Learning the Unity Editor Interface Tutorial

CCE VGD/GP

Interface Tutorial
Lesson Highlights
Project Browser
Hierarchy
Toolbar
Scene View
Game View
Inspector
Toolbar

Required Software
Unity (There is a free version of Unity
available at: http://unity3d.com/getunity/download?ref=personal)

The Unity Interface has 5 distinct areas that we see when we first launch the Unity
Editor. In this tutorial, we will discuss each area, how to use them, and what they do for
us. For this tutorial, we will start off by using the Default view in the editor.

Learning the Unity Editor Interface Tutorial

CCE VGD/GP

The Hierarchy

The Hierarchy (in the upper left corner) contains every GameObject in the current
scene. Some of these are direct instances of asset files like 3D models, and others are
instances of prefabs (See the lesson on prefabs).
By clicking on an object in the Hierarchy and dragging it onto another object, you can set
parenting. Whichever object you drag an object on to becomes the parent object (parent
is target object). The parent sets the relative Transform properties of the child object.
Try to think of the Hierarchy as a list of Assets in your Scene, or Assets in your current
level.

Learning the Unity Editor Interface Tutorial

CCE VGD/GP

Scene View

The Scene View is an interactive sandbox. You can use the Scene View to select and
position GameObjects, such as environmental objects, the player, the camera, enemies, etc.
If you are at all familiar with other 3D applications such as Autodesk Maya, you will find
the Gizmos very similar, as are the keyboard shortcuts, which are similar, or even identical
to many other programs:
Q Select
W Translate
E Rotate
R Scale
Hidden behind the Scene View is the Game View, which shows what will be seen when
the game is actually running.

Learning the Unity Editor Interface Tutorial

CCE VGD/GP

The Inspector

The Inspector shows you the properties of whatever GameObject you have selected in
the Hierarchy. Here you can set the Transform, remove components, or attach
components, such as a Mesh Renderer, a Rigidbody, a Script, or Audio Source (just
to name a few).
You will find as you work in Unity, that the Inspector is probably where you will spend the
most of your time. It is the real backbone of the Editor.

Learning the Unity Editor Interface Tutorial

CCE VGD/GP

Project Browser

The Project Browser is used to manage the assets that belong to your project.
The left panel of the browser shows the folder structure of the project as a hierarchy.
The individual assets are shown on the right hand panel as icons that indicate their type
(script, material, sub-folder, etc.)
Just like we can think of the Hierarchy as being what is in our current level, we can think
of the Project Browser as everything that is in our game.

Learning the Unity Editor Interface Tutorial

CCE VGD/GP

The Toolbar

The Toolbar consists of five basic controls. Each relate to different parts of the Editor.
Transform Toolbar

Layers Drop-down

Used in the Scene View

Controls which objects are displayed in

the Scene View

Transform Gizmo Toggles

Used to change the Scene View display

Layout Drop-down
Controls Arrangement of all views.

Play/Pause/Step Buttons
Used with the Game View

Learning the Unity Editor Interface Tutorial

CCE VGD/GP

LESSON SUMMARY
Challenge
Set up the Editor in a custom workflow that works best for you. For some alternative
views, in Unity, go to the Menu Bar,

Learning C# for Unity Learning the Unity Editor by Levi Sterling is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution
4.0 International License. This tutorial was written on Mac OSX, using Unity (Educational License), and Google Docs.