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Creating E-Learning Games with Unity

By : David Horachek
Book Image

Creating E-Learning Games with Unity

By: David Horachek

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Creating E-Learning Games with Unity
David Horachek
Mar, 2014 | 246 pages
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Table of Contents (17 chapters)
Creating E-Learning Games with Unity
Creating E-Learning Games with Unity
Credits
Credits
About the Author
About the Author
About the Reviewers
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Preface
Free Chapter
1
Introduction to E-Learning and the Three Cs of 3D Games
Introduction to E-Learning and the Three Cs of 3D Games
Understanding e-learning
Introducing our game – Geography Quest
Comprehending the three Cs
Creating our first scene
Developing the character system
Building character representation
Developing the camera code
Developing the player controls code
Try it out!
Summary
2
Interactive Objects and MissionMgr
Interactive Objects and MissionMgr
Understanding the base scripts
Building an interactive object
Putting it all together
Try it out!
Summary
3
Mission One – Find the Facts
Mission One – Find the Facts
Finding the facts
Designing games to maximize fun
The teaching loop in game design
Implementing the core classes for mission one
Summary
4
Mission One – Future Proofing the Code
Mission One – Future Proofing the Code
Reorganizing our GameObjects in the Scene view
An introduction to Finite State Machines
Implementing the GameMgr script
Reflecting on our code changes
Analyzing code functionality
Updating some systems
Making the ScorePlate active
Updating the player motion algorithm
Playing the level!
Summary
5
User Interfaces in Unity
User Interfaces in Unity
Getting familiar with Unity UI classes
Developing the pop-up system
Exploring the GUIText component
Exploring the GUITexture component
Exploring the TextMesh component
Creating clickable text elements
Exploring UnityScript and the GUIButton object
Building the main menu pop up
Testing our work
Future extensions
Summary
6
NPCs and Associated Technology
NPCs and Associated Technology
Creating the NPC GameObject
Implementing the SplineMgr class
Connecting SplineMgr to NPCScript
Implementing the NPC decision system
Building a collection of NPC conditions and responses
Putting it all together
Summary
7
Mission Two – Testing a Player's Learning
Mission Two – Testing a Player's Learning
Exploring the structure of mission two
Defining the framework for mission two
Adding a mission to the missionMgr script
Extending the GameCam script
Modifying the terrain
Adding NpcRacers to the mission
Creating the start and finish line flags
Creating the LevelStart and LevelFinished pop ups
Creating the setupLevel2 Prefab
Creating the raceStartup Prefab
Implementing the LevelLogicObj GameObject
Summary
8
Adding Animations
Adding Animations
Exploring 3D hierarchies
Skinned meshes in Unity3D
Exploring the Mechanim animation system
Exploring the Unity animation editor
Summary
9
Synthesis of Knowledge
Synthesis of Knowledge
Understanding the mission three GameObjects
Applying learning theory to mission three
Creating the structure for mission three
Modifying the pop-up system
Creating the NpcLocators Prefab
Creating the CorrectResponse Prefabs
Modifying the quiz cards
Adding another data condition
Using the setupLevel3 Prefab
Creating the AddScore condition
Creating the ShowLevel3Results response
Creating the Time object
Modifying the LevelLogicObj object
Rewarding the player
Summary
10
An Extensible Game Framework Pattern in Unity
An Extensible Game Framework Pattern in Unity
Load additively
Using delete/load patterns
Refactoring our work
Refactoring level 2
Implementing a system to connect object references
Refactoring level 3
Playing and distributing your game
Reflecting on e-learning and game design
Summary
Index
Index

Load additively

Recall from Chapter 4, Mission One – Future Proofing the Code, that Unity3D supports the development of games that span multiple scene files. One benefit of splitting a game up into multiple scene files is that we (as programmers) can assign different lifespans to objects based on the scene file they belong to.

The MAIN scene file is designed to not only be the entry point of our game, but it also contains the _global GameObject. This GameObject acts as the parent of a hierarchy of objects that have persistent scope throughout the game. The following GameObjects should have global scope:

  • MainCamera: This is the camera to which the scene will be rendered

  • Player1: This is the name of the GameObject that is the playable character or the hero of the game

  • Score: This is a GUIText element that displays the number of points the player has acquired so far

Every other GameObject will exist in one of the three scene files for the game—LEVEL1, LEVEL2, or LEVEL3. Using the Application.LoadLevelAdditive...

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