Unity Basics Course: Recognizing Input Signals as Numeric

In modern game development, user input is a crucial element that determines the interactivity and immersion of the game. Recognizing input signals as numerical values is one of the key techniques to implement these elements effectively. In this course, we will explain in detail how to recognize input signals as numerical values using Unity. This course covers concepts from basic to advanced levels and will help readers understand the theory easily through practical examples.

1. Overview of the Unity Input System

Unity provides two main systems, the ‘Input’ system and the ‘Input System Package’, to handle user input. These systems collect and analyze input generated from various devices such as mouse, keyboard, and touchscreen, utilizing it across various elements of the game.

1.1. Legacy Input System

The legacy Input system is Unity’s old input processing method, capable of handling simple key inputs, mouse movements, and button clicks. Users can process input through code like the one below.

if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.Space))
{
    Debug.Log("The space key has been pressed.");
}

1.2. Input System Package

The new Unity Input System Package provides more features and finer input processing. This package can be used from Unity version 2019.1 onward and has advantages such as complex input mapping and the ability to use multiple input devices simultaneously. Using this allows for more flexible construction of input processing logic in games.

2. Recognizing Input Signals as Numerical Values in Unity

Now, let’s delve into recognizing input signals as numerical values. The basic method for converting input signals into numerical values involves detecting user input and representing it numerically. We’ll explain this process with simple steps.

2.1. Project Setup

First, you need to create and set up a Unity project. Create a new 2D or 3D project through Unity Hub. Then, install and prepare the necessary packages.

2.2. Writing Scripts

We will write scripts to analyze the input signals and convert them into numerical values. A function will be written in the C# script to detect input and recognize basic keyboard inputs as numerical values.

using UnityEngine;

public class InputManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    void Update()
    {
        float horizontalInput = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");
        float verticalInput = Input.GetAxis("Vertical");
        Debug.Log("Horizontal Input: " + horizontalInput);
        Debug.Log("Vertical Input: " + verticalInput);
    }
}

2.3. Interpreting Input Values

Using Unity’s Input.GetAxis function allows you to obtain numerical input based on axis directions. This function returns values between -1 and 1, which represent the direction the user is inputting. For example, pressing the left key will yield -1, while pressing the right key will yield +1. These values can be used to control the movement of the game character.

3. Utilizing Input Values

The input numerical values can be utilized in various ways within the game. For example, they can be applied to the movement of a game character or reflected in UI elements.

3.1. Character Movement

Let’s look at a simple example of moving a character using input numerical values. The code below demonstrates how to move a character based on the input values.

using UnityEngine;

public class PlayerMovement : MonoBehaviour
{
    public float speed = 5f;

    void Update()
    {
        float horizontalInput = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");
        float verticalInput = Input.GetAxis("Vertical");

        Vector3 movement = new Vector3(horizontalInput, 0, verticalInput);
        transform.Translate(movement * speed * Time.deltaTime);
    }
}

3.2. Reflecting in UI

There are also ways to adjust UI elements based on input values. Input values can be reflected in UI sliders or text elements to provide feedback to users within the game.

using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.UI;

public class UISliderControl : MonoBehaviour
{
    public Slider slider;

    void Update()
    {
        float horizontalInput = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");
        slider.value = horizontalInput; // Update slider value
    }
}

4. Conclusion

In this course, we learned how to recognize user input signals numerically in Unity. We explored how to use the input system to convert signals from keyboards, mouse, and other input devices into numerical values that can be utilized in various ways within the game. As a next step, it would be beneficial to implement more complex game logic using these input values to their fullest extent.

5. Reference Materials

• Unity Input Documentation
• Unity Input System Package
• Unity Learn

For more detailed information, please refer to the official documentation and various online learning resources. We hope that Unity helps you realize your ideas.