, tilemaps, and sample levels. Perfect for beginners learning game development.",
    "url": "https://github.com/polyphase-engine/template-platformer",
    "version": "2.1.0",
    "updated": "2024-06-15",
    "tags": ["2D", "platformer", "physics", "beginner", "sample"],
    "type": "lua"
}

Directory structure:

2d-platformer-starter/
    package.json
    thumbnail.png
    README.md
    Assets/
        Scenes/
            SC_MainMenu.oct
            SC_Level1.oct
            SC_Level2.oct
        Textures/
            Player/
            Tiles/
            UI/
        Audio/
            Music/
            SFX/
    Scripts/
        Player.lua
        Enemy.lua
        GameManager.lua
        UI/
            MainMenu.lua
            PauseMenu.lua
    PlatformerStarter.octp