Make Awesomely Strange Video Games with Unity and Playmaker from Udemy

What's inside

Learning objectives

Create a video game from start to finish without coding
Go through a quick introductory course to fundamental game dev concepts
Create video games using visual scripting
Use assets from the demo video game
Learn an intro to playmaker
Control and animate a 3d third person playable character
Create enemy npcs that patrol and attack the player on sight with simple ai
Layout a level and set up a unity navmesh
Create player pickups like coins and weapons

Set up a weapon firing system with two different types of ammo
Create a boss fight
Set up a treasure chest that opens when the player enters a password
Set up a working health system with ui health bar
Create multiple levels for your game
Create an intro menu
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Create a video game from start to finish without coding
Go through a quick introductory course to fundamental game dev concepts
Create video games using visual scripting
Use assets from the demo video game
Learn an intro to playmaker
Control and animate a 3d third person playable character
Create enemy npcs that patrol and attack the player on sight with simple ai
Layout a level and set up a unity navmesh
Create player pickups like coins and weapons
Set up a weapon firing system with two different types of ammo
Create a boss fight
Set up a treasure chest that opens when the player enters a password
Set up a working health system with ui health bar
Create multiple levels for your game
Create an intro menu
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Intro to Game Dev with M dot Strange

An overview of what is covered in this short introductory course.

The course introduction.

The things you can't see that make the magic happen; that allow objects to communicate with each other and share data.

A non-technical explanation of what variables are.

In game example showing the importance of variables.

A description of the visual scripting tools that we'll use in place of coding in the Strange School courses.

Game examples made with visual scripting tools are provided.

Colliders; the things that allow you to define what objects are physical and real in your game.

How do game objects know who is who?

Grouping similar objects with tags.

Controlling your player is easier than you think it is.

Creating item pickups.

Using boolean variables to open locked doors.

Health bars watch your health variable and copy it.

The simple stuff behind killing enemies and dropping loot.

Save variables on the player's computer and read them the next time they play the game.

Unity's Navmesh system does all the hard work for you.

Raycasts are an important tool in your game dev toolbox.

A lot of what you do in game dev is very simple; layer these simple techniques for awesome results.

Controlling and managing animation is achieved through making animation clips and triggering them with variables.

Control when damage is done with animation events.

It's never been this easy to make video games.

Start with the Strange School today and you'll be making games tomorrow.

A look at all the awesome stuff we are going to learn in this tutorial series!

Make sure to download the course materials.

We are going to launch Unity and import the assets and packages that we need to make our game.

We use Playmaker to make our playable character move. Part 1 of 2.

We add a free script to polish our Playmaker player movement controls. Part 2 of 2.

We begin to add animations to our playable character using Playmaker and Unity's Mecanim animation system. Part 1 of 3.

We dive a bit deeper into Mecanim so we can trigger our animations exactly when we want them. We also add a third person camera that tracks our character. Part 2 of 3.

We make our playable character jump when a user presses a button and add a jump animation. Part 3 of 3.

We begin to build out the level by adding walls and some torches.

We disable Unity's realtime GI system so we can have total control of the lighting and we start to set the mood for our scene.

We use Playmaker's trigger event to make a coin pickup that gives the player points.

We polish our coin pickup by adding some particle FX and a sound to it. We also add a UI to keep track of our player's points.

We use Playmaker to setup a gate that closes behind our player when they enter the Boss Area and locks them in. Part 1 of 2.

We use Playmaker and Mecanim to get the gate working to prepare for the Boss Fight. Part 2 of 2.

We use Playmaker to set up a health system for our player, so they are damaged by enemies and die when their health is gone.

We use Unity's UGUI system with Playmaker to create a health bar that updates when the player's health changes.

We add a particle effect whenever the player is damaged and a sound as well.

We use Playmaker to setup a landmine that explodes and damages the player when they step on it. Part 1 of 2.

We add blinking lights and alert sounds to our landmines. Part 2 of 2.

We import animations from our enemy model and apply them using Mecanim. We also use Unity's Navmesh system to define where the enemy can and can not walk in our level.

We use Playmaker to make it so our enemy automatically patrols the level.

We begin to work on creating an enemy that randomly patrols our level and attacks the player when it sees them. Part 1 of 2.

We use Playmaker, Mecanim and the Navmesh system to get the enemy to chase the player when it sees them. Part 2 of 2.

We make it so when the enemy swings its claw it damages the player. We use animation events to control when the claws can and can not damage the player.

We begin work on creating a weapon the player can hold in his hand and fire at enemies. Part 1 of 4.

We use Unity IK to keep the gun in the player's hand, then use Playmaker to make the gun fire projectiles. Part 2 of 4.

Now that our gun and bullets are working properly we add some polish to them with a muzzle flash and hit FX. Part 4 of 4.

We begin to set up our Boss character's FSMs and animation so it can fight the player. Part 1 of 2.

We make it so when our Boss dies a key pickup appears, which will open the door to the treasure. Part 2 of 2.

We begin setting up a bomb projectile the player will use to damage the boss. Part 1 of 2.

We add an FSM to the player that will equip the bombs when they pick them up, then test our bomb projectiles on the Boss. Part 2 of 2.

We begin to set up the Boss' Navmesh and AI system using Playmaker.

We add some spooky sounds and some blades that will hurt the player if touched by them. Part 1 of 2.

We add some spooky sounds and some blades that will hurt the player if touched by them. Part 2 of 2.

We add some Boss Fight music and set things up so the Boss automatically appears when the gate locks the player in.

We use Playmaker and Mecanim to set up a door that opens when the player has a key. Part 1 of 2.

We use Playmaker and Mecanim to set up a door that opens when the player has a key. Part 2 of 2.

We start work on creating a treasure chest that will open when the player stands in front of it and enters a password.

We use Playmaker and Unity's UGUI system to create a password field that the user must enter a password into to open the chest. Part 1 of 2.

We finish off the State Machines that will open the chest when the player puts in the correct password. Part 2 of 2.

We make it so a magic coin appears when the player successfully opens the treasure chest.

We add in some music and create a Playmaker setup so that the game resets itself when the player dies.

We use animation events with Playmaker to play a random footstep sounds when the player moves.

We add a jump sound when the player jumps and some attack sounds for the enemy.

We use Playmaker to give the ability to pause, quit and restart the game. We have to do a little troubleshooting to get the pause to work correctly. Part 1 of 2.

We use Playmaker to give the ability to pause, quit and restart the game. We have to do a little troubleshooting to get the pause to work correctly. Part 2 of 2.

We use Unity's UI system and Playmaker to create a looping intro menu for our game. Part 1 of 2.

We use Unity's UI system and Playmaker to create a looping intro menu for our game. Part 2 of 2.

We use Unity's built in image effects to make our game look nicer. We also adjust the UI anchor points to get them to stay in proper position when scaling the screen.

We add a menu that rewards the player when they finish the level.

We build a game for release so we can share it with the world!

We fix some last little issues in the game, including a mouse cursor that stays visible. This is the end; I hope you learned a lot!

M dot Strange shows you how to find and install Playmaker, then goes over the basics to get you going with it. Part 1 of 2.

M dot Strange shows you how to find and install Playmaker, then goes over the basics to get you going with it. Part 2 of 2.

In this bonus video M dot shows you how to use Playmaker to set up a bomb that damages enemies based on their distance from it when it explodes.

M dot gives an overview of PlayerPrefs and shows you how to use them with Playmaker.

We use a free Playmaker add-on called Arraymaker to set up an easy to use auto targeting system. Part 1 of 3.

We use a free Playmaker add-on called Arraymaker to set up an easy to use auto targeting system. Part 2 of 3.

We use a free Playmaker add-on called Arraymaker to set up an easy to use auto targeting system. Part 3 of 3.

We set up using a Raycast to target and damage enemies within a specific range. This video will get you familiar with using Raycasts which have a ton of uses in game dev. Part 1 of 2.

We set up using a Raycast to target and damage enemies within a specific range. This video will get you familiar with using Raycasts which have a ton of uses in game dev. Part 2 of 2.

Creating a working inventory system using Hash Tables from the Playmaker add-on Arraymaker. Part 1 of 4.

Creating a working inventory system using Hash Tables from the Playmaker add-on Arraymaker. Part 2 of 4.

Creating a working inventory system using Hash Tables from the Playmaker add-on Arraymaker. Part 3 of 4.

Creating a working inventory system using Hash Tables from the Playmaker add-on Arraymaker. Part 4 of 4.

Career center

Learners who complete Make Awesomely Strange Video Games with Unity and Playmaker will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Visual Scripting Specialist Game

A Visual Scripting Specialist Game focuses on implementing game logic and interactive systems using visual programming tools rather than traditional code. This role is crucial for rapidly prototyping and developing complex features, often enabling designers and artists to create functional game elements directly. This course is almost entirely dedicated to training a Visual Scripting Specialist Game, emphasizing Unity and Playmaker. You learn to build an entire 3D game's mechanics, from character movement and animation to enemy artificial intelligence, weapon systems, user interface, and boss fights, all purely through visual scripting. This deep dive into Playmaker equips you with the hands-on expertise to tackle diverse game development challenges efficiently without writing a single line of code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Scripting Specialist Game

Technical Level Designer

A Technical Level Designer combines creative level design with hands-on technical implementation, often bridging the gap between artists and programmers. They ensure that level designs are not only aesthetically pleasing but also technically sound and performant. This course is an exceptional fit for a Technical Level Designer, as it teaches you to layout levels, set up navigation meshes, and implement complex interactive systems like gates, item pickups, and enemy patrols using Unity and Playmaker's visual scripting. The ability to create functional gameplay elements and environmental puzzles without writing code is a highly sought-after skill for this role, providing a practical foundation for bringing intricate level designs to life.

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Game Prototype Developer

A Game Prototype Developer is responsible for quickly building playable versions of game ideas to test core mechanics, validate concepts, and gather feedback. Speed and efficiency in implementation are key for this role. This course is extremely beneficial for an aspiring Game Prototype Developer because it teaches you to 'start today and be a game developer tomorrow' by creating a complete 3D game without coding. Using Unity and Playmaker, you will learn to rapidly assemble character controls, enemy behaviors, interactive environments, and user interfaces. This hands-on experience in quickly bringing game concepts to life through visual scripting is a direct asset for rapidly iterating on game ideas.

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Level Designer

A Level Designer crafts immersive and engaging environments for players to explore within a game. This involves laying out playable spaces, integrating puzzles, challenges, and narrative elements to guide the player experience. This course directly prepares you for a Level Designer role by teaching you to build out entire levels, set up Unity Navmeshes for character navigation, create interactive elements like gates and password-locked treasure chests, and organize multiple game levels. You learn practical techniques for environmental storytelling and player progression without needing to write code, making this course invaluable for implementing your design visions directly within the Unity engine using visual scripting tools.

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Game Engine Specialist

A Game Engine Specialist possesses deep technical knowledge of a specific game engine, understanding its features, workflows, and limitations to optimize development processes and solve complex implementation challenges. This role often involves supporting various teams. This course is highly relevant for an aspiring Game Engine Specialist focused on Unity and Playmaker. You gain comprehensive, practical experience across the entire game development pipeline within Unity, from asset import and scene setup to advanced visual scripting with Playmaker for all game logic, artificial intelligence, and user interface. Your hands-on proficiency in building a complete game without coding provides a unique understanding of how to maximize Unity and Playmaker's capabilities for efficient and effective game creation.

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Gameplay Designer

A Gameplay Designer focuses on the core mechanics and player experience of a game. They define how players interact with the game world, characters, and systems, ensuring an enjoyable and consistent experience. This course is highly relevant for aspiring Gameplay Designers as it guides you through creating a complete 3D third-person game from scratch, emphasizing player control, combat systems, enemy artificial intelligence, and boss battles. You learn to implement health systems, weapon pickups, and interactive objectives using visual scripting, allowing you to rapidly prototype and refine gameplay concepts and make your design ideas tangible and testable within the Unity environment.

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Game Systems Designer

A Game Systems Designer defines, balances, and implements the underlying rules and mechanics that govern a game, such as combat, inventory, progression, and player statistics. They focus on how different systems interact and contribute to the overall game experience. This course is highly correlated with the skills needed for a Game Systems Designer. You learn to implement complex systems like a working health system, weapon firing with different ammo types, enemy artificial intelligence behaviors, and even an inventory system using Playmaker. This hands-on experience in building, connecting, and testing these core game systems using visual scripting is fundamental for developing robust and engaging game mechanics.

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Artificial Intelligence Scripter Game

An Artificial Intelligence Scripter Game designs and implements the behaviors of non player characters and enemies, making them react realistically and intelligently within the game world. This role often involves creating complex state machines and decision trees. This course is highly relevant for an Artificial Intelligence Scripter Game as it focuses on creating enemy non player characters that patrol, attack the player on sight with simple artificial intelligence, and setting up complex behaviors for a boss fight, all using Playmaker and Unity's Navmesh system. You gain direct experience in defining enemy actions, triggers, and reactions without writing traditional code, providing a practical understanding of artificial intelligence implementation for game characters.

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User Interface Artist Game

A User Interface Artist Game designs and implements the visual elements and interactive components of a game's user interface, including menus, health bars, and informational displays. While often focused on aesthetics, understanding the technical implementation is crucial. This course provides a strong foundation for a User Interface Artist Game by teaching you to set up a working health system with a user interface health bar, create an intro menu, and implement a password field for interactive elements using Unity's UGUI system with Playmaker. You learn how to make user interface elements dynamic and responsive, connect them to game variables, and adjust their anchor points, giving you practical skills in bringing user interface designs into the game engine.

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3D Interactive Experience Designer

A 3D Interactive Experience Designer creates immersive and engaging virtual environments and applications that allow users to interact meaningfully with 3D content. This often extends beyond traditional games to educational or experiential platforms. This course is an excellent starting point for a 3D Interactive Experience Designer. You learn to build complete 3D worlds, control interactive characters, create dynamic events, and implement user interfaces within Unity using visual scripting. The ability to craft full interactive scenarios, complete with pickups, enemy behaviors, and menu systems without writing code, equips you to design and implement a wide range of engaging 3D experiences.

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Virtual Reality Experience Builder

A Virtual Reality Experience Builder designs and develops interactive virtual worlds and applications for virtual reality platforms. This role requires proficiency in 3D environments, user interaction, and performance optimization for immersive experiences. This course is highly relevant for a Virtual Reality Experience Builder. Unity is a leading engine for virtual reality development, and learning to create 3D third-person games, control characters, implement interactive objects, and design user interfaces using Playmaker's visual scripting directly transfers to virtual reality. The course's focus on creating immersive 3D environments and interactive mechanics without coding provides a practical foundation for developing engaging and functional virtual reality experiences efficiently.

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Content Designer Game

A Content Designer Game focuses on creating and populating the interactive elements of a game, including characters, objects, puzzles, and quests, within existing game systems and tools. They bring life to the game world. This course provides an excellent foundation for a Content Designer Game. You learn to integrate 3D character models and animations, create weapon pickups, set up enemy non player characters, design boss fights, and implement interactive elements like password-locked treasure chests. The course's emphasis on using Unity and Playmaker to directly implement these content pieces without coding empowers you to quickly iterate and populate game worlds with engaging and functional interactivity.

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Technical Artist Game

A Technical Artist Game acts as a bridge between artistic vision and game engine implementation, optimizing assets, building tools, and solving technical challenges to bring art to life. While often involving scripting, visual scripting is also a key tool. This course helps build a foundation for a Technical Artist Game by demonstrating how to integrate 3D character models and animations, use particle effects, implement sounds, and apply image effects to enhance visual fidelity within Unity. The hands-on use of Playmaker allows for direct implementation of artistic ideas and interactive elements without deep coding knowledge, empowering artists to directly influence game behavior and visual presentation.

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Interactive Media Creator

An Interactive Media Creator develops engaging digital experiences that respond to user input, often blending elements of games, art, education, and storytelling across various platforms. This role thrives on creativity and technical implementation. This course is a strong foundation for an Interactive Media Creator. By learning to build a complete 3D interactive experience within Unity using Playmaker's visual scripting, you gain direct experience in crafting dynamic environments, responsive characters, and engaging interactive systems without writing any code. The skills in setting up triggers, animations, user interface, and custom interactions are broadly applicable to creating diverse forms of interactive media, from installations to educational tools.

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Quality Assurance Tester Game

A Quality Assurance Tester Game meticulously tests games for bugs, glitches, and design flaws, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable player experience. A deep understanding of how games are built and intended to function is paramount. This course provides a strong foundation for a Quality Assurance Tester Game because you learn the entire game development process from building a 3D third-person game from scratch. Understanding how player controls, enemy artificial intelligence, weapon systems, user interface, and level interactions are implemented using Unity and Playmaker provides critical insight into where issues may arise. This foundational knowledge of game mechanics and systems helps identify and articulate bugs more effectively.

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