TPS Third Person Controller Unity 3D Game Engine Course - Add Jump Character Controller & Animations

Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to add a jump character controller and animations to a third-person perspective game using Unity 3D. This guide is part of a comprehensive course aimed at helping you develop your own 3D games. By following these steps, you will enhance your game's character interactions and improve the overall gameplay experience.

Step 1: Set Up Your Unity Project

• Open Unity and create a new project or load your existing third-person perspective project.
• Ensure you have the necessary assets imported, including character models and animations.
• Set up your scene with the terrain and environment necessary for testing the character's jump functionality.

Step 2: Create the Jump Script

• Navigate to the Scripts folder in your project.
• Right-click and create a new C# script named PlayerJump.
• Open the script and add the following code to handle jumping:

using UnityEngine;

public class PlayerJump : MonoBehaviour
{
    public float jumpForce = 5f;
    private bool isGrounded;

    void Update()
    {
        if (Input.GetButtonDown("Jump") && isGrounded)
        {
            Jump();
        }
    }

    private void Jump()
    {
        GetComponent<Rigidbody>().AddForce(Vector3.up * jumpForce, ForceMode.Impulse);
    }

    private void OnCollisionEnter(Collision collision)
    {
        if (collision.gameObject.CompareTag("Ground"))
        {
            isGrounded = true;
        }
    }

    private void OnCollisionExit(Collision collision)
    {
        if (collision.gameObject.CompareTag("Ground"))
        {
            isGrounded = false;
        }
    }
}

• Attach the PlayerJump script to your character object in the Unity Editor.

Step 3: Configure the Rigidbody Component

• Select your character in the Unity Editor.
• Ensure the Rigidbody component is attached. If not, add it through the Inspector.
• Set the Mass to a suitable value (e.g., 1) and ensure Use Gravity is checked.
• Adjust Drag and Angular Drag to values that suit your gameplay (e.g., Drag = 0, Angular Drag = 0.05).

Step 4: Add Jump Animations

• Import your character animations into the project.
• Create an Animator Controller and add the jump animation to it.

Set up transitions between idle, walk, and jump states based on parameters

• Create a bool parameter called isJumping.
• Set transitions from idle to jump and from jump back to idle based on the isJumping parameter.

Step 5: Update the Jump Script for Animation

• Modify your PlayerJump script to include animation triggers.

private Animator animator;

void Start()
{
    animator = GetComponent<Animator>();
}

private void Jump()
{
    GetComponent<Rigidbody>().AddForce(Vector3.up * jumpForce, ForceMode.Impulse);
    animator.SetBool("isJumping", true);
}

private void OnCollisionEnter(Collision collision)
{
    if (collision.gameObject.CompareTag("Ground"))
    {
        isGrounded = true;
        animator.SetBool("isJumping", false);
    }
}

Step 6: Test Your Game

• Save your changes and enter Play mode in Unity.
• Use the jump key (usually the spacebar) to test the jumping functionality.
• Adjust the jump force or animation transitions as needed for smoother gameplay.

Conclusion

You have successfully added jumping functionality and animations to your character in Unity 3D. This enhancement will improve the interactivity of your game. Next, consider exploring additional character mechanics like crouching or sprinting to further develop your game. Continue following the course for more advanced techniques and features!