Game development with Unity

Students will install Unity, explore the Editor interface, and learn the core building blocks of every Unity project: Scenes, GameObjects, and Components. By the end of this lesson, they'll have a simple scene with objects they can move and manipulate.

• Project: Set up Unity and create your first scene with GameObjects
• Concepts: Unity Editor layout, Scenes, GameObjects, Components, Inspector

Students will learn how to import and use 2D sprites, arrange them into a playable level, and use Unity's Tilemap tool to paint platforms and backgrounds efficiently.

• Project: Build a 2D platformer level using sprites and tilemaps
• Concepts: 2D sprites, Tilemap editor, sorting layers, scene composition

This lesson introduces C# scripting in Unity. Students will write their first script to move a player character left and right using keyboard input, learning about variables, functions, and the Update loop.

• Project: Write a C# script to control player movement with arrow keys
• Concepts: C# basics, variables, Input.GetKey(), transform.Translate(), Update()

Students will add Rigidbody2D and Collider2D components to enable real physics. They'll implement jumping with gravity, ground detection, and smooth character control.

• Project: Add jumping, gravity, and ground detection to the player
• Concepts: Rigidbody2D, Collider2D, AddForce, raycasting for ground check

Students will create collectible items (coins, gems) scattered across their level, detect when the player picks them up using triggers, and display a running score on screen.

• Project: Add collectible items and a score counter to the game
• Concepts: Trigger collisions, OnTriggerEnter2D, UI Text, static variables

Students will add enemies that patrol back and forth and hazards (spikes, lava) that damage the player. They'll learn basic AI movement patterns and how to manage a health system.

• Project: Create patrolling enemies and hazards with a health system
• Concepts: Enemy AI (waypoint patrol), health variables, damage on collision

Students will bring their characters to life using Unity's Animator. They'll create idle, run, and jump animations and learn to trigger transitions based on player actions.

• Project: Animate the player character with idle, run, and jump states
• Concepts: Animator Controller, animation clips, state transitions, parameters

Games need sound! Students will add background music, jump sounds, coin pickup effects, and enemy hit sounds, learning how to manage audio in Unity.

• Project: Add background music, sound effects, and audio triggers
• Concepts: AudioSource, AudioClip, PlayOneShot(), AudioListener

Students will create a start menu, a game-over screen, and learn how to load different scenes to build a multi-level game with proper flow from menu to gameplay to end screen.

• Project: Build a start menu, game-over screen, and multiple levels
• Concepts: Scene management, SceneManager.LoadScene(), UI buttons, game states

In the final lesson, students will add particle effects, fine-tune gameplay, test and debug their game, and export it as a standalone application they can share with friends and family. The session ends with a showcase where each student demos their creation.

• Project: Polish, test, debug, and export your finished game
• Concepts: Particle systems, playtesting, debugging, Build Settings, game export