Third Person Shooter (Unity Tutorial) Ep 4 Aiming Animations

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will set up aiming animations for a third-person shooter in Unity. This guide is part of a series aimed at transforming a basic third-person character controller into a fully functional shooter. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a working aim state manager and animations for your character.

Step 1: Importing Animations

• Download the aiming animations you need for your character.
• In Unity, go to the Assets menu and select "Import New Asset."
• Navigate to the folder where your animations are stored and select them for import.

Step 2: Setting Up Animations

• Open the Animator window by selecting Window > Animation > Animator.
• Locate your imported animations in the Project window.
• Drag and drop the animations into the Animator window to create animation states.
• Ensure each animation is named appropriately for easy identification.

Step 3: Creating Animation Layers and Avatar Masks

• In the Animator window, click on the Layers tab.
• Create a new layer for aiming by selecting the "+" icon.
• Name the layer "Aiming Layer."
• To restrict which parts of the character are animated, create an Avatar Mask:
  • Right-click in the Project window and select Create > Avatar Mask.
  • Configure the mask to include only the upper body of your character.
• Assign the Avatar Mask to the Aiming Layer.

Step 4: Setting Up the Animator

• Click on the Aiming Layer and set its weight to 1 to ensure it functions properly.
• Assign the necessary animations to the Aiming Layer.
• Make sure the base layer contains the default movement animations.

Step 5: Creating a State Machine

• In the Animator window, create a new state machine for handling aim states.
• Add states for "Idle," "Aim," and "Fire."
• Connect the states with transitions:
  • Transition from Idle to Aim when the aim button is pressed.
  • Transition from Aim to Fire when the fire button is pressed.

Step 6: Triggering Animations and Switching States

• Use parameters in the Animator to control state changes. Create Boolean parameters like "isAiming" and "isFiring."
• Set up transitions:
  • From Idle to Aim using "isAiming" as the condition.
  • From Aim to Fire using "isFiring" as the condition.
• Ensure to return to Idle when the player releases the aim button.

Step 7: Testing

• Enter Play mode in Unity to test the animations.
• Check the transitions between states to ensure they work as intended.
• Adjust animation speeds and transitions if necessary to achieve smooth movement.

Conclusion

You have now set up aiming animations for your third-person shooter character in Unity. Key takeaways include the importance of properly importing animations, creating layers and masks, and configuring the Animator to manage animation states. As you progress, consider adding more complex animations and refining the controls to enhance the gameplay experience. Continue with the next steps in your tutorial series to further develop your third-person shooter!