Create a Custom‑Size 2D TileMap in Godot 4.x – Step‑by‑Step Guide

Desired Outcome

This guide shows how to create a 2D TileMap in Godot 4.x, set a custom cell size, populate it with tiles, and verify that the visual alignment matches the grid and that performance remains acceptable.

Prerequisites

• Godot 4.x editor installed and accessible.
• Project set to use the GLES3 renderer (Project Settings → Engine → Rendering → Use GLES3).
• Write permission on the project folder (to edit .tscn and .tset files).
• A tileset image file (e.g., tileset.png) with sprites sized to the intended cell size.

Step‑by‑Step Procedure

1. Prepare the project

Open the Godot editor, create a new 2D project, and ensure the project settings point to Godot 4.x. In Project Settings → Engine → Rendering verify that Use GLES3 is enabled; this is required for the TileMap implementation in 4.x.

2. Add a TileMap node

In the Scene panel click + → Add Child Node. Search for TileMap and select it. The node will appear in the scene tree.

3. Create and configure a TileSet

Select the newly added TileMap node, then click the TileSet property and choose New TileSet. The TileSet editor opens.

1. Click Import and browse to your tileset image (for example res://assets/tileset.png).
2. In the TileSet editor, select a single cell and set its Size to 64 × 64 pixels. This custom cell size must match the dimensions of the sprites in your image; otherwise tiles will appear misaligned or partially off‑screen.
3. Enable the Snap to grid checkbox. This forces the editor to align painted tiles to the defined cell boundaries.

4. Populate the TileMap

Switch to the Paint tool (the brush icon) in the TileMap inspector. Choose a layer (e.g., “Terrain”) and start painting. You can create additional layers such as “Obstacles” or “Decorations” to keep the map organized.

5. Verify visual alignment

Press F5 to run the scene. Observe that every painted tile snaps to the 64 × 64 grid. Look for any gaps or overlaps; the visual check is the first verification.

Open the Debugger → Scene tab, select the TileMap node, and confirm that the Cell Size property displays 64, 64. If the value differs, the TileSet configuration was not applied correctly.

6. Check for runtime warnings

While the scene is running, watch the console. Warnings such as Invalid tile coordinates indicate that the cell size in the TileSet does not match the actual sprite dimensions. Resolve the mismatch by adjusting the cell size or re‑importing the tileset.

7. Performance verification

Enable Debug → Visible Collision Shapes to see collision polygons for each tile. Play the scene again and monitor the frame rate. A stable rate of at least 30 FPS with many tiles indicates acceptable performance. If the frame rate drops, consider:

• Reducing the cell size to decrease the number of individual tiles.
• Using instanced scenes for repetitive tiles (Godot 4 supports instancing via TileMapLayerInstance).
• Limiting the visible portion of the map (e.g., via a camera that only renders a subset).

8. Export considerations

When exporting to mobile, open Project → Export, select the target platform, and verify that the Cell Size field in the export preset matches the value used in the TileSet. Failure to do so can cause rendering glitches on devices with different screen densities.

Expected Checks and Recovery

Visual and console verification

After configuration, the primary checks are:

• All tiles align to the grid without gaps or overlaps.
• No “Invalid tile coordinates” warnings appear in the console.
• The TileMap’s Cell Size property matches the 64 × 64 setting.

Recovery options

If you discover that the cell size is incorrect after the map has been painted, you can:

• Edit the TileSet again and re‑paint the affected cells, or
• Revert the TileMap node to a previous version using your project’s version control system (e.g., git checkout) or a local backup of the .tscn file.

Since the procedure only modifies project assets, there is no runtime state to roll back; the safest recovery is to restore the edited files from source control or a backup.

Summary

Creating a custom‑size 2D TileMap in Godot 4.x involves setting the project to GLES3, defining a TileSet with a cell size that matches your sprite dimensions, enabling snap‑to‑grid, painting tiles on organized layers, and verifying both visual alignment and performance. By checking the debugger’s Cell Size property and monitoring the console for warnings, you can ensure the map behaves as intended before exporting.