How to make a 3d character controller in unity

In this article, we will walk you through the steps of creating a 3D character controller in Unity.

Understanding the Basics of Character Controllers in Unity

A character controller is a script that allows your character to move and interact with their environment. It handles things like movement, jumping, attacking, and collisions. In Unity, there are several types of character controllers available, including 2D and 3D controllers. In this article, we will focus on creating a 3D character controller.

Setting Up Your Environment

Before we dive into the coding, let’s first set up our environment. We will be using a simple 3D scene with a character and some obstacles. You can create your own scene or use one of the pre-made templates available in Unity.

Creating the Character Controller Script

Now that we have our environment set up, it’s time to create the character controller script. To do this, we will be using C, which is the most commonly used programming language in Unity. If you are new to C, don’t worry – we will provide you with a step-by-step guide to help you get started.

Step 1: Create a New Script

The first step is to create a new script in Unity. To do this, go to the “Assets” menu at the top of your screen and select “Create.” Then, select “C Script” from the drop-down menu. A new script will appear in the Project window.

Step 2: Add Required Imports

Next, we need to add the necessary imports to our script. These imports include things like UnityEngine, which is the main namespace for Unity, and Rigidbody, which is used to control the movement of objects in our scene. To add an import, simply type it out in your script and press “Ctrl + Space” to autocomplete it.

Step 3: Create a New Rigidbody Component

Now that we have our script set up, we need to create a new Rigidbody component for our character. To do this, select the character object in your scene and go to the “Inspector” window on the right side of your screen. In the “Components” section, click the “+” button and select “Rigidbody.” A new Rigidbody component will be added to your character object.

Step 4: Assign the Script to the Character Object

Next, we need to assign our script to the character object in our scene. To do this, go back to the “Inspector” window and click on the character object. In the “Scripts” section, click the “+” button and select our script from the list of available scripts. Our script is now assigned to the character object.

Step 5: Write the Character Controller Code

csharp
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using UnityEngine;
public class CharacterController : MonoBehaviour
{
public float moveSpeed = 5f; // movement speed of the character
public float jumpForce = 10f; // force applied when jumping
public Transform groundCheck; // transform of the ground check object
public LayerMask groundLayer; // layer mask for ground objects

private Rigidbody rb; // reference to the rigidbody component
private bool isGrounded; // flag to check if the character is on the ground

void Start()
{
    rb = GetComponent<Rigidbody>();
}

void Update()
{
    float horizontalInput = Input.GetAxisRaw("Horizontal");
    Vector3 movementDirection = new Vector3(horizontalInput, 0f, 0f);
    rb.velocity = movementDirection * moveSpeed;

    isGrounded = Physics.OverlapCircle(groundCheck.position, 0.1f, groundLayer);
    if (isGrounded)
    {
        if (Input.GetButtonDown("Jump"))
        {
            rb.AddForce(new Vector3(0f, jumpForce, 0f), ForceMode.Impulse);
        }
    }
}

}

Step 6: Add a Ground Check Object

Finally, we need to add a ground check object to our scene. This object will be used to detect whether the character is on the ground or not. To do this, go to the “Assets” menu and select “GameObject.” Then, create a new cube object and name it “Ground Check.” Position the cube so that it is touching the ground in your scene.

Conclusion

In this article, we have walked you through the steps of creating a 3D character controller in Unity.