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In this module, we will explore the basics of animation in Unity. Animation is a crucial aspect of game development, as it brings characters and objects to life. By the end of this module, you will understand how to create and control animations using Unity's built-in tools.

Key Concepts

Animation Clips: These are individual animations, such as a character walking or jumping.
Animator Controller: This controls the flow of animations and transitions between them.
Animation States: These represent different animations within the Animator Controller.
Transitions: These define how and when to switch from one animation state to another.

Steps to Create Basic Animation

Importing Animation Assets

First, you need to import the animation assets into your Unity project. These can be pre-made animations or ones you create yourself.

Importing Assets:
- Go to Assets > Import New Asset.
- Select your animation file (e.g., .fbx, .anim).
- Click Import.

Creating an Animator Controller

An Animator Controller is essential for managing animations.

Create Animator Controller:
- Right-click in the Project window.
- Select Create > Animator Controller.
- Name it (e.g., PlayerAnimator).
Assign Animator Controller:
- Select the GameObject you want to animate.
- In the Inspector window, click Add Component.
- Select Animator.
- Drag the Animator Controller you created into the Controller field of the Animator component.

Adding Animation Clips to the Animator Controller

Open Animator Window:
- Double-click the Animator Controller in the Project window.
- The Animator window will open.
Add Animation Clips:
- Drag your animation clips from the Project window into the Animator window.
- These clips will appear as states in the Animator.

Creating Animation States and Transitions

Set Default State:
- Right-click on the animation state you want to be the default.
- Select Set as Layer Default State.
Create Transitions:
- Right-click on the default state.
- Select Make Transition.
- Click on the state you want to transition to.
- Adjust the transition settings in the Inspector window.

Controlling Animations via Script

To control animations through code, you need to interact with the Animator component.

using UnityEngine;

public class PlayerController : MonoBehaviour
{
    private Animator animator;

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

    void Update()
    {
        if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.W))
        {
            animator.SetTrigger("Walk");
        }
        if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.Space))
        {
            animator.SetTrigger("Jump");
        }
    }
}

Explanation

Animator Component: The script gets a reference to the Animator component attached to the GameObject.
SetTrigger: This method is used to trigger transitions between animation states.

Practical Exercise

Objective: Create a simple animation for a character that transitions between idle and walking states.

Import Assets: Import a character model with idle and walking animations.
Create Animator Controller: Follow the steps to create and assign an Animator Controller.
Add Animation Clips: Add the idle and walking animation clips to the Animator Controller.
Set Default State: Set the idle animation as the default state.
Create Transition: Create a transition from idle to walking and vice versa.
Control via Script: Write a script to switch between idle and walking animations based on user input.

Solution:

Animator Controller Setup:
- Default state: Idle
- Transition: Idle to Walk (condition: Walk trigger), Walk to Idle (condition: Idle trigger)
Script:

using UnityEngine;

public class CharacterController : MonoBehaviour
{
    private Animator animator;

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

    void Update()
    {
        if (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.W))
        {
            animator.SetTrigger("Walk");
        }
        else
        {
            animator.SetTrigger("Idle");
        }
    }
}

Common Mistakes and Tips

Incorrect Transitions: Ensure transitions have the correct conditions set.
Animator Component Missing: Make sure the Animator component is attached to the GameObject.
Animation Clips Not Looping: For continuous animations like walking, ensure the clip is set to loop.

Conclusion

In this module, you learned how to create and control basic animations in Unity. You now know how to import animation assets, create an Animator Controller, add animation clips, set up animation states and transitions, and control animations via script. This foundational knowledge will be crucial as you move on to more advanced animation techniques in Unity.

Basic Animation

Key Concepts

Steps to Create Basic Animation

Importing Animation Assets

Creating an Animator Controller

Adding Animation Clips to the Animator Controller

Creating Animation States and Transitions

Controlling Animations via Script

Explanation

Practical Exercise

Common Mistakes and Tips

Conclusion

Unity Course

Module 1: Introduction to Unity

Module 2: Basic Scripting in Unity

Module 3: Working with Assets

Module 4: Physics and Collisions

Module 5: User Interface (UI)

Module 6: Audio in Unity

Module 7: Advanced Scripting

Module 8: Advanced Physics and AI

Module 9: Optimization and Performance

Module 10: Publishing and Beyond