User Guide

This section of the Manual is focused on the features and functions of Unity. It discusses the interface, core Unity building blocks, asset workflow, and basic gameplay creation. By the time you are done reading the user guide, you will have a solid understanding of how to use Unity to put together an interactive scene and publish it.

We recommend that new users begin by reading the Unity Basics section.

• Unity Basics
  • Learning the Interface
    • Project Browser
    • Hierarchy
    • Toolbar
    • Scene View
    • Game View
    • Inspector
    • Other Views
  • Customizing Your Workspace
  • Asset Workflow
  • Creating Scenes
  • Publishing Builds
  • Tutorials
  • Unity Hotkeys
  • Preferences
• Building Scenes
  • GameObjects
    • The GameObject-Component Relationship
    • Using Components
    • The Component-Script Relationship
    • Deactivating GameObjects
  • Using the Inspector
    • Editing Value Properties
    • Assigning References
    • Multi-Object Editing
    • Inspector Options
  • Using the Scene View
    • Scene View Navigation
    • Positioning GameObjects
    • View Modes
    • Gizmo and Icon Display Controls
  • Searching
  • Prefabs
  • Lights
  • Cameras
  • Terrain Engine Guide
• Asset Import and Creation
  • Importing Assets
  • Meshes
    • 3D formats
  • Legacy animation system
  • Materials and Shaders
  • Texture 2D
  • Procedural Materials
  • Movie Texture
  • Audio Files
    • Tracker Modules
  • Using Scripts
  • Asset Store
  • Asset Server (Pro Only)
    • Cache Server (Team license only)
    • Cache Server FAQ
  • Behind the Scenes
• Creating Gameplay
  • Instantiating Prefabs at runtime
  • Input
  • Transforms
  • Physics
  • Adding Random Gameplay Elements
  • Particle Systems
    • Particle System Curve Editor
    • Colors and Gradients in the Particle System (Shuriken)
    • Gradient Editor
    • Particle System Inspector
    • Introduction to Particle System Modules (Shuriken)
    • Particle System Modules (Shuriken)
    • Particle Effects (Shuriken)
  • Mecanim Animation System
    • A Glossary of Animation and Mecanim terms
    • Asset Preparation and Import
      • Preparing your own character
      • Importing Animations
      • Splitting Animations
    • Working with humanoid animations
      • Creating the Avatar
      • Configuring the Avatar
      • Muscle setup
      • Avatar Body Mask
      • Retargeting of Humanoid animations
      • Inverse Kinematics (Pro only)
    • Generic Animations in Mecanim
    • Bringing Characters to Life
      • Looping animation clips
      • Animator Component and Animator Controller
      • Animation State Machines
        • Animation States
        • Animation Transitions
        • Animation Parameters
      • Blend Trees
      • Mecanim Advanced topics
        • Working with Animation Curves in Mecanim (Pro only)
        • Sub-State Machines
        • Animation Layers
        • Animation State Machine Preview (solo and mute)
        • Target Matching
        • Root Motion - how it works
          • Tutorial: Scripting Root Motion for "in-place" humanoid animations
  • Legacy animation system
    • Animation View Guide (Legacy)
    • Animation Scripting (Legacy)
  • Navmesh and Pathfinding (Pro only)
    • Navmesh Baking
  • Sound
  • Game Interface Elements
  • Networked Multiplayer

Page last updated: 2010-09-09