The Unity Input System: Handling Player Controls 🎯

Handling player controls is fundamental to any interactive experience in Unity. With the introduction of the new Unity Input System: Player Controls, developers now have a more robust, flexible, and event-driven way to manage input. This tutorial will guide you through setting up the Input System, creating input actions, and implementing them in your scripts for a seamless and responsive player experience. We’ll explore the intricacies, common pitfalls, and powerful features that make the new Input System a game-changer for Unity developers.

Executive Summary ✨

The Unity Input System represents a significant upgrade over the legacy Input Manager, offering improved performance, greater flexibility, and better support for modern input devices. This tutorial dives deep into the core concepts, guiding you step-by-step through implementing player controls using the new system. We’ll cover everything from installing the package and creating Input Action Assets to writing C# scripts that respond to player input. You’ll learn how to customize input mappings, handle different input devices, and create a robust and responsive control scheme for your game. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a solid understanding of the Unity Input System: Player Controls and be able to confidently implement it in your own projects. Prepare for a smoother, more efficient, and more customizable input experience!

Installing the Input System Package

Before we can begin harnessing the power of the Input System, we need to install the package. Here’s how:

• Open your Unity project.
• Navigate to Window > Package Manager.
• In the Package Manager window, select “Unity Registry” from the Packages dropdown menu.
• Search for “Input System”.
• Click “Install”. Unity may prompt you to restart – do so to ensure the system is properly initialized.
• Once restarted, Unity might ask you to enable the new Input System. It is recommeneded to say yes.

Creating Input Action Assets 📈

Input Action Assets are the heart of the new Input System. They define the actions your player can perform and how those actions are mapped to input devices. Here’s how to create and configure them:

• In your Project window, right-click and select Create > Input Actions.
• Name your Input Action Asset (e.g., “PlayerInput”).
• Double-click the asset to open the Input Action editor.
• In the editor, create new Action Maps (e.g., “Gameplay”, “UI”). Action maps group related actions together.
• Within each Action Map, create individual Actions (e.g., “Move”, “Jump”, “Fire”).
• For each Action, specify its Control Type (e.g., “Value”, “Button”, “Pass Through”).
• Add Bindings to each Action. Bindings link the Action to specific input devices and controls (e.g., “W Key”, “Left Stick”).
• Configure Interaction and Processor settings for finer control over input behavior.

Scripting with the Input System 💡

Now that we have our Input Action Asset configured, let’s write some C# code to respond to player input. The `PlayerInput` component provides several ways to access input data.

• Add a `PlayerInput` component to your player GameObject.
• Assign your Input Action Asset to the `Actions` property of the `PlayerInput` component.
• Generate a C# class from your Input Action asset. This creates a script containing properties for each action. In the Input Action editor, select “C# Script” as the “Generate C# Class” option.

Here’s an example script:

    using UnityEngine;
    using UnityEngine.InputSystem;

    public class PlayerController : MonoBehaviour
    {
        private PlayerInputActions playerControls;
        private Vector2 moveDirection;
        public float moveSpeed = 5f;
        private Rigidbody rb;

        private void Awake()
        {
            playerControls = new PlayerInputActions();
            rb = GetComponent();
        }

        private void OnEnable()
        {
            playerControls.Gameplay.Enable();
            playerControls.Gameplay.Move.performed += OnMove;
            playerControls.Gameplay.Move.canceled += OnMove;
            playerControls.Gameplay.Jump.performed += OnJump;
        }

        private void OnDisable()
        {
            playerControls.Gameplay.Disable();
             playerControls.Gameplay.Move.performed -= OnMove;
            playerControls.Gameplay.Move.canceled -= OnMove;
            playerControls.Gameplay.Jump.performed -= OnJump;
        }

        private void OnMove(InputAction.CallbackContext context)
        {
            moveDirection = context.ReadValue();
        }

        private void OnJump(InputAction.CallbackContext context)
        {
            Debug.Log("Jump!");
            // Add jump logic here (e.g., rb.AddForce(Vector3.up * jumpForce, ForceMode.Impulse);)
        }

        private void FixedUpdate()
        {
            Vector3 movement = new Vector3(moveDirection.x, 0, moveDirection.y) * moveSpeed * Time.fixedDeltaTime;
            rb.MovePosition(rb.position + movement);
        }
    }

    

Explanation:

• `PlayerInputActions` represents the generated C# class created from the Input Action asset.
• `OnEnable` and `OnDisable` enable and disable the `Gameplay` action map and subscribe/unsubscribe to the `performed` and `canceled` events of the `Move` action.
• `OnMove` receives the input value (a `Vector2` representing movement direction) from the `Move` action.
• `OnJump` is triggered when the `Jump` action is performed.
• `FixedUpdate` applies the movement to the Rigidbody based on the input and speed.

Customizing Input Mappings ✅

The Input System allows for dynamic input mapping, meaning players can customize their controls within the game. This can drastically improve accessibility and user experience.

• Implement a UI system that allows players to browse and modify input bindings.
• Use the `InputActionRebindingExtensions` class to easily rebind actions at runtime.
• Save and load custom input configurations to persist player preferences.
• Consider providing default control schemes for different input devices (e.g., keyboard/mouse, gamepad).
• Offer visual feedback to confirm successful rebindings.
• Test your remapping system thoroughly with different input devices to ensure functionality and a good user experience.

Advanced Features and Considerations

Beyond the basics, the Unity Input System offers several advanced features worth exploring:

• Input Device Management: The Input System automatically detects and handles various input devices. You can query connected devices and customize behavior based on device type.
• Input Processors: Input Processors allow you to modify the raw input values before they reach your code. For example, you can normalize values, clamp them to a specific range, or apply dead zones.
• Input Interactions: Input Interactions allow you to define complex input patterns. For example, you can detect double taps, holds, or chords (multiple keys pressed simultaneously).
• Multiplayer Support: The Input System is designed to work seamlessly with multiplayer games. It provides mechanisms for assigning input devices to specific players.
• Performance Optimization: The Input System is optimized for performance. However, you should still be mindful of how you handle input events in your code. Avoid performing expensive operations in input event handlers.
• Platform-Specific Considerations: Be aware of platform-specific input quirks. Some platforms may have different input device configurations or limitations.

FAQ ❓

Q: What are the benefits of using the new Input System over the old Input Manager?

A: The new Input System offers significant improvements over the legacy Input Manager. It provides better performance, more flexibility, and enhanced support for modern input devices. It’s also more event-driven, leading to cleaner and more maintainable code. The new Input System allows players to customize their input and saves preferences between sessions. Finally, it solves the issue of complex input chains by allowing a single Action to have multiple Bindings.

Q: How do I handle multiple input devices with the Input System?

A: The Input System automatically detects and manages connected input devices. You can access information about the connected devices through the `InputSystem.devices` property. You can then filter the devices based on their type and assign specific actions to specific devices. The Input System provides properties to identify the type and name of the connected input device. The `playerInput.devices` property can be used to access the list of devices.

Q: Can I use both the old Input Manager and the new Input System in the same project?

A: While technically possible, it’s generally not recommended to use both input systems simultaneously. This can lead to conflicts and unexpected behavior. It’s best to migrate your project entirely to the new Input System for optimal results. When you install the new Input System it will ask if it should disable the old system. It is recommended to do so, but it is your responsibility to rewrite all code that depends on the old system.

Conclusion ✅

The Unity Input System: Player Controls offers a powerful and flexible solution for managing player input in your games. By mastering the concepts of Input Action Assets, scripting, and customization, you can create a responsive and engaging control scheme that enhances the player experience. While migrating from the legacy Input Manager may require some initial effort, the long-term benefits in terms of performance, maintainability, and flexibility are well worth it. Keep experimenting, keep learning, and keep pushing the boundaries of interactive gameplay!
By using the Input System you are providing a better and more customizable experience for your players. The new system may seem complicated at first, but it greatly simplifies the player input and allows your players to dynamically change their controls. With the provided guide, you are now well on your way to building great games.

Tags

Unity Input System, Player Controls, Input Actions, Game Development, C#

Meta Description

Master player controls in Unity with the new Input System! Learn setup, scripting, and customization for a responsive gaming experience. 🎯