Learning C# by Developing Games with Unity 2020 - Fifth Edition

By : Harrison Ferrone

Learning C# by Developing Games with Unity 2020 - Fifth Edition

By: Harrison Ferrone

Overview of this book

Over the years, the Learning C# by Developing Games with Unity series has established itself as a popular choice for getting up to speed with C#, a powerful and versatile programming language that can be applied in a wide array of application areas. This book presents a clear path for learning C# programming from the ground up without complex jargon or unclear programming logic, all while building a simple game with Unity. This fifth edition has been updated to introduce modern C# features with the latest version of the Unity game engine, and a new chapter has been added on intermediate collection types. Starting with the basics of software programming and the C# language, you’ll learn the core concepts of programming in C#, including variables, classes, and object-oriented programming. Once you’ve got to grips with C# programming, you’ll enter the world of Unity game development and discover how you can create C# scripts for simple game mechanics. Throughout the book, you’ll gain hands-on experience with programming best practices to help you take your Unity and C# skills to the next level. By the end of this book, you’ll be able to leverage the C# language to build your own real-world Unity game development projects.

Preface

Who this book is for

What this book covers

To get the most out of this book

Download the example code files

Download the color images

Conventions used

Get in touch

Reviews

Getting to Know Your Environment

Technical requirements

Getting started with Unity 2020

Using macOS

Creating a new project

Navigating the editor

Using C# with Unity

Working with C# scripts

Introducing the Visual Studio editor

Time for action – opening a C# file

Beware of naming mismatches

Syncing C# files

Exploring the documentation

Accessing Unity's documentation

Time for action – opening the Reference Manual

Time for action – using the Scripting Reference

Locating C# resources

Time for action – looking up a C# class

Summary

Pop quiz – dealing with scripts

Free Chapter

The Building Blocks of Programming

Defining variables

Names are important

Variables act as placeholders

Time for action – creating a variable

Time for action – changing a variable's value

Understanding methods

Methods drive actions

Methods are placeholders too

Time for action – creating a simple method

Introducing classes

A common Unity class

Classes are blueprints

Working with comments

Practical backslashes

Multi-line comments

Time for action – adding comments

Putting the building blocks together

Scripts become components

A helping hand from MonoBehavior

Hero's trial – MonoBehavior in the Scripting API

Communication among classes

Summary

Pop quiz – C# building blocks

Diving into Variables, Types, and Methods

Writing proper C#

Debugging your code

Declaring variables

Type and value declarations

Type-only declarations

Using access modifiers

Choosing a security level

Time for action – making a variable private

Working with types

Common built-in types

Time for action – playing with different types

Time for action – creating interpolated strings

Type conversions

Inferred declarations

Understanding variable scope

Introducing operators

Arithmetic and assignments

Time for action – executing incorrect type operations

Defining methods

Basic syntax

Modifiers and parameters

Time for action – defining a simple method

Naming conventions

Methods are logic detours

Specifying parameters

Time for action – adding method parameters

Specifying return values

Time for action – adding a return type

Using return values

Time for action – capturing return values

Hero's trial – methods as arguments

Dissecting common Unity methods

The Start method

The Update method

Summary

Pop quiz – variables and methods

Control Flow and Collection Types

Selection statements

The if-else statement

Basic syntax

Time for action – thieving prospects

Using the NOT operator

Nesting statements

Evaluating multiple conditions

Time for action – reaching the treasure

The switch statement

Basic syntax

Pattern matching

Time for action – choosing an action

Fall-through cases

Time for action – rolling the dice

Pop quiz 1 – if, and, or but

Collections at a glance

Arrays

Basic syntax

Indexing and subscripts

Range exceptions

Lists

Basic syntax

Time for action – party members

Common methods

Dictionaries

Basic syntax

Time for action – setting up an inventory

Working with dictionary pairs

Pop quiz 2 – all about collections

Iteration statements

For loops

Time for action – finding an element

foreach loops

Looping through key-value pairs

Hero's trial – finding affordable items

while loops

Time for action – tracking player lives

To infinity and beyond

Summary

Working with Classes, Structs, and OOP

Defining a class

Basic syntax

Time for action – creating a character class

Instantiating class objects

Time for action – creating a new character

Adding class fields

Time for action – fleshing out character details

Using constructors

Time for action – specifying starting properties

Declaring class methods

Time for action – printing out character data

Declaring structs

Basic syntax

Time for action – creating a weapon struct

Understanding reference and value types

Reference types

Time for action – creating a new hero

Value types

Time for action – copying weapons

Integrating the object-oriented mindset

Encapsulation

Time for action – adding a reset

Inheritance

Base constructors

Time for action – calling a base constructor

Composition

Polymorphism

Time for action – functional variations

OOP roundup

Applying OOP in Unity

Objects are a class act

Accessing components

Basic syntax

Time for action – accessing the current transform component

Time for action – finding components on different objects

Drag and drop

Time for action – assigning variables in Unity

Summary

Pop quiz – all things OOP

Getting Your Hands Dirty with Unity

A game design primer

Game design documents

The Hero Born one-page

Building a level

Creating primitives

Time for action – creating a ground plane

Thinking in 3D

Materials

Time for action – changing the ground color

White-boxing

Editor tools

Hero's trial – putting up drywall

Keeping the hierarchy clean

Time for action – using empty objects

Working with prefabs

Time for action – creating a turret

Time for action – updating the prefab

Time for action – finishing the level

Hero's trial – creating a health pickup

Lighting basics

Creating lights

Light component properties

Animating in Unity

Creating clips

Time for action – creating a new clip

Recording keyframes

Time for action – spinning animation

Curves and tangents

Time for action – smoothing the spin

The particle system

Time for action – adding sparkle effects

Summary

Pop quiz – basic Unity features

Movement, Camera Controls, and Collisions

Moving the player

Player setup

Time for action – creating the player capsule

Understanding vectors

Getting player input

Time for action – player locomotion

Adding a following Camera

Time for action – scripting camera behavior

Working with Unity physics

Rigidbody components in motion

Time for action – accessing the Rigidbody component

Time for action – moving the Rigidbody component

Colliders and collisions

Time for action – picking up an item

Using Collider triggers

Time for action – creating an enemy

Time for action – capturing trigger events

Hero's trial – all the prefabs!

Physics roundup

Summary

Pop quiz – player controls and physics

Scripting Game Mechanics

Adding jumps

Introducing enumerations

Underlying types

Time for action – pressing the spacebar to jump!

Working with layer masks

Time for action – setting object layers

Time for action – one jump at a time

Shooting projectiles

Instantiating objects

Time for action – creating a projectile prefab

Time for action – adding the shooting mechanic

Managing GameObject buildup

Time for action – destroying bullets

Creating a game manager

Tracking player properties

Time for action – creating a game manager

The get and set properties

Time for action – adding backing variables

Time for action – updating item collection

Adding player polish

Graphical UI

Time for action – adding UI elements

Win and loss conditions

Time for action – winning the game

Using directives and namespaces

Time for action – pausing and restarting

Summary

Pop quiz – working with mechanics

Basic AI and Enemy Behavior

Navigating in Unity

Navigation components

Time for action – setting up the NavMesh

Time for action – setting up enemy agents

Moving enemy agents

Procedural programming

Time for action – referencing the patrol locations

Time for action – moving the enemy

Time for action – patrolling continuously between locations

Enemy game mechanics

Seek and destroy

Time for action – changing the agent's destination

Time for action – lowering player health

Time for action – detecting bullet collisions

Time for action – updating the game manager

Refactoring and keeping it DRY

Time for action – creating a restart method

Hero's trial – refactoring win/lose logic

Summary

Pop quiz – AI and navigation

Revisiting Types, Methods, and Classes

Access Modifier redux

Constant and read-only properties

Using the static keyword

Time for action – creating a static class

Methods redux

Overloading methods

Time for action – overloading the level restart

Ref parameters

Time for action – tracking player restarts

Out parameters

OOP redux

Interfaces

Time for action – creating a manager interface

Time for action – adopting an interface

Abstract classes

Class extensions

Time for action – extending the string class

Time for action – using an extension method

Namespace redux

Type aliasing

Summary

Pop quiz – leveling up

Introducing Stacks, Queues, and HashSets

Introducing stacks

Basic syntax

Time for action – storing collected items

Popping and peeking

Time for action – the last item collected

Common methods

Working with queues

Basic syntax

Adding, removing, and peeking

Common methods

Using HashSets

Basic syntax

Performing operations

Summary

Pop quiz – intermediate collections

Exploring Generics, Delegates, and Beyond

Introducing generics

Generic objects

Time for action – creating a generic collection

Generic methods

Time for action – adding a generic item

Constraining type parameters

Time for action – limiting generic elements

Delegating actions

Basic syntax

Time for action – creating a debug delegate

Delegates as parameter types

Time for action – using a delegate argument

Firing events

Basic syntax

Time for action – creating an event

Handling event subscriptions

Time for action – subscribing to an event

Handling exceptions

Throwing exceptions

Time for action – checking negative scene indexes

Using try-catch

Time for action – catching restart errors

Design pattern primer

Common game patterns

Summary

Pop quiz – intermediate C#

The Journey Continues

Scratching the surface

Remembering your object-oriented programming

Approaching Unity projects

Unity features we didn't cover

Hero's trial – putting something out into the world

Summary

Pop Quiz Answers

Chapter 1 – Getting to Know Your Environment

Pop quiz – dealing with scripts

Chapter 2 – The Building Blocks of Programming

Pop quiz – C# building blocks

Chapter 3 – Diving into Variables, Types, and Methods

Pop quiz #1 – variables and types

Pop quiz #2 – understanding methods

Chapter 4 – Using Collections and Controlling Your Code

Pop quiz #1 – if, and, or but

Pop quiz #2 – all about collections

Chapter 5 – Working with Classes, Structs, and OOP

Pop quiz – all things OOP

Chapter 6 – Getting Your Hands Dirty with Unity

Pop quiz – basic Unity features

Chapter 7 – Movement, Camera Controls, and Collisions

Pop quiz – player controls and physics

Chapter 8 – Scripting Game Mechanics

Pop quiz – working with mechanics

Chapter 9 – Basic AI and Enemy Behavior

Pop quiz – AI and navigation

Chapter 10 – Revisiting Types, Methods, and Classes

Pop quiz – leveling up

Chapter 11 – Introducing Stacks, Queues, and HashSets

Pop quiz – intermediate collections

Chapter 12 – Exploring Generics, Delegates, and Beyond

Pop quiz – intermediate C#

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To get the most out of this book

The only thing you need to get the most from your upcoming C# and Unity adventure is a curious mind and a willingness to learn. Having said that, doing all the Time for Action, Heroes Trial, and Quiz sections is a must if you hope to cement the knowledge you're learning. Lastly, revisiting topics and entire chapters to refresh or solidify your understanding before moving on is always a good idea. There is no sense in building a house on an unstable foundation.

You'll also need a current version of Unity installed on your computer – 2020 or later is recommended. All code examples have been tested with Unity 2020.1 and should work with future versions without issues.

Software/hardware covered in the book

Unity 2020.1 or later

Visual Studio 2019 or later

C# 8.0 or later

Before starting, check that your computer setup meets the Unity system requirements at https://docs.unity3d.com/2019.1/Documentation/Manual/system-requirements.html. These are for Unity 2019 but hold true for 2020 and above.

Learning C# by Developing Games with Unity 2020 - Fifth Edition

By : Harrison Ferrone

Learning C# by Developing Games with Unity 2020 - Fifth Edition

By: Harrison Ferrone

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