Create an FPS Weapon in Unity (Part 1 - Revolver) from Coursera

In this one-hour, project-based course, you'll learn how to set up a revolver for a first-person shooter. This project covers configuring a gun prefab, enabling your FPS player to pick up, hold, fire and drop a gun with keyboard and mouse inputs, and adding an aiming reticle.

The guided project will introduce you to the following Unity concepts:

- Prefabs

- Animation

- UI Canvas

- UI Image

- Raycasting

- Coding techniques including the Input class, KeyCodes and Interfaces

This is Part 1 of a four-part series on creating a weapon for your FPS game. Part 2 covers creating visual effects when your player fires the gun. Part 3 will show you how to set up the weapon's properties and damage effects to apply to destroyable targets. Lastly, Part 4 will walk you through the steps for adding ammunition, reloading the weapon and creating magazines and other weapons.

This is a stand-alone guided project, and also serves as an optional but recommended foundation for the "FPS Weapon" series.

This series makes use of the western-themed Unity project first created in Control physics with C# in Unity and the VM-compatible FPS Player script written in Create a VM Compatible First Person Camera. These compliment this guided project and, although not prerequisites, are recommended for a more well-rounded understanding of the concepts presented herein.

What's inside

Syllabus

Project Overview

In this two-hour, project-based course, you'll learn how to set up a revolver for a first-person shooter. This project covers configuring a gun prefab, enabling your FPS player to pick up, hold, fire and drop a gun with keyboard and mouse inputs, and adding an aiming reticle.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Teaches essential game development techniques, such as working with prefabs, animation, UI, raycasting, and coding techniques

Provides a foundation for creating FPS games, including weapon setup, player interaction, and aiming

Suitable for beginners in game development or those with some experience in Unity

Part one of a four-part series on creating FPS weapons, offering a structured learning path

Requires knowledge of Unity and basic C# programming, which may be a barrier to some learners

Reviews summary

Brief intro to unity game development

According to students, this is an introductory course to Unity game development that walks learners through the basics of creating a first-person shooter (FPS) weapon in Unity. Learners say the instructor is knowledgeable and the course does a good job of breaking down complex topics and that the assignments are engaging.

Well-explained concepts.

"The instructor does a good job of breaking down complex topics..."

Knowledgeable instructor.

"The instructor is very knowledgeable and experienced..."

Fun and engaging assignments.

"The assignments are engaging and easy to follow..."

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 Create an FPS Weapon in Unity (Part 1 - Revolver) with these activities:

Review Basic Programming Concepts

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Strengthen your programming foundation by reviewing basic concepts such as variables, data types, and control flow.

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Read introductory programming materials or take an online course.
Practice writing simple programs to reinforce your understanding.

Revisit Unity Documentation

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Refresh your memory on the Unity game engine by reviewing its documentation.

Browse courses on Unity

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Access the Unity documentation online.
Browse through the documentation and focus on sections relevant to FPS game development.

Create a Simple Unity Scene

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Build a foundation in Unity by creating a simple scene that includes a terrain, lighting, and a few objects.

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Open Unity and create a new project.
Create a new scene and add a terrain to it.
Add lighting to the scene and place a few objects on the terrain.

Five other activities

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Join a Unity Study Group

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Enhance your learning by joining a study group where you can discuss Unity concepts and work on projects with other students.

Browse courses on Unity

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Find a Unity study group online or in your local area.
Attend study group meetings regularly and participate in discussions.
Collaborate with other students on Unity projects.

Attend a Unity Workshop

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Get some hands-on experience with the Unity game engine at a workshop designed to help you learn its basics.

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Register for a Unity workshop in your area.
Attend the workshop and follow along with the instructor.
Ask questions and take notes to help you remember what you learn.

Follow a Unity FPS Tutorial

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Reinforce your understanding of the Unity game engine by following a tutorial that teaches you how to create a first-person shooter game.

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Find a Unity FPS tutorial online or in a book.
Follow the tutorial step-by-step, creating your own FPS game as you go.
Experiment with different aspects of the tutorial to see how they affect your game.

Design a Weapon for Your FPS Game

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Solidify your understanding of the concepts covered in the course by designing a unique weapon for your FPS game.

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Brainstorm ideas for a new weapon.
Sketch out the design of your weapon.
Create a 3D model of your weapon using a modeling software.
Import your weapon model into Unity and create prefabs for it.

Develop a Unity FPS Game Prototype

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Showcase your skills by creating a fully functional prototype of an FPS game using the Unity game engine.

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Plan out the design of your FPS game prototype.
Create the game environment and levels.
Add gameplay mechanics such as player movement, shooting, and enemy AI.
Implement a user interface and game menu.
Test and polish your game prototype.

Career center

Learners who complete Create an FPS Weapon in Unity (Part 1 - Revolver) will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Animator

Animators are responsible for creating the movement and behavior of characters in video games. They work with game designers to create animations that are both visually appealing and realistic. This course can help animators build a strong foundation in Unity, a popular game development engine. The course covers topics such as creating animations, rigging characters, and adding physics to objects. These skills are essential for creating high-quality animations for video games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Animator

Game Designer

Game designers are responsible for designing the mechanics and gameplay of video games. They work with programmers, artists, and other team members to create games that are both fun and challenging. This course can help game designers learn about the basics of Unity and how to create first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as creating levels, designing weapons, and adding AI to enemies. These skills are essential for creating engaging and immersive video games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Designer

Programmer

Programmers are responsible for writing the code that makes video games work. They work with game designers, artists, and other team members to bring games to life. This course can help programmers learn about the basics of Unity and how to create first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as creating scripts, handling input, and adding physics to objects. These skills are essential for creating high-quality video games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Programmer

Technical Artist

Technical artists are responsible for creating the technical aspects of video games, such as lighting, shaders, and special effects. They work with game designers, programmers, and other team members to create games that are visually appealing and immersive. This course can help technical artists learn about the basics of Unity and how to create first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as creating materials, adding lighting, and adding particle effects. These skills are essential for creating high-quality video games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Artist

User Interface Designer

User interface designers are responsible for designing the user interface (UI) of video games. They work with game designers, programmers, and other team members to create UIs that are both visually appealing and easy to use. This course can help user interface designers learn about the basics of Unity and how to create first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as creating menus, adding buttons, and handling input. These skills are essential for creating user interfaces that are both functional and user-friendly.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Interface Designer

Audio Designer

Audio designers are responsible for creating the sound effects and music for video games. They work with game designers, programmers, and other team members to create games that are both aurally pleasing and immersive. This course can help audio designers learn about the basics of Unity and how to create first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as creating sound effects, adding music, and mixing audio. These skills are essential for creating high-quality video games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Audio Designer

Level Designer

Level designers are responsible for designing the levels of video games. They work with game designers, programmers, and other team members to create levels that are both challenging and fun. This course can help level designers learn about the basics of Unity and how to create first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as creating levels, adding obstacles, and placing enemies. These skills are essential for creating engaging and immersive video games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Level Designer

Game Tester

Game testers are responsible for testing video games to find bugs and other problems. They work with game designers, programmers, and other team members to ensure that games are released in a polished and playable state. This course can help game testers learn about the basics of Unity and how to test first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as finding bugs, writing reports, and providing feedback. These skills are essential for ensuring that video games are of high quality.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Tester

Game Producer

Game producers are responsible for managing the development of video games. They work with game designers, programmers, and other team members to ensure that games are released on time and within budget. This course can help game producers learn about the basics of Unity and how to manage the development of first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as scheduling, budgeting, and risk management. These skills are essential for successfully managing the development of video games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Producer

Game Writer

Game writers are responsible for writing the story and dialogue for video games. They work with game designers, programmers, and other team members to create games that are both engaging and immersive. This course can help game writers learn about the basics of Unity and how to write for first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as character development, plot development, and dialogue writing. These skills are essential for creating memorable and compelling video games.

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Software Engineer

Software engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining software applications. They work with clients and other stakeholders to gather requirements, design solutions, and implement and test software. This course can help software engineers learn about the basics of Unity and how to develop first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as object-oriented programming, data structures, and algorithms. These skills are essential for developing high-quality software applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Web Developer

Web developers are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining websites. They work with clients and other stakeholders to gather requirements, design solutions, and implement and test websites. This course can help web developers learn about the basics of Unity and how to develop first-person shooter games for the web. The course covers topics such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These skills are essential for developing high-quality websites.

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Database Administrator

Database administrators are responsible for managing and maintaining databases. They work with clients and other stakeholders to gather requirements, design solutions, and implement and test databases. This course can help database administrators learn about the basics of Unity and how to use databases in first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as SQL, database design, and database optimization. These skills are essential for managing and maintaining high-quality databases.

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Information Security Analyst

Information security analysts are responsible for protecting computer systems and networks from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. They work with clients and other stakeholders to assess risks, design security solutions, and implement and test security measures. This course can help information security analysts learn about the basics of Unity and how to use Unity to develop secure first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as network security, cryptography, and penetration testing. These skills are essential for protecting computer systems and networks from cyberattacks.

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Computer Support Specialist

Computer support specialists provide technical support to users of computers and other electronic devices. They work with clients and other stakeholders to resolve technical issues, provide training, and maintain computer systems. This course can help computer support specialists learn about the basics of Unity and how to use Unity to troubleshoot first-person shooter games. The course covers topics such as hardware troubleshooting, software troubleshooting, and network troubleshooting. These skills are essential for providing technical support to users of computers and other electronic devices.

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