---
order: 2
title: 3D Workflows
---

# 3D Workflows

3D in GDLink uses the same shape as everything else — a **listener** notices something, a **gate** decides whether it counts, an **executor** makes it happen — but the bricks target `Node3D`-based content: characters, cameras, vehicles, lights, and physics. Many bricks are shared with 2D; the ones below are the 3D specialists.

## Moving characters and objects

**[Motion3D](../reference/generated/executors/motion3d_executor.md)** is the 3D workhorse. It provides character physics with configurable gravity, jump force, fall acceleration, and multi-jump — tuned for platformers, first-person games, and physics-based movement.

**Move** — drive a `CharacterBody3D` forward while a key is held:

![Keyboard W set to While Held, through an AND gate, into a Motion3D Character-mode move executor](https://gdlink.solventech.ca/guide/assets/images/gdlink-assembly-move3d.png)

**Jump** — Motion3D handles gravity, jump force, and multi-jump:

![Keyboard Space set to On Press, through an AND gate, into a Motion3D jump executor](https://gdlink.solventech.ca/guide/assets/images/gdlink-assembly-jump3d.png)

**[Transform3D](../reference/generated/executors/transform3d_executor.md)** manipulates position, rotation, and scale directly — *Set* for instant changes, *Animate* for smooth transitions, driving several transform channels from one brick. It is also the canonical way to teleport in 3D (`operation = Set`, `loc_mode = Absolute`):

```
Collision(group=Teleporter) -> AND -> Transform3D(Set, loc=Absolute, target=ExitPad)
```

## Cameras

**[Camera](../reference/generated/executors/camera_executor.md)** controls switching, properties, and cinematic moves — cutscene and security cameras, death cams, FOV zoom, hit-feedback shake, and follow cams. Pair it with a listener to drive the cut:

```
Collision(group=DeathZone) -> AND -> Camera(switch=OverviewCam)
Near(target=Player, range=3) -> AND -> Camera(switch=SecurityCam_2)
```

## Vehicles and spring arms

**[Vehicle3D](../reference/generated/executors/vehicle3d_executor.md)** is one brick for land, air, and water travel — land mode uses Godot's `VehicleBody3D` + `VehicleWheel3D` stack, air and water use GDLink's `RigidBody3D` kernels — so a transforming vehicle stays on one logic surface without swapping scene nodes.

**[SpringArm3D](../reference/generated/executors/springarm3d_executor.md)** drives a `SpringArm3D` node's collision-aware length, automating third-person "zoom" via variable binding with a native smoothing kernel for catch-up movement.

## Lighting and materials

**[Light](../reference/generated/executors/light_executor.md)** is a compact gameplay control surface for `Light2D`/`Light3D` — flicker, switch, pulse — a convenience layer, not a full mirror of the Godot inspector. For surfaces, **[Material](../reference/generated/executors/material_executor.md)** targets the common `StandardMaterial3D` properties, while **[Advanced Material Shader](../reference/generated/executors/advanced_material_shader_executor.md)** sets *arbitrary* `ShaderMaterial` uniforms by name — terrain blending, scrolling lava/water UVs, time-of-day and weather state.

```
Timer(every=0.1s) -> AND -> Light(mode=Flicker, energy_range=0.6..1.0)
```

## Sensing the 3D world

3D logic leans on spatial listeners:

**[Collision](../reference/generated/listeners/collision_listener.md)** — damage, pickups, trigger zones, ground detection, with filtering by name, group, material, or property.
**[Near](../reference/generated/listeners/near_listener.md)** — a spherical radius for proximity triggers, AI awareness, and interaction range.
**[Ray](../reference/generated/listeners/ray_listener.md)** — a cast in a direction for ground checks, line-of-sight, wall avoidance, and targeting.
**[Radar](../reference/generated/listeners/radar_listener.md)** — a cone-shaped FOV for vision cones and security sweeps.
**[Gravity](../reference/generated/listeners/gravity_listener.md)** — reacts to gravity state for zero-G animation and wall-walking.

```
Ray(direction=Down, length=1.2) -> AND -> Motion3D(set_grounded=true)
Radar(fov=60, range=12, filter=Player) -> AND -> State(add=alerted)
```

## Putting it together — a 3D character

```
Keyboard(WASD, While Held)   -> AND -> Motion3D(move, Character mode)
Keyboard(Space, On Press)    -> AND -> Motion3D(jump)
Ray(Down, 1.2)               -> AND -> Animation(name=land)
Mouse(delta)                 -> AND -> SpringArm3D(orbit)  -> Camera(follow=Player)
```

Input drives motion, a downward ray confirms grounding, the mouse orbits a collision-aware spring arm, and the camera follows — every link visible in the graph.

## Where to go next

- The full [Logic Reference](../reference/index.md) for every 3D brick
- [Core Concepts → States](../concepts/states.md) for state-driven 3D animation
- The **XR** guide for headset projects, and **Debugging** for proving 3D graphs