Welcome Unity developers! Today, we delve into the art of implementing third person movement in Unity 3D.
Understanding Third Person Movement
Third person movement refers to a camera perspective that follows the player’s character from behind, providing an immersive gaming experience. Implementing this movement smoothly is key to maintaining player engagement.
The Journey Begins: Script Creation
Start by creating a new script named ThirdPersonController. This script will control our character’s movement. In the Update() function, we’ll implement horizontal and vertical movements using Input and Rigidbody components.
csharp
void Update() {
float moveHorizontal = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");
float moveVertical = Input.GetAxis("Vertical");
Vector3 movement = new Vector3(moveHorizontal, 0f, moveVertical);
rigidbody.AddForce(movement * speed);
}
Rotating the Character
To ensure our character faces the direction of movement, we’ll use Quaternion.LookRotation(). This function rotates the character to face the desired direction.
csharp
void Update() {
// …
Vector3 targetDirection = rigidbody.velocity.normalized;
transform.rotation = Quaternion.LookRotation(targetDirection);
}
Smoothing the Movement
To make our character’s movement feel more natural, we can use a technique called “smooth damping”. This reduces jerky movements and creates a smoother experience.
csharp
void Update() {
// …
Vector3 velocity = (transform.position – previousPosition) / Time.deltaTime;
velocity = Vector3.SmoothDamp(velocity, targetDirection, ref velocitySmoothing, smoothTime);
rigidbody.AddForce(velocity * speed);
// …
}
Crafting a Seamless Experience
Remember, the key to a great third person movement system lies in its seamlessness. Experiment with different values for speed, smoothTime, and other variables to achieve the perfect balance between responsiveness and fluidity.