Unity Game Development — Lesson 1: Create Your First Game

Objective

Open and navigate the Unity Editor.
Create a simple 2D scene.
Add a Player object that moves with arrow keys or WASD.
Understand GameObjects, Components, and Play Mode.

What You’ll Need

Unity Hub installed.
Unity Editor 2022 or newer.
A new 2D project named: MyFirstUnityGame.

Vocabulary

Term	Meaning
Scene	A level or environment in your game.
GameObject	Any item in your scene (player, wall, light, etc.).
Component	Adds behavior or properties to a GameObject.
Transform	Controls position, rotation, and scale.
Play Mode	Lets you test your game in the Unity Editor.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 — Start a New Project

Open Unity Hub.
Click New Project → 2D (Core).
Name it PX_lastname_UnityA and click Create project.

Step 2 — Set Up the Scene

In the Hierarchy, right-click → 2D Object → Sprite → Square.
Rename it to Player.
In the Inspector, click the Color box and pick a color.

Step 3 — Add Movement with a Script

In the Project window, right-click → Create → C# Script.
Name it PlayerMovement.
Double-click the script to open it in your code editor.
Replace the contents with the code below and save.

// PlayerMovement.cs
using UnityEngine;

public class PlayerMovement : MonoBehaviour
{
    public float speed = 5f;

    void Update()
    {
        float moveX = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");
        float moveY = Input.GetAxis("Vertical");

        transform.Translate(new Vector2(moveX, moveY) * speed * Time.deltaTime);
    }
}

Drag the PlayerMovement script onto the Player GameObject in the Hierarchy.

Step 4 — Test the Game

Click the Play button at the top of Unity.
Use Arrow keys or WASD to move the player square.
Click Play again to stop testing.

Tip: If your player doesn’t move, confirm the script is attached to the Player object and check the Console for errors.

Challenge Extensions

Change the player’s color when moving (hint: GetComponent<SpriteRenderer>().color).
Add an Obstacle GameObject and try not to touch it.
Make the player bounce off screen edges using simple boundary checks.

Reflection Questions (Answer them in the private comments on google classroom.

What is a GameObject in Unity?
What does the Transform component control?
Why is Update() called every frame?
How does Time.deltaTime help movement feel smooth?

Submission

Submit 4 files:

Your PX_lastname_UnityScene.png with your Unity Player visible.
Your PX_lastname_codeEditor.png showing the PlayerMovement script.
Your PX_lastname_UnityA.mp4 Video showing game running.
Your PX_lastname_UnityA.unity actual Unity program.

Use these filenames:

Save the files into your google drives under your class period and upload to Google Classroom.