Godot How To Lock Transform Of An Object

Dianna Russini

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Apr 02, 2025

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Godot: How to Lock the Transform of an Object

Locking a node's transform in Godot prevents unintended modifications to its position, rotation, or scale. This is incredibly useful for various scenarios, from ensuring static elements remain fixed in your game world to simplifying complex animations and preventing accidental edits during development. This guide will cover several methods for achieving this, catering to different needs and coding styles.

Method 1: Disabling Node Editing (Editor Only)

The simplest approach is to disable editing for a specific node within the Godot editor. This method is ideal for preventing accidental changes during development, but it won't affect the runtime behavior of your game.

• Steps: Select the node you want to lock in the Scene dock. In the Inspector panel, locate the "Editable" checkbox and uncheck it. This will grey out the transform properties, preventing you from modifying them in the editor.

• Pros: Simple, quick, and effective for preventing accidental modifications during development.

• Cons: Doesn't affect the game's runtime; the transform can still be changed programmatically.

Method 2: Using a Script (Runtime Control)

For more dynamic control, particularly if you need to lock or unlock the transform during gameplay, scripting is necessary. This offers far greater flexibility. This example uses GDScript.

extends Node3D # Or Node2D depending on your object

export var lock_transform = false

func _physics_process(delta): # Or _process if not physics-related
	if lock_transform:
		# Reset any changes to the transform.  Choose appropriate properties.
		transform = original_transform

• Before Running: Add a variable to store the original transform. You'll do this in the _ready() function:

func _ready():
	original_transform = transform

• Explanation: This script checks the lock_transform variable. If it's true, it constantly resets the node's transform back to its original_transform. This effectively locks the position, rotation, and scale. You can toggle lock_transform from another script or through the Godot editor using an Export variable.

• Pros: Offers runtime control; allows locking and unlocking dynamically.

• Cons: Requires scripting; slightly more complex to implement.

Method 3: Using a Parent Node and its Transform (For Static Objects)

For static objects that should remain relative to a parent, you can leverage the parent node's transform. Changes to the parent will affect the child, but the child's local transform remains unchanged.

• Steps: Create a parent node and position your object as a child. Any transformations applied to the parent node will be inherited by the child, but the child's local transform will remain constant. This is useful for moving groups of objects together while keeping their relative positions intact.

• Pros: Simple, elegant solution for static objects; no scripting required.

• Cons: Doesn't allow for individual control over the object's transform; not suitable for dynamic locking/unlocking.

Choosing the Right Method

The best method depends on your specific needs:

• Editor-only locking: Use Method 1 for preventing accidental changes during development.
• Runtime control: Use Method 2 for dynamic locking and unlocking during gameplay.
• Static object positioning: Use Method 3 for keeping objects' relative positions while moving their parent.

Remember to adapt the provided scripts and methods to suit your specific game objects and requirements. Understanding these different techniques allows you to effectively manage and control the transforms of your Godot objects.