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Pete Jepson

Make a complete driving game using Unity.

In this course I will show you how to create your own race tracks in Blender. We will then import into Unity and set up different types of race cars including Formula 1 style and racing cars.

Each car will have its own driving style and you can customise each car in the inspector.

This course will also cover:

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Make a complete driving game using Unity.

In this course I will show you how to create your own race tracks in Blender. We will then import into Unity and set up different types of race cars including Formula 1 style and racing cars.

Each car will have its own driving style and you can customise each car in the inspector.

This course will also cover:

  • Different handling on grass, gravel and road surfaces

  • Setting up AI cars which will compete against you in race mode.

  • Checkpoints and lap counting

  • Keeping track of car positions and displaying finish place at the end of the race

  • Mini map and mini map markers for all cars

  • Main menu, race track select menu and a car showroom, so you can buy extra cars.

  • Choosing different colours for the cars you buy

  • Leaderboard and race stats

  • Save system to save your credits and high scores

  • Race customisation system from the track options menu

  • Keyboard and gamepad control systems

  • Terrain sculpting and texturing to add extra details

By the end of this course you will have a complete game that you can continue to develop and add to. You will have also developed the skills to go onto develop your own games.

(Please note this is for computer only, it is not designed for mobile gaming)

I look forward to seeing you in my course.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Create a complete driving game in unity hdrp
  • Customise different types of cars
  • Add ai cars and an ai waypoint system to your race tracks
  • Add a car showroom menu to unlock and buy new cars
  • Design your own race tracks in blender
  • Easy to understand coding to make the game work

Syllabus

Introduction
Install Unity
Standard Assets
Setting up the project
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Uses Unity HDRP, which allows developers to create high-fidelity graphics and immersive environments, making it suitable for those aiming for visually impressive games
Covers AI implementation for opponent cars, which is a core element in creating engaging and challenging racing games, enhancing the overall player experience
Includes a save system for credits and high scores, which is essential for player progression and retention, encouraging players to invest time in the game
Requires Blender for race track design, which may pose a barrier for users unfamiliar with 3D modeling software, potentially increasing the learning curve
Focuses on computer platforms, which may not be ideal for developers targeting mobile gaming, limiting the scope of deployment for the finished product
Teaches skills to create a complete game, which provides a strong foundation for learners to develop their own games and expand their portfolio

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Reviews summary

Unity driving game creation course

According to learners, this course provides a comprehensive guide on creating a complete driving game in Unity. Students highlight the step-by-step approach, finding it particularly useful for understanding the process from scratch, including Blender track design and Unity implementation. The coverage of features like AI cars, checkpoints, UI elements (menus, minimap, showroom), and a save system is frequently mentioned as a major strength. Many feel the course offers a solid foundation for further game development projects. Some reviews, however, note that certain sections might benefit from updates or more detailed explanations for absolute beginners, particularly regarding physics tuning or specific Unity versions.
Code is functional but explanation depth varies.
"The code works, but sometimes I wished for a deeper explanation of *why* certain code choices were made."
"Coding is practical and gets the job done, easy to follow the logic."
"Instructor provides code snippets, which is helpful, but less theoretical explanation."
"I was able to get everything working by following the code, but understanding the underlying programming could be improved."
"Good for copying and getting it to work, less so for learning programming principles."
Instructor is clear and responsive to questions.
"The instructor is very clear and easy to understand."
"He answers all questions quickly and is very helpful."
"The instructor knows his stuff and explains it well."
"Great teacher, makes complex things seem simple."
"Instructor is helpful and guiding throughout."
Learn by building a complete, functional game.
"By the end of the course you have a good complete game and you can then go on and expand on it."
"You build a complete game and learn how different components interact."
"I love how this course is project based, completing a full game really solidified the concepts."
"Great way to learn by actually making something playable."
"Finished the course and now have a driving game I can keep working on!"
Easy to follow instructions from start to finish.
"Everything is explained very well step-by-step. You just need to follow along, no need to think much."
"The course is very detailed and step by step, making it easy to follow for the most part."
"It takes you from nothing to a working game with lots of features, building it piece by piece."
"Very good explanations and a step by step guide on how to make the game. The instructor is very clear."
"The steps are easy to follow and explained clearly."
Covers many aspects needed for a full game.
"This course covers everything you need from modelling a track in blender to adding AI cars, saving and loading the game."
"I learned a lot of things in this course such as UI, Saving/Loading, AI, and much more. The course covered so much information."
"It covers a huge amount of topics needed to make a driving game like this, AI, UI, saving, loading, customising cars, checkpoints etc"
"The course covers a lot of ground and helps you put together a full game."
"This course covered a lot and gave me a great framework to start my own projects."
Some parts may need adjustment for newer versions.
"The course uses an older version of Unity. You will have to figure out how to update some things on your own."
"Some sections felt a bit outdated compared to the latest Unity features, required minor workarounds."
"Using HDRP has changed a bit since the course was made, but it's still manageable."
"Some steps needed tweaking for the current Unity version."
"The instructor mentioned updating the course which would be fantastic."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Make a driving game in unity with these activities:
Review Blender Fundamentals
Strengthen your Blender skills to design race tracks more effectively.
Browse courses on Blender
Show steps
  • Watch introductory Blender tutorials on YouTube.
  • Practice basic modeling techniques like extruding and loop cutting.
  • Experiment with different modifiers like subdivision surface and bevel.
Brush up on C# Scripting
Sharpen your C# skills to better understand and modify the game's code.
Browse courses on C# Scripting
Show steps
  • Review C# syntax and data structures.
  • Practice writing simple scripts in Unity.
  • Study examples of C# code used in game development.
Unity 2021 Cookbook
Use this book as a reference to solve specific problems encountered during the course.
Show steps
  • Browse the table of contents to identify relevant recipes.
  • Read the recipes related to car physics and AI.
  • Implement the recipes in your driving game project.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Experiment with Car Physics
Deepen your understanding of car physics by experimenting with different parameters.
Show steps
  • Create a new Unity project with a simple car model.
  • Adjust parameters like mass, drag, and friction.
  • Observe how these changes affect the car's handling.
  • Document your findings and share them with others.
Write a Blog Post
Solidify your knowledge by explaining key concepts in a blog post.
Show steps
  • Choose a specific topic related to the course, such as AI waypoints.
  • Research the topic thoroughly and gather relevant information.
  • Write a clear and concise blog post explaining the concept.
  • Include code examples and screenshots to illustrate your points.
Optimize Game Performance
Apply optimization techniques to improve the game's frame rate.
Show steps
  • Profile the game to identify performance bottlenecks.
  • Implement optimization techniques like object pooling and LODs.
  • Test the game on different hardware configurations.
  • Document the optimization process and results.
Contribute to a Racing Game Asset
Enhance your skills by contributing to an open-source racing game asset.
Show steps
  • Find an open-source racing game asset on GitHub or GitLab.
  • Identify a bug or feature that you can contribute to.
  • Fork the repository and make your changes.
  • Submit a pull request with your changes.

Career center

Learners who complete Make a driving game in unity will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Game Developer
A game developer is responsible for designing, coding, and debugging video games. This course, focused on creating a driving game in Unity, directly helps you build a foundation in the practical skills needed for this career. By learning to customize cars, design tracks in Blender, implement AI opponents, and create user interfaces, you gain experience with core game development tasks. The course's emphasis on easy-to-understand coding makes it a great starting point for aspiring game developers. You will find that the course gives you the basic knowledge required to develop your own games.
Unity Developer
A Unity developer specializes in using the Unity game engine to create interactive experiences, which can range from video games to simulations and virtual reality applications. This course centers around building a driving game using Unity, so it immediately puts you in the role of a Unity developer. You will learn how to import assets, script game logic, design user experiences, and optimize performance within the Unity environment. The practical, project-based approach of the course, teaching you to develop a complete game, is invaluable for anyone wanting to become a Unity developer. You will also learn how to create and customize menus, which is very useful to your career as well.
Gameplay Programmer
A gameplay programmer is responsible for implementing the rules, mechanics, and interactive elements that define how a game is played. This course, which guides you through building a driving game, provides hands-on experience with gameplay programming tasks. You will learn how to create car handling, implement checkpoints and lap counting, design user interfaces, and manage game state. The course helps you build a portfolio piece that directly demonstrates your ability to create engaging and functional gameplay systems. Your ability to create a leaderboard, menus, and different race tracks will greatly improve your value as a gameplay programmer.
AI Programmer
An AI programmer develops the artificial intelligence systems that control non-player characters and other dynamic elements within a game. This course includes a section on setting up AI cars that compete against the player in race mode. By learning how to implement waypoint systems, customize AI behavior, and create a racing leader, you will get the basic skills necessary to design intelligent agents within a gaming environment. The challenges presented in the AI car sections of this course can help you understand the fundamentals of AI programming. Furthermore, the course gives you an introduction to a world of possibilities related to AI implementations.
Level Designer
A level designer creates the environments and layouts in which gameplay takes place. This course directly allows you to design race tracks using Blender and integrate them into a Unity game. You will learn how to sculpt terrain, add barriers, and create visually appealing and functional race environments. The course's Blender modeling and Unity project sections are particularly relevant for understanding the tools and techniques used by level designers. You will also learn how to add visual and sound effects to your maps, which is an important component of level design.
Technical Artist
A technical artist bridges the gap between art and programming, ensuring that art assets function correctly within a game engine. You will learn to design race tracks in Blender and import them into Unity, texture terrains, and optimize models, gaining practical experience with the tools and techniques used by technical artists. The course's syllabus includes sections focused on Blender modeling, UV mapping, and terrain sculpting, providing a foundation in the artistic and technical skills needed for this role. You will also be able to create UI elements, which makes you a more diverse and capable technical artist.
Vehicle Simulation Engineer
A vehicle simulation engineer develops and refines the models that govern how vehicles behave in virtual environments. This course, focused on creating a driving game, directly relates to the work of a vehicle simulation engineer, specifically due to its focus on car handling and customization. By learning how to set up different types of racing cars and customize their driving styles, you will gain experience with the core principles of vehicle simulation. The course provides a foundation for understanding how to create realistic and engaging vehicle dynamics. If this is your career, then the course may be very useful to you.
UI/UX Designer
A user interface and user experience designer focuses on creating intuitive and engaging interfaces for games and applications. You will learn how to create menus, display game information, and design user-friendly controls, gaining experience with the key elements of UI/UX design. The course helps you build a foundation in creating visually appealing and functional interfaces for games. The menu creation and leaderboard display sections can be particularly helpful in your career. This course may be useful to you in your career.
Sound Designer
A sound designer creates and implements audio elements within a game to enhance the player experience. You will learn how to add rumble strip sounds, thud sounds, and starting sounds to your driving game. By learning how to adjust audio levels and integrate sound effects into gameplay, you will gain experience with the fundamentals of game sound design. Although not the primary focus, the audio elements covered in the course provide a brief introduction to this area of game development. This course may be useful to you in your career.
Software Engineer
Software engineers design, develop, and test software applications. The course provides a practical introduction to software development principles within the context of game creation. You will learn how to write code to control game logic, manage user interfaces, and implement game mechanics. While the focus is on game development, the coding skills and problem-solving techniques are transferable to other software engineering domains. This course may be useful to you in your career.
Simulation Engineer
Simulation engineers create virtual environments for testing and training purposes. This course, focused on developing a driving game, provides relevant experience in creating interactive simulations. You will learn how to model vehicle behavior, design realistic environments, and implement AI agents. While the course is tailored to game development, the simulation principles and techniques can be applied to other engineering fields. This course may be useful to you in your career.
Animator
Animators create the moving images that bring characters and objects to life in video games and other media. The course offers you a basic introduction to animating vehicle movement and other elements within a game environment. The course does not focus on character animation, but the principles of movement and timing can be applied to character animation as well. This course may be useful to you in your career.
Project Manager
Project managers oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of projects. Although the course doesn't directly teach project management skills, it gives you experience with the development process of a complete game. By working through the course, you will learn about the various stages of game creation, from design to implementation. This experience can be valuable for project managers working in the game development industry. The course may also give you an appreciation for the work involved in game programming. This course may be useful to you in your career.
Data Analyst
A data analyst examines and interprets data to identify trends and insights. This course is useful for a data analyst wishing to perform analysis on driving game data. After completing this course, you can build your own driving game and gather telemetry to find out what makes some players better than others, and other insights. With this data, you may gain some experience with data analysis. This course may be useful to you in your career.
Product Manager
A product manager guides the vision, strategy, and roadmap for a product. This course helps you understand the development process of a complete game, from initial design to final implementation. Understanding the technical challenges and creative considerations involved in game development can be valuable for product managers working on gaming products. This course may be useful to you in your career.

Featured in The Course Notes

This course is mentioned in our blog, The Course Notes. Read one article that features Make a driving game in unity:

Reading list

We've selected one books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Make a driving game in unity.
This cookbook provides practical solutions to common Unity development challenges. It covers a wide range of topics, including scripting, animation, and UI design. It useful reference for intermediate Unity developers looking to expand their skillset. can be used as a reference to solve specific problems encountered during the course.

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