Tutorial Notes: Creating a 3D Adventure Game with Unity and Adventure Creator

Introduction

• Presenter: Chris
• Focus: Creating a 3D adventure game using Unity 2021.3 and Adventure Creator version 1.75.5
• Example Game: Third-person game featuring a character named TimPot trying to rescue a tied-up character in an evil lair.

Setup

• Adventure Creator: Available on Unity Asset Store. Import it through Unity by:
  1. Window > Package Manager > My Assets
  2. Filter for Adventure Creator and select Import.
• Tutorial Assets: Download the tutorial asset files from Adventure Creator's website.
• Import Tutorial Assets: Bring them into Unity using Assets > Import Package > Custom Package.

Creating Game Managers

1. Start by creating the necessary manager assets via Adventure Creator > Getting Started > New Game Wizard.
2. Configure initial settings:
   • Game Name: Enter the name of your game.
   • Camera Perspective: Set to 3D.
   • Player Control: Choose direct control for keyboard/controller.
   • Interface: Set to context-sensitive for simplicity.
   • GUI System: Default Unity UI for accessing inventory and menus.
3. Complete the wizard to create the manager assets.

Organizing the Scene

• Use the Scene Manager in the AC Game Editor to organize the scene.
• Create folders for lights, sounds, and other game objects to maintain organization.

Adding Player Character

1. Import the El_Tin_Pot model from the tutorial files.
2. Convert it to a character using Adventure Creator > Editors > Character Wizard:
   • Assign the game object and select Mechanim for animation.
3. Add colliders to ensure the character interacts correctly with the environment.
   • Use Mesh Collider for props and Box Collider for static objects.

NavMesh and Movement

• NavMesh: Enable navigation for pathfinding by marking the root object as static. Bake the NavMesh using AI Navigation > Bake.
• Implement point-and-click movement by setting layers appropriately and adjusting the settings manager.

Player Animation

• Create an Animator Controller for El_Tin_Pot to handle animations:
  • Add walk, run, and idle animations to blend tree.
  • Update parameters in the player component to match the animator parameters.

Adding Interactivity

• Use Hotspots to make objects interactive:
  • Create hotspots for chairs, lasers, etc. using the Scene Manager.
  • Define interactions with action lists for each hotspot that trigger player responses.

NPCs and Dialogue

• Add NPCs like Brain and set up conversations with the player:
  • Use the Character Wizard to convert Brain into an NPC.
  • Create a conversation action list and link responses to conversational options.

Adding Background Speech

• Implement background speech from NPCs to add depth to gameplay:
  • Use action lists to control speech timing and responses based on game state.

Save System

• Utilize Adventure Creator's built-in save system to maintain game state:
  • Use Remember components to track object states and variables across sessions.

Camera System

• Implement a third-person camera system for a modern feel:
  • Adjust camera settings for smooth gameplay experience and control.
  • Set interactions to occur based on player proximity rather than just clicking.

UI Improvements

• Update UI elements for consistency:
  • Match font sizes and styles across interaction menus and subtitles.
  • Create new menus for background speech and adjust display settings.

Lip Sync and Facial Expressions

• Add facial animations to NPCs using blend shapes for expressions and lip syncing:
  • Utilize the shapeable component to control expressions during dialogues.
  • Configure phoneme data for lip syncing based on speech text.

Conclusion

• The tutorial covers the essentials of setting up a basic adventure game mechanics in Unity using Adventure Creator.
• For further learning, refer to additional tutorials available in the Adventure Creator documentation.