Unity 3D Game Development by Example

Name: Unity 3D Game Development by Example
Rating: 4.5 (2 reviews)

Learn how Unity3D “Thinks” by understanding Unity’s UI and project structure to start building fun games in Unity 3D.

Created byPackt Publishing

Last updated 11/2014

English

What you'll learn

Understand the basic project structure and the other core elements of a Unity Game
Find out what it takes to build a “Scene” – a Unity3D game level
Jump into Unity Scripting as you learn to implement basic Interactivity
Discover the secrets of game audio (3D sounds and Music) in Unity3D
Master the Unity3D GUI and GUISkin system to create your own UI
Forge links between scenes to turn disparate levels into a cohesive game
Create High Score Lists and other user retention systems using Unity3D
Transform your PC or Mac game into an Android game using Unity3D’s multi-platform capabilities and Unity3D Pro for Android.

Course content

8 sections • 38 lectures • 2h 24m total length

Understanding Unity UI4:15
Create your own games quickly and cheaply. Learn Unity's basic controls to begin the work of making games.
Unity3D Project Structure2:33
Organize your game project to effectively manage your game's assets. Learn the structure of a typical Unity Project.
Game Objects and Components2:38
Create game levels and the objects in them. Learn to create Unity3D GameObjects, the basic building blocks of Unity3D Scenes and Game Levels.
Introducing Monodevelop3:57
Create your own game behaviours and game interactivity. Familiarize yourself with Monodevelop, the C# and Javascript Integrated Development Environment used to code in Unity3D.
Creating Your First Component2:56
Create the first custom element of your game. Turn a few blank objects into something specific to this game by building your own Unity3D game components in C#.
Pro-Tips: Understanding a Monobehaviour3:57
Your game object is completely static. Extend your Component's Monobehaviour to perform some basic animation, through C# and Monodevelop.

Creating and Loading Scenes2:56
Create the specific levels your game will need. Create a new scene for your main menu UI, save it and add it to the game's build settings so it officially becomes part of your game.
Building and Manipulating GameObjects1:55
Your game has no visual elements. Build GameObjects you can see in a game by using several existing 3D assets to build 4 Reactor Core GameObjects.
Using Components in GameObjects3:01
Your custom behaviours aren't connected to in-game objects. Take your inert GameObjects and combine them with code you wrote earlier to bring your GameObjects to life.
Building and Using Prefabs3:13
You need to rapidly repeat work you have already done. Learn to use Prefabs to create perfect copies of your work.
Working with the Unity Camera2:32
Your level isn't positioned properly when the game plays. Take your in-game camera and position and tweak it for optimal game view.

Component Basics4:22
You need to implement basic interactivity into your game object. Leverage the built in event methods of your basic Monobehavior to build an interactive state machine in your GameObject.
Built-in Components3:52
Add complex functionalities such as physics or new input types to your game. Use built-in components of Unity or free assets found in the Asset Store to prevent having to do the work yourself.
Trapping Player Input2:04
You want to detect when a player clicks on an object in your scene. Learn to use the Mesh Collider and the events it enables to detect mouse button presses in your game objects.
Communicating Between Game Objects4:59
You want to create an object that will oversee and control over objects in your screen. Learn to communicate between game objects by linking objects together.
Researching Messaging Systems3:07
Your level isn't positioned properly when the game plays. Take your in-game camera and position and tweak it for optimal game view.

Unity Audio Basics4:34
You need to implement audio into your game. Learn about the built-in Unity Audio Engine and Import Audio Assets into Unity to bring audio to your game.
Building and Playing Game Music1:54
You want looping background music in your game level. Build a MusicPlayer game object to use your looping audio clip and play back audio in game.
Controlling Audio Sources2:32
You want sounds to play when a player clicks on an object. Use your existing C# scripts and an AudioSource you add to your game object to make your object sing.
Setting Volume and Controlling Music Playback3:09
You want players to be able to turn the volume up or down and stop or start music playback. Learn to use the AudioListener class in script to control volume and learn to stop playback on AudioSources.
Pro-Tips: Saving Player Preferences2:51
You want your game to remember the player's preferences between game sessions. Use .net's XML functions to save and load a preferences file.

Unity GUI Basics4:25
Learn how to use the OnGUI() method and Unity's GUI class to create in-game UI in Unity's built in system. You want to put GUI in your game. Use Unity's built in GUI support to quickly produce UI.
Skinning Your GUI9:27
Unity's GUI looks nothing like your game. Use a GUISkin and GUIStyles to create a custom look for your UI.
GameExperience as UI5:01
Your UI and your game seem separate from each other. Learn to create UI feedback within the game itself, to back up your GUI displays.
Score and Time Displays3:58
Your game needs to track score and time and display it to the user. Use CoRoutines and the GUI system to keep score and track time.
Pro-Tips: Pausing and Ending a Round4:17
Player's can't pause your game and your game round doesn't end when your timer counts down.Use Time.timeScale and player input to end a round or pause and resume the game.

Building a Title Page3:48
When your game runs there's no way to identify who made it. Use your knowledge of Unity's GUI to build a splash page that appears at game load.
Building the Main Menu3:40
You need to build an interactive menu so players can either play a round of your game or quit the application. Use your existing GUISkin and FrontEndManager to create an interactive main menu.
Pro-Tips: Create a Pause Menu Reusing your Work2:54
When players pause your game there is no UI indicator the game is paused, but you don't have time to make new UI art. Leverage your existing GUISkin and GUI no how to create a pause menu using only code.

Tracking Player Score in your Game5:55
Players have no way to compare scores or boast of their accomplishments. Use your knowledge of saving and loading preferences to build a High Scores list file for your game.
Building the High Scores List UI1:39
Now that high scores are being saved, players need a way to enter their initials and post scores after a round. Use your knowledge of Unity's GUI system to build an "End of round" screen that includes a high scores display.
Displaying High Scores from the Main Menu4:59
Players can only see the high scores list at the end of a round. Build a high scores GUI mode into the main menu.
Pro-Tips: Building your Finished Game3:32
Your game is done, but the only way to play it is from within Unity. Learn how to build a stand alone executable for the PC (or the Mac) that you can distribute to players.

Converting Score into Combo Scoring4:31
The game uses a flat scoring system that offers no real way for a player to "be better" than someone else. Introduce bonus multipliers with a combo scoring system.
The Unity Community2:55
Now that you know how to make a game, where do you go from here? How do you find more help? Access the Unity Answers site for technical questions, the Unify Script Wiki for free code and the Unity Forums for moral support.
Unity3D Pro3:53
Unity's free version is difficult to use to fix memory leaks or optimize your game. Use your free 30 day Unity Pro Trial and the features it unlocks such as the Profiler to optimize and fix your game.
Porting to Android6:21
You want to release your game on mobile platforms. Using Unity3D Pro and the Android license, easily port your game to android with almost no extra work.
Publishing Your Android Game6:27
Your game is done and you need to publish it for android OS customers.Using the Android SDK and Unity3D Pro with the android license, build a properly signed build for upload to the Google Play market.

Requirements

The video course takes a clear, step-by-step approach to building a game in Unity. It focuses on short, attainable tasks that the reader can finish making this the fastest path from zero to finished game using the Unity 3D engine.

Description

Unity3D by example will arm you with the basic skills needed to take your beginner level programming skills and transform yourself into a full-fledged game developer capable of making games on the web, PC, Mac, iPhone or Android, using Unity3D and the C# language.

With Unity3D by Example, you will go from beginning as a C# programmer to a published, multi-platform game developer with a course of a few hours.

Along the way, you’ll learn a lot about the multi-platform game engine Unity3D, starting with simply understanding how it works and building on that knowledge with each segment until you know everything there is to know about basic game building. It doesn’t stop there. Along the way you’ll also learn a little bit about game AI, game publishing and even learn how to become a part of the Unity 3D Community itself.

Where you go from there is up to you, but with Unity3D by Example, you will be armed with the knowledge of the pros and the skills you need to be your own game publisher!

About the Author

Adam Maxwell is the Co-Founder of Skyward* Corp., a premier provider of game development services with a focus on providing quality game design and Unity based development expertise. Skyward is also an independent game developer in its own right, developing mobile game for Android and iOS using the Unity3D platform. Prior to forming Skyward with his business partners, Mr. Maxwell has lead a storied career in the industry, working as a game designer, producer or developer for companies such as Blizzard Entertainment, Activision, Microsoft, Gazillion Entertainment and Trion Worlds. He has shipped over a dozen games in his career, including games in the popular Warcraft, Diablo and Starcraft Franchises and the MMO’s Auto Assault and Rift. In the 17 years that Mr. Maxwell has been a part of the video games industry, he is most proud of the work he has done building teams and introducing new game designers to the adventure of game development.

Who this course is for:

Are you just learning how to program? New to C# and looking for ways to build on what you know? Have you always wanted to make a game, but didn’t have the time for the low-level nuts and bolts of rolling your own engine? Maybe you’ve just heard the buzz about Unity3D and you want to learn what it’s all about. If any of this sounds like you, Unity3D by Example is exactly what you’re looking for!

Unity 3D Game Development by Example

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Learn how Unity Thinks6 lectures • 20min

Building a Scene5 lectures • 14min

Scripting Interactivity5 lectures • 18min

Sound and Music5 lectures • 15min

Building UI5 lectures • 27min

Title Screens and Menus3 lectures • 10min

Taking it Further: High Score (Saving and Loading)4 lectures • 16min

Taking It Further - Where to go from here5 lectures • 24min

Requirements

Description

About the Author

Who this course is for: