Introduction to Unity Studio

Unity Studio is a simple, no-code 3D editor that works directly in your web browser. You don’t need to install anything or write code to create interactive 3D experiences. Unity Studio is designed to make 3D content creation accessible to everyone, regardless of technical background, including designers, artists, training and marketing managers, industrial engineers, or sales teams.

By the end of this tutorial, you'll be able to do the following:

• Understand what Unity Studio is and what it's designed for.
• Create your first project draft in Unity Studio.
• Identify and understand the core panels of the Unity Studio interface.
• Navigate effectively within the Scene view using camera controls and GameObject interaction tools.
• Upload your own 3D models for use in a scene.
• Animate individual GameObjects or more complex animated sequences.
• Create new materials and edit existing materials.
• Add interactive functionality using built-in block-based coding.

Your first step in Unity Studio is to create a new project draft, which is a starting point for your work. Watch the video walkthrough or follow the step-by-step instructions below to complete this task.

Instructions

1. Sign in to Unity Studio

• Open Unity Studio at https://cloud.unity.com/studio.
• Sign in with your Unity ID and password.

Note: You will need either a Studio or an Industry license to access the app. You can also access a free trial.

2. Select your organization (optional)

• By default, you’ll see your organization with an appropriate assigned license. To switch to a different workspace, select your profile in the upper-right corner.

3. Create a new draft

• Once in your desired organization, select the New Draft button.
• Select Start from an empty scene for a blank project, or Use a pre-made template to explore existing features.
• If this is your first time using Unity Studio, we recommend starting with a pre-made template.

4. Name your draft and select a project

• Enter a name for your new draft.
• Select an existing project from the list, or enter a name and select Create to start a new project.

Your new draft is now open, and you are ready to begin building with Unity Studio.

Now that you’ve set up your account and started your first draft, it's time to explore the Unity Studio interface. Watch the video walkthrough or follow the text guidance below.

Hierarchy panel: This panel, located on the left, lists and helps you organize all GameObjects in your scene.

Project panel: Located at the bottom, this panel is your asset library, containing 3D models, images, and visual scripts for your project.

Scene view: As your main workspace in the center, this is where you build, arrange, and interact with your 3D scene.

Inspector panel: On the right side, this panel allows you to view and adjust the properties, such as size, color, and behavior, of any selected GameObject.

Camera Preview: This panel provides a real-time view of what your scene's Main Camera sees, helping you frame your final application.

You now have a basic understanding of the Unity Studio workspace and the function of each main panel.

In this step, you’ll learn the basics of Scene view navigation, including how to move around, interact with GameObjects, and use the most common tools. Watch the video walkthrough or follow the step-by-step instructions below to complete this task.

Instructions

1. Manage the Scene Navigation dialog

• When the Scene Navigation dialog appears on opening a draft, you can disable Show on startup if you prefer it not to appear every time.
• To re-open the Scene Navigation dialog later, select the Main Settings button (menu icon) in the upper-left of the Hierarchy panel, and then select Open controls guide.

2. Practice camera controls

• Move the camera around the Scene view using the W, A, S, D keys for forward, left, back, and right movement, respectively, or Q and E to move the camera down and up.
• Hold the right mouse button and drag to rotate the camera's view.
• Hold the scroll wheel (or middle mouse button) and drag to pan the camera across the scene.

Note: This action might not be possible if you’re using a touch pad.

• Use the scroll wheel to zoom the camera in and out of the scene.
• Left-click to select an individual GameObject, or hold and drag the left mouse button to select multiple GameObjects at once.
• With a GameObject selected, press the F key to focus the Scene view camera directly on it.

3. Interact with objects using the toolbar

• Select a GameObject in the Scene view. A toolbar will appear at the bottom.
• Use the toolbar buttons or the corresponding keyboard shortcuts (1 to 4, Z, X) to switch between transformation tools:
  • Press 1 (or select the Free Transform tool) to freely move objects on multiple axes simultaneously along a surface.
  • Press 2 (or select the Move tool) to move GameObjects precisely along specific axes using the gizmo.
  • Press 3 (or select the Rotate tool) to rotate GameObjects to change their orientation.
  • Press 4 (or select the Scale tool) to resize GameObjects; use the gray box in the center of the gizmo to scale evenly in all directions.
• Press Z (or select the Toggle handle position button) to switch between moving a GameObjects from its center or its pivot point.
• Press X (or select the Toggle handle rotation button) to switch between global (world space) and local (GameObject-based) rotation controls.
• Select the Duplicate button to create a copy of the selected GameObject.
• Select the Delete button to remove the selected GameObject from your scene.

4. Utilize Scene view quick actions

• Select the Play button at the top of the Scene view to run your scene and test your work, then select Stop to return to editing mode.
• Select the Bug notification icon next to the Play button to view details about any warnings or errors in your project, and select Show to locate their source.

You can now confidently navigate the Scene view, control your camera, and interact with GameObjects using Unity Studio's essential tools.

This section will cover the process of importing and placing your custom 3D assets into your Unity Studio project. Watch the video walkthrough or follow the step-by-step instructions below to complete this task.

Instructions

1. Open the Asset Manager

• In the Project pan, select the Add Assets button.
• The Asset Manager will open.

2. Navigate the Asset Manager

• On the leftmost side, you'll see all projects within your organization. Select the project where you want to add assets.
• To switch organizations, use the dropdown in the upper-right of the Asset Manager.

Note: Unity Studio supports FBX, OBJ and GLB files natively, but also supports many other files including CAD formats like STEP thanks to the built-in asset transformer. You can learn more in the Supported asset file formats documentation.

3. Add new assets

• From the Asset Manager, select the Add button.
• Select your files from your computer, then select Upload to begin importing your assets.

4. Import assets to your project

• Once uploaded, enable the checkbox next to each asset you want to import. Your selections will appear in a panel on the right.
• Select Import and allow a moment for Unity Studio to process your assets.

All the assets you import are now stored in the My Assets folder within your Project panel, making them easy to find and organize for building your scene.

Unity Studio offers two powerful ways to add motion and visual effects to your GameObjects: the Animation component for single GameObjects and the Animation Director for coordinating multiple objects on a shared timeline. Watch the video walkthrough or follow the step-by-step instructions below to complete this task.

Instructions

1. Animate a single GameObject with the Animation component

• Select the GameObject you wish to animate in your scene.
• In the Inspector pan, select Add Component, then search for and add the Animation component. This opens the Animation Timeline window.
• Utilize the keyframe system: move the timeline cursor, then make a change to your GameObject in the Scene view to automatically create a keyframe.
• Adjust animation timing by dragging, merging, or deleting keyframes on the timeline.
• Select the Play button in the top bar to preview your animation.

2. Coordinate multiple GameObjects with the Animation Director

• In the Hierarchy panel, locate and select the Animation Director to open its Animation Timeline window.
• Move the timeline cursor, then select a GameObject in the Hierarchy panel and apply a change in the Scene view to create a keyframe for that GameObject.
• Repeat for other GameObjects to animate multiple GameObjects on the same timeline.
• Drag an asset's blue animation track on the timeline to move all its keyframes, or create multiple timelines for advanced control.

3. Customize animation properties

• Adjust Autoplay to start animations automatically.
• Rename animations using the Name property for organization and script reference.
• Choose Easing types for natural motion.
• Set Playback options to Once, Loop, or Ping Pong.

With Unity Studio's animation tools, you can create everything from simple object movements to complex cinematic scenes.

In this step, you’ll learn how to create a new material, assign it to GameObjects, and edit its properties to achieve the look you want.

Watch the video walkthrough or follow the step-by-step instructions below to learn more.

Instructions

1. Create a new material

• In the Project panel, either right-click and select Create > Material, or select Add (+) > Material.
• Give your material a descriptive name.

2. Assign a material to a GameObject

• Select a GameObject in your scene.
• In the Inspector panel, locate the Mesh Renderer or Skinned Mesh Renderer component.
• Use the foldout (triangle) to expand the Materials property, then do one of the following:
  • Select the Materials picker (⊙) select your material from the list.
  • Drag your material from the Project panel into the Materials box.

The GameObject now uses the assigned material.

3. Edit a material’s properties

• In the Project panel, select a material to open it in the Inspector panel.
• Adjust properties (such as Color, Smoothness, Metallic, etc.) to achieve the desired appearance.
• To add a texture to a material:
  • With the material open in the Inspector panel, locate the Main Texture property.
  • Select the Main Texture picker (⊙) and select a texture from the list.
  • Use the foldout (triangle) to expand the Advanced section and explore the advanced properties as needed, including secondary texture maps, emissive settings, and texture tiling and offset.

4. Edit an existing material directly from a GameObject

• If your GameObject already has a material, select the GameObject, then in the Inspector panel, use the foldout (triangle) to expand the Mesh Renderer or Skinned Mesh Renderer component.
• Use the foldout (triangle) to expand the Materials property
• If the material’s properties are editable, adjust them directly.

Note: Changes affect all GameObjects that share this material.

• If the properties are grayed out (common for imported assets), select Edit Material.
• Unity Studio creates an editable copy in your My Assets folder and assigns it to this GameObject.
• Update properties as needed.

Changes now affect only this GameObject.

You can now create, assign, and refine materials to control the look and feel of GameObjects in your Unity Studio scene.

Unity Studio features its own visual scripting system, called Logic, which allows you to create interactive 3D experiences without writing any code. You can set up reactions to user actions and control how your GameObjects behave, all by connecting simple building blocks.

Extensive documentation is available to help you understand the concepts of visual scripting and provides step-by-step instructions for adding specific functionality.

In this step, you’ll create a simple behavior: when you hover your cursor over a GameObject, the name of the GameObject appears on screen; when you move your cursor away, the name disappears.

Watch the video walkthrough or follow the step-by-step instructions below to learn more.

Instructions

1. Create a UI Text element

• In the Hierarchy panel, right-click the UI Canvas GameObject and selectUI > Text.
• Leave the default “New Text” content; the logic will update this at runtime.

2. Create and attach a Logic script

• In the Hierarchy panel, select the GameObject you want to hover over.
• In the Inspector panel, select Add Component.
• In the New Logic section, enter a name (for example, “HoverNameDisplay”), then select Create and Edit to open the Logic editor.

Tip: You can also create scripts in the My Logic folder and attach them from the Inspector.

3. Review the Logic editor layout

• Node Library: All available events, actions, and operators.
• Logic Builder: Drag and connect nodes to build behaviors.
• Methods and Variables : Create and manage variables and methods.

4. Build logic to show the name on hover

• From the Node Library, drag a While event listener into the Logic Builder panel.

While continuously checks a condition.

Tip: You can zoom in on the Logic Builder panel and Alt+click+drag (macOS: Option+click+drag) to pan.

• Drag a Mouse Over event inside the While node.
• Drag the Me variable into the Object socket.

Me refers to the GameObject this script is attached to.

• Create a variable to reference your Text element:
  • In the Variables panel, select the Add (+) button.
    • Name it “NameDisplay” and set the Type property to Object.
    • Leave the Scope property as Global (accessible by other scripts); Local variables remain private to this script.
    • Select the Create button.
  • Add a Set Text action node inside the While block.
    • Drag the NameDisplay variable into the first socket.
  • Expand the Me variable and drag its Name property into the second socket.

While the mouse is over “Me” (the GameObject the script is attached to), the UI text will display the GameObject’s name.

5. Test and connect references

• Close the Logic editor (select X or press Escape), then select Play.
• If you see a Text is empty warning, select Show to locate the source.
• Exit Play mode.
• In the Inspector panel, select the GameObject with your Logic script.
• Drag the Text UI element from the Hierarchy panel into the NameDisplay box in the HoverNameDisplay script component.
• Press Play and hover over your GameObject to see that the name now appears.

6. Hide the name when the mouse is not over the GameObject

• Reopen the Logic editor by double-clicking the HoverNameDisplay script.
• Right-click the logic block and select Duplicate.
• In the Node Library panel, search for “Not” (under Operators) and drag it into the Logic Builder panel.
• Connect the Mouse is over Me output from the duplicated event into the Not node.
• Drag the Not node back into the duplicated While block’s condition socket (the block now reads “While the mouse is NOT over Me”).
• In the duplicated Set Text node, remove the Me > Name property and leave the text input empty. This clears the UI text.

7. Final test

• Close the Logic editor and press Play.
• Hover over your GameObject and see the name appear.
• Move your cursor away and the name clears.

You’ve now created and attached a Logic script, used event listeners, variables, actions, and operators, navigated the Logic Builder panel, and connected references between your script and GameObjects in the scene.

If you want to learn more, there are additional sets of step-by-step instructions in the documentation for the following interactive behaviors:

• Use a button to transform a GameObject
• Hide or show a UI element
• Trigger an animation with a key press
• Adjust scene lighting with a button
• Interact with an asset after an event
• Enable or disable a property on a GameObject
• Mute and unmute audio with the toggle element.
• Use sliders to change a material's color
• Play audio when you click on an object

You can also browse other draft templates available in Unity Studio and examine their Logic scripts to observe how different interactive elements and behaviors are implemented.

Congratulations! You've successfully completed your first steps with Unity Studio, learning how to create projects, navigate the interface, add assets, create animations, work with materials, and explore visual scripting.

You now have a solid foundation for bringing your 3D ideas to life without needing to write any code. Review the Studio Documentation for more guidance. Keep creating and exploring!