Unity Basics Course: Basic Movement Speed

Unity is one of the most popular game engines today, offering various features for 2D and 3D game development. In this tutorial, we will learn step-by-step how to set the basic movement speed in Unity. Movement speed is a crucial factor that determines the behavior of player characters or NPCs, and it can greatly influence the overall experience of the game.

1. Introduction to Unity

Since its first release in 2005, Unity has been loved by countless developers around the world. Unity has the capability to deploy games across various platforms, including mobile, PC, and consoles. Its advantages include visual scripting, easy UI, and a powerful physics engine.

2. Setting Up the Basic Project

First, we will install Unity and start a new project. After setting up the project, we will be ready to move on to the next step.

2.1 Creating a New Project

1. Open Unity Hub and click the New Project button.
2. Enter a project name and select a location to save it.
3. Select 3D or 2D as the template.
4. Click the Create button to create the project.

2.2 Configuring the Scene

Once the project is created, it’s time to configure the basic scene. By default, Unity provides a basic scene. We will set up the game environment by adding a camera and objects to this scene.

3. Writing the Movement Script

We will write a script to control the movement of the player character in Unity. The movement script will be written in C# and will allow us to set the character’s speed.

3.1 Creating a C# Script

1. Right-click in the project panel and select Create > C# Script.
2. Name the script PlayerMovement.
3. Double-click the script to open it in Visual Studio or another code editor.

3.2 Writing the Script Code

using UnityEngine;

public class PlayerMovement : MonoBehaviour
{
    public float moveSpeed = 5f; // Default movement speed
    
    void Update()
    {
        Move();
    }

    void Move()
    {
        float horizontalInput = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");
        float verticalInput = Input.GetAxis("Vertical");
        
        Vector3 moveDirection = new Vector3(horizontalInput, 0, verticalInput).normalized;
        transform.position += moveDirection * moveSpeed * Time.deltaTime;
    }
}

The code above represents the basic structure of the PlayerMovement class. The moveSpeed variable allows you to adjust the character’s movement speed, and the Update method calls the movement function to handle input every frame. The Move method uses Input.GetAxis to retrieve horizontal and vertical input and calculates the movement direction.

4. Applying the Script

You need to apply the script to the game object to allow the character to move in the game.

4.1 Creating a Character Object

1. Select Create > 3D Object > Cube in the Hierarchy panel to create a cube object.
2. Rename the cube to Player.

4.2 Adding the Script Component

1. Select the Player object and click the Add Component button.
2. Search for PlayerMovement and add it.

5. Adjusting Movement Speed

The movement speed can be adjusted through the script. Find the PlayerMovement component in the Inspector panel and change the moveSpeed value. The default is set to 5, but feel free to adjust the value as needed.

6. Running and Testing the Game

Now that everything is set up, run the game to see the character move in action. Click the Play button at the top of the Unity Editor to enter play mode. You can use WASD or the arrow keys to move the character.

7. Additional Movement Speed Adjustments

There are some additional adjustments you can make to the player’s movement speed. This allows you to test various aspects of the game and make changes as needed.

7.1 Setting the Range of Movement Speed

If the movement speed is too fast or too slow, it can negatively impact the overall gameplay experience. To prevent this, you should consider an appropriate range when setting the movement speed. The following method can be applied to control the range of movement speed:

public float minSpeed = 1f;
public float maxSpeed = 10f;

void Update()
{
    moveSpeed = Mathf.Clamp(moveSpeed, minSpeed, maxSpeed);
    Move();
}

7.2 Adding Animation

Adding animations to the player’s movement can create a more realistic game. You can set up various actions such as walking, running, and jumping using an animation controller to express the character’s behavior.

8. Troubleshooting and Debugging

To troubleshoot issues related to movement speed, you can use the following debugging techniques:

• Use console logs to check if the movement speed is being applied correctly.
• Ensure the variable values are functioning as intended.
• Monitor values in real time using Unity’s debug screen.

9. Conclusion

In this tutorial, we learned how to set the basic movement speed in Unity. Understanding and utilizing Unity’s movement features is crucial since they are a core aspect of the game. After building a basic movement system, you can add various functionalities to create your own game. I hope you explore many features of Unity and grow as a better game developer.