GodotDelta

GodotDelta is a Godot-focused patching tool for Godot 4.x games.

It is designed for modding and patch workflows where you want to:

• build a small patch PCK from a Godot project
• apply that patch to a base game
• test changes in a sandbox without replacing the original game
• rebuild patches continuously during development

Why this instead of a generic delta patcher?

Generic delta patchers work on raw binary differences.

GodotDelta works at the Godot package level:

• understands .pck and embedded .exe inputs
• can auto-detect changed project files for patch creation
• can build runtime-oriented patch PCKs instead of full game rebuilds
• can create a sandbox copy for testing without touching the original game

In practice, this makes it more useful for Godot modding than a normal file delta tool.

Supported runtime

• Target games: Godot 4.x
• Godot 3.x base packs are currently rejected

Main workflows

1. Make a distribution patch

Build a patch PCK from a base game and a modified Godot project:

gddelta make-patch <base.pck|base.exe> <project_dir> <output.pck>

Example:

gddelta make-patch game.exe my_mod_project rom_battle_patch.pck

This command scans the project scope, detects changed inputs, and writes a patch PCK.

2. Apply a patch

Apply a patch directly into the base game:

gddelta apply <base.pck|base.exe> <patch.pck>

Or build a patched sandbox copy instead of overwriting the original:

gddelta apply <base.pck|base.exe> <patch.pck> <sandbox_dir>

Examples:

gddelta apply game.exe rom_battle_patch.pck
gddelta apply game.exe rom_battle_patch.pck output/dev-runtime

Rules:

• apply without sandbox_dir modifies the base game
• other dev/watch commands are intended to work through sandbox output

3. Dev build

Build a runnable sandbox from a base game and project directory:

gddelta dev-build <base.pck|base.exe> <project_dir> <sandbox_dir>

Example:

gddelta dev-build game.exe my_mod_project output/live-dev

4. Watch mode

Continuously rebuild a live patch and refresh the sandbox:

gddelta watch-dev-build-patch <base.pck|base.exe> <project_dir> <patch.pck> <sandbox_dir> [interval_ms]

Example:

gddelta watch-dev-build-patch game.exe my_mod_project output/live_patch.pck output/live-dev 500

Meaning:

• patch.pck: a live patch cache file that gets rebuilt repeatedly
• sandbox_dir: the runnable sandbox copy

GUI

Packaged builds include:

• gddelta(.exe): CLI
• GodotDelta(.exe/.x86_64): GUI
• default.gddeltainclude

You can start the GUI directly or from CLI:

gddelta ui

.gddeltainclude

make-patch uses .gddeltainclude from the modder project's root directory to limit project scanning.

Pattern rules:

• normal path or glob: include
• +path: force include
• !path: exclude

Both forms are accepted:

• UI/**
• res://UI/**

Example:

Room/**
Script/**
+addons/custom_runtime/**
!addons/unused/**

Important notes

• For non-embedded .exe inputs, GodotDelta tries to use a sibling .pck with the same stem.
• Watch/dev flows are for testing and iteration, not final distribution.
• apply is the command that intentionally replaces the original base when no sandbox directory is given.

Credits

• Some Godot pack and decompilation behavior was studied with reference to GDRETools.