Legacy Documentation: Version 5.1
Building Scenes
The GameObject-Component Relationship

GameObjects

GameObjects are the most important objects in Unity. It is very important to understand what a GameObject is, and how it can be used. This page will explain all that for you.

What are GameObjects?

Every object in your game is a GameObject. However, GameObjects don’t do anything on their own. They need special properties before they can become a character, an environment, or a special effect. But every one of these objects does so many different things. If every object is a GameObject, how do we differentiate an interactive power-up object from a static room? What makes these GameObjects different from each other?

The answer to this question is that GameObjects are containers. They are empty boxes which can hold the different pieces that make up a lightmapped island or a physics-driven car. So to really understand GameObjects, you have to understand these pieces; they are called Components. Depending on what kind of object you want to create, you will add different combinations of Components to the GameObject. Think of a GameObject as an empty cooking pot, and Components as different ingredients that make up your recipe of gameplay. You can also make your own Components using Scripts.

You can read more about GameObjects, Components, and Scripts on the other pages in this section.

Building Scenes
The GameObject-Component Relationship