Unity Essentials: Install Unity

Open the Unity Essentials project

Explore the Editor Interface

Master 3D scene navigation

Pass the Scene view flying test

Design a mural in the Scene view

Editor Essentials: More things to try

Mission 1 Quiz

Unity Essentials: Editor Essentials Quiz

Explore a playground scene and design a mural to get comfortable with the Unity interface.

This tutorial series introduces you to the essential skills of navigating the Unity Editor.

You'll learn to navigate 3D space in a playground scene, using Flythrough mode and tools like Move and Rotate to design a mural.

Once you master these skills, you’ll have the foundation required for confidently creating in Unity.

Editor Essentials

Unity Essentials Pathway

Master the basics of Unity with the Unity Essentials Pathway. Perfect for beginners, this free learning journey introduces game development, 3D content creation, and Unity's core tools. Start building today!

Unity Essentials Pathway - Learn Game Development for Beginners | Unity Learn

Unity Essentials is the perfect place to start for beginners to Unity. No previous experience is necessary.

New to Unity? This guided learning Pathway includes everything you need to get started.

Designed for anyone new to Unity, this guided learning journey is your first step toward creating confidently in the Unity Editor and bringing your visions to life. In this learning Pathway, you’ll design different rooms of a house, learning the essentials of one key skillset as you complete each room.

Unity Essentials

Add furniture to the kid’s room

Make a bouncy ball

Make a tower of prefab blocks

Adjust the lights, background, and camera angle

3D Essentials: More things to try

Unity Essentials: 3D Essentials Quiz

Design a kid's bedroom with a bouncing ball and a tower of collapsing building blocks.

In this tutorial series, you'll explore Unity's capabilities by designing a kid's bedroom scene with dynamic elements like a bouncing ball and a tower of blocks. You'll learn new skills in 3D navigation, object customization, and using Unity's physics system. 

You’ll also create prefabs, adjust lighting, and capture your scene with a camera. 

This foundational knowledge is vital to creating any type of Unity project.

3D Essentials

Create an immersive soundscape

Audio Essentials: More things to try

Unity Essentials: Audio Essentials Quiz

Add immersive sound to a kitchen scene with a variety of different types of audio.

In this Audio Mission, you will learn the fundamentals of implementing different types of audio into Unity scenes. You’ll learn how to set the tone with background music, how to add realism with sound effects, and even how to implement spatial audio in a 3D scene.

Audio Essentials

Add a movement script

Create a rotating collectible

Collect the collectible

Programming Essentials: More things to try

Unity Essentials: Programming Essentials Quiz

Add code so that a player character can explore a living room and gather collectibles. 

In this Mission, you’ll program a simple interactive experience where you control a character in a living room scene and move around to collect objects. 

You'll be able to choose from a variety of characters and collectible objects. In our example, we'll use a robot vacuum that maneuvers to pick up dirt around the room.

Programming Essentials

Set up a 2D room

Complete your 2D Puzzle Game

Add an animated pet

2D Essentials: More things to try

Unity Essentials: 2D Essentials Quiz

Create a top-down minigame similar to the 3D living room experience, but in 2D.

In this 2D Mission, you'll create a top-down 2D version of the interactive living room scene you created earlier. 

Just like in the 3D scene, you'll control a character, and try to collect all the objects in a room. By completing this scene, you'll learn how working in 2D is similar to working in 3D, but also how it’s different.

2D Essentials

Build your portfolio project

Publish to WebGL

Challenge: Add a bonus scene

Capture a video of your project

Share your project

Combine all of your scenes together into one cohesive portfolio project that you can share with others. 

It's time to collect all your good work together into a singular portfolio piece that you and others can play!

A portfolio, especially in the realm of real-time 3D (RT3D) and game development, is not just a collection of work, but a practical way of demonstrating your familiarity with essential tools and concepts. 

In this Mission, you will package all of your work from this Pathway into a single playable experience that you can easily share with others.


Publishing Essentials

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Overview

Get a top view of the mural

Select the Move tool with global coordinates

Move the first large piece

Rotate the first piece

Move the next piece with shortcuts

Move the next piece on a plane in isometric view

Complete your mural

Hide the reference image

Save your scene

Review and proceed to the next tutorial

Identify the defaults elements in a new scene, Create and manipulate GameObjects and configure their components.

Scene Building Essentials

Neal Grigsby

Product Manager at Unity

1.4.2 - Get a top view of the mural - VIDEO_V2.mp4

1.4.3 - Select the Move tool with global coordinates - VIDEO_V2.mp4

1.4.7 - Move the next piece on a plane in isometric view - VIDEO_V2.mp4

1.4.9 - Hide the Reference Image - VIDEO_V2.mp4

1.4.4 - Move the First Large Piece - VIDEO_V3.mp4

1.4.5 - Rotate the First Piece - VIDEO_V3.mp4

1.4.6 - Move the Next Piece with Shortcuts - VIDEO_V3.mp4

1.4.8 - Complete Your Mural - VIDEO_V3.mp4

Use the move and rotate tools in the Scene view to create a custom mural at the center of the playground. 

Transforms

Games

Film

Automotive

Explain the Toolbar buttons used to manipulate objects.

Select a GameObject from both the Hierarchy window and the Scene view.

Link GameObjects in parent-child relationships using the Hierarchy window to create complex GameObjects.

Explain the relationship between the Scene view and the Inspector window.

Move, scale, and rotate a GameObject using the Toolbar buttons and the mouse in the Scene view.

Move, scale, and rotate a GameObject using the Transform Component in the Inspector window.

Position Sprites in 3D space in a 2D Scene.

Use 3D GameObjects in a 2D Scene to group Sprites.

3.1 Explain the Toolbar buttons used to manipulate objects.

3.2 Select a GameObject from both the Hierarchy window and the Scene view.

3.3 Link GameObjects in parent-child relationships using the Hierarchy window to create complex GameObjects.

3.4 Explain the relationship between the Scene view and the Inspector window.

3.5 Duplicate a GameObject.

3.6 Move, scale, and rotate a GameObject using the Toolbar buttons and the mouse in the Scene view.

3.7 Move, scale, and rotate a GameObject using the Transform Component in the Inspector window.

3.8 Position Sprites in 3D space in a 2D Scene.

3.9 Use 3D GameObjects in a 2D Scene to group Sprites.

Transform GameObjects

Mission 1 - Editor Essentials

You're now much more comfortable navigating in the Scene view and maneuvering through 3D space. 

The next critical skill to acquire in Unity is the ability to move and position objects within this space. 

In this tutorial, you'll utilize the Move and Rotate tools to craft a mural of your own design using the colorful pieces of a classic tangram puzzle.

Mural of a turtle at the center of the playground.

First, you’ll want to get into an optimal vantage point to view and arrange your mural from directly above, looking down.

We’ve also provided you with a reference image of potential design options for your mural, which will be helpful to have in view as well. 

You can choose to follow along with the turtle mural example in this tutorial, select another possible design from the reference image, or design your own unique mural! 


1.  In the Hierarchy window, select the Mural GameObject. 

2.  At the top of the Inspector window, enable the checkbox next to the GameObject's name to set it as active in the scene.

3.  In the Hierarchy window, double-click the Mural GameObject to frame both the puzzle pieces and reference image in the Scene view.

4.  Use the Scene view gizmo cones in the upper-right corner of the Scene view to get into an optimal top-down view.

The Move tool allows you to drag objects around the environment using the three directional axes arrows:

The Move tool also gives you the option to use either Global or Local coordinates. 

Global coordinates are kind of like north, south, east, and west, which are constant.  Local coordinates are more like left and right, which change depending on which way you're facing.


1.  Select the Move tool, which is the second tool in the floating toolbar within your Scene view. 

2.  At the top of the Scene view, open the coordinate system selection dropdown menu and select Local coordinates.

3.  Observe that in this mode, depending on which puzzle piece you select, the three axes arrows change orientation, reflecting the individual object’s orientation. 

4.  Select Global coordinates to see the contrast. 

No matter which object you select, the axis arrows point in the same direction. 

In this case, it makes more sense to use Global coordinates, since you're moving all the objects directly to the right in the world space.

Don’t move any pieces yet, though! You’ll do that next. 

Your next task is to begin the actual assembly of your mural, starting with positioning the large, red, triangular puzzle piece. 

In the example, we’ll use the turtle as a mural reference, but feel free to choose any design you like. 

We recommend starting with a large, triangular piece because it provides a substantial base to build around. Don’t worry about rotating the triangle yet; just place the piece centrally in the playground, setting the stage for the rest of your composition 


1.  Ensure the Move tool is still selected with Global coordinates enabled. 

2.  In the Scene view, select the large, red, triangular piece on the right.

3.  Click and drag the red X-axis arrow to move your chosen triangular piece to the center of the playground. 

Tip:  It's best to select the tip of the axis arrow to minimize the chance of accidentally selecting one of the other arrows.

4.  Click and drag the blue axis arrow to move the object forward or backward along the blue Z-axis. 

The rotation isn't important at this point; concentrate on positioning the piece at the center of the playground. 

Now that your first puzzle piece is positioned, the next step is to rotate it to align correctly with your mural design. 

This involves using the Rotate tool, found just after the Move tool in the toolbar. The Rotate tool is characterized by three colored rings representing the axes around which you can rotate your object. When you hover over a ring, it becomes more pronounced, indicating it's ready for use. 

For this particular task, since the object is lying flat on the ground, we'll be focusing on rotating around the global Y-axis, which can be visualized as extending straight up from the ground. 


1.  Select the Rotate tool to activate it. 

2.  Once you’ve selected the object, you should see three colored rings around it. To rotate the object around the Y-axis (which corresponds to the green ring), select this ring and drag away in a straight line. 

Important:  Don't click and drag the ring in a circle as if you were turning a wheel. Instead, click and drag your mouse in one direction, as if you were drawing a straight line with the cursor. 

3.  Adjust the rotation until the piece aligns with your mural's design. 

Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect!

4.  Experiment with rotating the object around the other axes, then just undo your action with Ctrl+Z (macOS: Cmd+Z). 

Note: It may be tempting to go ahead and finish your mural right now, but hold on! You'll learn some critical skills that will help you finish it even more efficiently in the next steps.

Up until now, you've been selecting the Move and Rotate tools from the toolbar. However, Unity offers a quicker way to switch between these tools using shortcuts on the top row of your keyboard. The shortcuts Q, W, E, R, T, and Y allow you to swiftly flip through various tools, with W for the Move tool and E for the Rotate tool. 

You're about to use these shortcuts to move and rotate your second puzzle piece.

Mastering these shortcuts will greatly speed up your workflow, but if you’re more comfortable selecting them manually, feel free to continue to do that!


1.  With your cursor in the Scene view, press the six first keys in the top row of the keyboard: Q, W, E, R, T, and Y. 

Notice how you cycle through the tools in the toolbar. 

2.  Press W on your keyboard to switch to the Move tool. 

3.  Select your next large, triangular piece. Use the red and blue arrows of the Move tool to position the piece in its approximate position for your design. 

4.  Once positioned, press E to switch to the Rotate Tool. Click and drag to rotate the piece as needed. 

Remember, don't drag your mouse in circles like a wheel — click and then drag in a straight line. 

5.  If you need to adjust the position further, press W again to return to the Move tool. 

Continue this process of switching between moving and rotating until the piece is correctly placed and oriented for your mural. 

For the next piece, you'll optimize your workflow even more! 

First, you'll shift to Isometric mode to eliminate perspective distortion, allowing you to focus solely on moving objects along the horizontal and vertical planes. 

Then, you’ll use the technique of moving an object along two axes simultaneously. This will be much more efficient than the earlier method of moving an object along one axis at a time.


1.  With the Move tool active, select the next puzzle piece you want to move into your mural.

2.  Right-click the Scene view gizmo and choose to disable Perspective. 

This action will switch your view to Isometric mode. In this mode, notice that you can now only see the Z-axis (blue arrow pointing forward) and the X-axis (red arrow pointing to the right). You can no longer see the global Y-axis arrow. 

3.  With the Move tool active, locate and select the small green square at the intersection of the Z- and X-axes. 

You'll notice you can now move the piece freely along these two axes, just as you would slide a puzzle piece across a table.
4.  Position the piece precisely where you want it within your mural layout. 

5.  If you need to rotate the object, either press E on your keyboard or select the Rotate tool, then rotate the piece as needed.

With all your new workflows, you're ready to complete your mural in the most efficient way possible! 

Challenge yourself to use the keyboard shortcuts to switch between the Move and Rotate tools as you work.


Continue moving and rotating the remaining pieces until your mural is complete. Ensure each piece is correctly positioned and oriented.

If you've been using the reference image during your work, it's time to hide it to fully appreciate the mural in all its glory. 

At this point, you can also switch back to Perspective mode to appreciate your mural within the context of the entire scene.


1.  In the Hierarchy window, locate and select the Tangram_Reference GameObject. 

2.  In the Inspector window, disable the checkbox next to the Tangram_Reference GameObject’s name to make it inactive in the scene. 

3.  Right-click the Scene view gizmos and enable Perspective. 

4.  Use the orbit function (Alt+left-click (macOS: Option+left-click)) to see your scene from a more natural perspective.  

You don’t want to lose any of the hard work you’ve done on your mural!


To save your scene, press Ctrl+S (macOS: Cmd+S). 

If there was an asterisk next to the scene name in the Hierarchy window, the asterisk should disappear. 

Note: You can also press File > Save from the main menu to save your scene.

Congratulations on completing the mural in the playground! 

Here are some of the things you learned how to do along the way:

Explain the difference between Global and Local coordinate space in the Scene view.

Switch between Global and Local coordinates when positioning a GameObject.

Rotate objects along an axis with the Rotate tool.

Switch between the tools in the Scene view using the QWERTY keyboard shortcuts.

Move objects along one or two axes at a time with the Move tool. 


Proceed to the next tutorial, which includes optional challenges to further develop your skills, explore new concepts, and improve your project. 

Design a mural in the Scene view

1. Overview

2. Get a top view of the mural

3. Select the Move tool with global coordinates

4. Move the first large piece

5. Rotate the first piece

6. Move the next piece with shortcuts

7. Move the next piece on a plane in isometric view

8. Complete your mural

9. Hide the reference image

10. Save your scene

11. Review and proceed to the next tutorial

Complete this tutorial