NPC Programming from Coursera

Welcome to NPC Programming, the third course in Unity's Gameplay Programming Specialization! This course is exam preparation for Unity's Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Exam. This course will challenge you with a series of realistic programming problems in Unity video-game projects, inspired by one or more of the topics covered in the Expert Gameplay Programmer Exam. Throughout this course, you will work on a 3D “Dual-Stick Survivor” game project. This will help you practice programming NPCs within games, including scripting NPC logic and behavior, navigation and pathfinding, raycasting, and NPC spawning and placement. This is an advanced-level course, intended for industry game developers or very experienced Unity enthusiasts who are looking to “level-up” their gameplay programming and implementation strategies. To succeed in this courses, you should have at least 2-3 years of experience developing games with Unity. You should be familiar with the full-game lifecycle (working from early concept to launch), creating and working with Prefabs, understanding game asset and animation pipelines, and have some experience with Unity Services. You should also have advanced programming skills, particularly in the C# language.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Targets senior game developers or very experienced Unity users

Teaches advanced topics tested on the Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Exam

Focuses on NPC programming for video games

Includes hands-on practice with NPC scripting and AI in a 3D game project

Requires significant prior Unity experience and advanced programming skills

Assumes knowledge of full-game development lifecycle and Unity Services

Reviews summary

Expert gameplay programming course

This advanced-level Unity course is an excellent preparation for the Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Exam. With only one review at the moment, learners will find that this course is quite challenging with realistic Unity video-game projects.

You must have at least 2-3 years of experience with Unity game development.

"To succeed in this courses, you should have at least 2-3 years of experience developing games with Unity."

This course is designed to prepare you for the Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Exam.

"This course is exam preparation for Unity's Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Exam."

This course is challenging with a series of realistic programming problems.

"This course will challenge you with a series of realistic programming problems in Unity video-game projects..."

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 NPC Programming with these activities:

Review your notes and assignments from previous Unity courses

Show steps

Refresh your memory on key concepts and techniques

Browse courses on Unity

Show steps

Gather your notes and assignments from previous Unity courses
Review the material, focusing on topics relevant to this course
Complete any practice problems or exercises that you find

Attend a local Unity Meetup or Game Development Meetup

Show steps

Connect with other Unity developers and learn about the latest trends in game development

Browse courses on Networking

Show steps

Find a local Unity Meetup or Game Development Meetup
Attend the Meetup and introduce yourself to other attendees
Participate in discussions and ask questions about Unity and game development

Complete the 'Unity NPC Programming Drills' online course

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding of NPC programming concepts

Show steps

Enroll in the 'Unity NPC Programming Drills' online course
Complete all of the course's lessons and exercises
Review the course material and test your understanding by completing the practice drills

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Read 'Game Programming Patterns' by Robert Nystrom

Show steps

Get an understanding of common design patterns used in games

View Crafting Interpreters on Amazon

Show steps

Read the book's introduction and chapters 1 through 3
Work through the exercises provided in the book
Create a simple game that implements some of the patterns discussed in the book

Watch video tutorials on 'Advanced NPC Programming Techniques in Unity'

Show steps

Expand your knowledge of NPC programming techniques

Show steps

Search for and find video tutorials on 'Advanced NPC Programming Techniques in Unity'
Watch the tutorials and take notes on the techniques discussed
Try out the techniques in your own Unity projects

Develop a 3D 'Dual-Stick Survivor' game

Show steps

Apply knowledge of NPC programming to a practical project

Browse courses on Game Development

Show steps

Design the game's levels and gameplay mechanics
Create the game's assets, including models, textures, and animations
Implement the game's core gameplay systems, including NPC AI and pathfinding
Test and debug the game, making improvements as necessary
Publish the game to a platform of your choice

Write a blog post about your experiences developing the 'Dual-Stick Survivor' game

Show steps

Reflect on the challenges you faced and the lessons you learned

Browse courses on Game Development

Show steps

Brainstorm a list of topics to cover in your blog post
Write a draft of your blog post, including an introduction, body, and conclusion
Edit and proofread your blog post
Publish your blog post on a platform of your choice

Create a presentation on the 'Dual-Stick Survivor' game for potential investors

Show steps

Practice pitching your game to potential investors

Browse courses on Game Development

Show steps

Outline the key points you want to cover in your presentation
Create slides for your presentation, including visuals and data to support your points
Rehearse your presentation multiple times
Give your presentation to a group of friends or colleagues for feedback

Career center

Learners who complete NPC Programming will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Game Programmer

Game Programmers work in the Programming department and are responsible for writing and maintaining the code that underlies video games. This course, NPC Programming, may be helpful for those with a strong interest in programming artificial intelligence for non-player characters in video games. The course teaches advanced skills in navigation, pathfinding, and NPC spawning and placement. These are important aspects of AI programming that would be very useful for Game Programmers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Programmer

Game Designer

Game Designers work on the Design team and are responsible for planning, designing, and documenting the gameplay, characters, stories, and levels that make up a video game. These professionals bring their understanding of game mechanics, user experience, and storytelling to the development team. NPC Programming helps build a foundation in the AI-driven aspects of gameplay. With this course, students will be able to deepen their understanding of how NPCs are programmed and how they interact with the player and the world around them.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Designer

Technical Game Designer

Technical Game Designers bridge the gap between programming and design. They create game prototypes to test out ideas and collaborate with programmers and designers to implement game mechanics and features. NPC Programming can be an asset to those seeking a career as a Technical Game Designer. The focus on AI and NPC behavior and pathfinding in this course will be very relevant to anyone who wishes to work on programming the AI-driven aspects of video games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Game Designer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers work on the Programming team or as independent contractors to design, develop, test, and maintain a wide range of different applications. They work on the back end of applications to ensure programs operate as intended. NPC Programming may be of interest to Software Engineers who want to learn more about AI and NPC behavior for video games. They will learn C# coding and programming techniques for NPC spawning and placement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

AI Engineer

AI Engineers design, develop, test, and maintain AI software applications. They work on the research, design, and development of algorithms for artificial intelligence. NPC Programming introduces advanced C# coding and programming principles for AI-controlled characters. By completing this course, students will learn programming techniques for NPC spawning and placement.

See salaries and explore the career path for AI Engineer

Game Animator

Game Animators work in the Art department and create the animations that bring video games to life. They use a variety of software tools to create character animations, facial animations, and environmental animations. This course, NPC Programming, is unlikely to be of much direct use in a career as an Animator. However, a Game Animator will benefit from a deeper understanding of the AI that is driving the characters and their movements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Animator

Game Artist

Game Artists work in the Art department and create the visual assets for video games, including characters, environments, and objects. They use a variety of software tools to create 2D and 3D art assets. This course, NPC Programming, may be helpful for Game Artists who want to learn more about AI and NPC behavior for video games. They will learn programming techniques for NPC spawning and placement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Artist

Game Producer

Game Producers work on the Production team and are responsible for planning, coordinating, and managing the development of video games. They oversee the entire development process, from concept to launch. NPC Programming could be helpful for those considering a career as a Game Producer. The course provides an overview of the AI-driven aspects of gameplay. Anyone who wants to work in Game Production will benefit from a deeper understanding of AI-controlled characters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Producer

Game Tester

Game Testers work on the Quality Assurance team and are responsible for testing video games to find and report bugs. They play through games to identify any issues that may affect the gameplay experience. NPC Programming may be of interest to Game Testers who want to learn more about AI and NPC behavior for video games. They will learn programming techniques for NPC spawning and placement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Tester

Game Writer

Game Writers work on the Design or Writing team and are responsible for writing the story, dialogue, and other text content for video games. They collaborate with other members of the development team to create a cohesive and engaging narrative experience. NPC Programming may be helpful for those interested in learning more about the role of AI and NPC behavior in video games. They will learn programming techniques for NPC spawning and placement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Writer

Level Designer

Level Designers work on the Design team and are responsible for creating the levels and environments that players explore in video games. They use a variety of software tools to create 3D environments, place objects, and design gameplay challenges. NPC Programming may be of interest to Level Designers who want to learn more about the role of AI and NPC behavior in video games. They will learn programming techniques for NPC spawning and placement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Level Designer

UX Designer

UX Designers work on the Design team and are responsible for designing the user experience for video games. They focus on making games easy to use, enjoyable, and accessible. NPC Programming may be of interest to UX Designers who want to learn more about the role of AI and NPC behavior in video games. They will learn programming techniques for NPC spawning and placement.

See salaries and explore the career path for UX Designer

Audio Designer

Audio Designers work on the Audio team and are responsible for creating the sound effects, music, and voice acting for video games. They use a variety of software tools to create and edit audio assets. NPC Programming is unlikely to be of much direct use in a career as an Audio Designer. However, there may be some overlap in the programming techniques used for AI and the programming used for audio.

See salaries and explore the career path for Audio Designer

Community Manager

Community Managers work on the Marketing or Community team and are responsible for building and managing relationships with the game's community of players. They engage with players on social media, forums, and other online platforms. NPC Programming is unlikely to be of much direct use in a career as a Community Manager. These two roles are in different fields.

See salaries and explore the career path for Community Manager

E-sports Coach

E-sports Coaches work in the Coaching or Management team and are responsible for training and managing professional e-sports players. They develop strategies, analyze gameplay, and provide feedback to players. NPC Programming may be of interest to E-sports Coaches who want to learn more about the role of AI and NPC behavior in video games. They will learn programming techniques for NPC spawning and placement.

See salaries and explore the career path for E-sports Coach