UNITY 3D - GAME PROGRAMMING INTRODUCTION

http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/876015/UNITY-D-GAME-PROGRAMMING-INTRODUCTION

Vahe Karamian, 25 Feb 2015 CPOL

5.00 (31 votes)

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The first article in a series to discuss Unity 3D and how to get started with your own 3D projects.

Introduction

It has been a while since my last article, but coming back I have decided to write an article, or a series of articles, about a game engine called UNITY 3D which happens to be one of the most popular in the industry as of today.
There are several really outstanding benefits to the engine:

1. You can get a community version which works beautifully and is more then what most people will ever need.
2. The community itself is very large and active, hence you will always be able to find other developers and designers to help you in case you need any assistance.
3. You can develop for Unity 3D either on a Windows or a Macintosh also some flavors of Linux.
4. You can use C# to do the scripting / programming of your game.
5. You can target many platforms for your release.

The list can go on. I have listed some of the main points which I find attractive in Unity 3D. Also, since the community version is FREE, you can research and play around with the environment and your ideas before investing more time and money into it.

In any case this article is not about the financial aspect of the engine, but rather an introduction to the fundamental concepts to the game engine and how to get started for those who are eager to jump-start their own ideas.

So without further ado, we will be looking at the IDE and discuss some of the basics before we can start diving into more details.

The Series:

1. Unity 3D – Game Programming – Part 1
2. Unity 3D – Game Programming – Part 2
3. Unity 3D – Game Programming – Part 3
4. Unity 3D – Game Programming – Part 4

Live Preview of Article Code and Visuals:

Link to live preview: http://www.noorcon.com/CodeProject/CodeProjectArticlePreview.html

Background

It is assumed that the reader of this article is familiar with programming concepts in general. It is also assumed that the reader has an understanding and experience of the C# language. It is also recommended that the reader of the article is familiar with Object-Oriented Programming and Design Concepts as well. We will be covering them briefly throughout the article as needed, but we will not get into the details as they are separate topics altogether. We also assume that you have a passion to learn 3D programming and have the basic theoretical concepts for 3D Graphics and Vector Math.

Lastly, the article uses Unity 3D version 4.6.1 which is the latest public release as of the initial publication date. Most of the topics discussed in the series will be compatible with older versions of the game engine, and perhaps also the new version which is supposed to be release sometime this year. There is however, one topics which is significantly different in the current 4.6.1 version compared to the older version of the game engine, and that is the UI (User Interface) pipeline. This is due to the new UI architecture in the engine which is far superior to what we had prior to this release. I for one, am very happy with the new UI 

{continued at main article link at top}

Webinar The Future of iPhone & iPad Programming with Swift by IntertechTraining

from http://www.intertech.com/Blog/future-iphone-ipad-programming-swift-oxygen-blast/

Swift is the new programming language that Apple has to replace the oddball Objective-C that nobody outside Apple knows with another better oddball language.

The Future of iPhone & iPad Programming with Swift by IntertechTraining IntertechTraining

How to Bring Up Windows 8 Charms with Keyboard and Touch

found here: http://www.7tutorials.com/introducing-windows-8-what-are-charms
Introducing Windows 8.1: What are the Charms & How to Use them

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By Codrut Neagu on 11/21/2013

One of the most important features in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 are theCharms. "Charms"... in Windows? It sounds strange! Right?
Actually, they are not that hard to understand. To help you out, we will share how to access them, what they do and how to use them.

How to Access the Charms

Simply put, Charms are a set of shortcuts to common tasks, available anywhere in the system. There are several ways to access the Charms in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. You can use the keyboard, the mouse or touch:

• Keyboard: press the Windows key + C.
• Mouse: go to the bottom or top right corner of your screen, and then move your cursor up or down to access the charms.
• Touch: swipe from the right edge of the screen towards center.

Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcuts

see http://shortcutkeys.org/software-shortcuts/website/windows-8

Jump to

• Windows 8
• Basic
• Dialogs
• Windows logo
• Explorer
• Taskbar
• Ease of Access
• Magnifier
• Remote Desktop

Windows 8

Useful	Description	Keys
0	Open the Charms	WINKEY KEY+C
0	Open the Share charm	WINKEY KEY+H
0	Open the Devices charm	WINKEY KEY+K
0	Open the Settings charm	WINKEY KEY+I
0	Open the Search charm to search files	WINKEY KEY+F
0	Zoom in or out of apps pinned to the Start screen	CTRL+PLUS OR CTRL+MINUS OR CTRL+SCROLL WHEEL
0	Open the commands for the app	WINKEY KEY+C
0	Switch the main app and snapped app	WINKEY KEY+J
0	Lock the device orientation	WINKEY KEY+O
0	Open the Search charm to search apps	WINKEY KEY+Q
0	Loop through notifications	WINKEY KEY+V
0	Loop through notifications in reverse order	WINKEY KEY+SHIFT+V
0	Open the Search charm to search settings	WINKEY KEY+W
0	Temporarily peek at the desktop	WINKEY KEY+,
0	Show the commands available in the app	WINKEY KEY+Z
0	Switch input language and keyboard layout	WINKEY KEY+SPACEBAR
0	Change to a previously selected input	WINKEY KEY+CTRL+SPACEBAR
0	Loop through open apps (except desktop apps)	WINKEY KEY+TAB
0	Loop through open apps (except desktop apps) and snaps them as they are cycled	WINKEY KEY+CTRL+TAB
0	Loop through open apps (except desktop apps) in reverse order	WINKEY KEY+SHIFT+TAB
0	Move the Start screen and apps to the monitor on the left (Apps in the desktop won’t change monitors)	WINKEY KEY+PGUP
0	Move the Start screen and apps to the monitor on the right (Apps in the desktop won’t change monitors)	WINKEY KEY+PGDOWN
0	Snaps an app to the left	WINKEY KEY+SHIFT+PERIOD (.)
0	Snaps an app to the right
0	Key	TK8TP PJN6P 7X7WW RFFTV 87QPF
0	refresh	F5
0	close app	ALT+W
0	grapics view	WINKEY+TAB
0	shut down	ALT+F4
0	volume	ALT+F12

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Basic

Useful	Description	Keys
0	Display Help	F1
0	Rename	F2
0	Search	F3
0	Show address bar in Explorer	F4
0	Refresh	F5
0	Loop through screen elements in a window or on the desktop	F6
0	Activate the menu bar in the active app	F10
0	Close the active item, or exit the active app	ALT+F4
0	Loop through items in the order in which they were opened	ALT+ESC
0	Perform the command for that letter	ALT+UNDERLINED LETTER
0	Display properties for the selected item	ALT+ENTER
0	Open the shortcut menu for the active window	ALT+SPACEBAR
0	Back	ALT+LEFT ARROW
0	Forward	ALT+RIGHT ARROW
0	Move up one screen	ALT+PAGE UP
0	Move down one screen	ALT+PAGE DOWN
0	Switch between open apps (except desktop apps)	ALT+TAB
0	Close the active document (in apps that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)	CTRL+F4
0	Select all items in a document or window	CTRL+A
0	Copy the selected item	CTRL+C (OR CTRL+INSERT)
0	Refresh the active window	CTRL+R (OR F5)
0	Paste the selected item	CTRL+V (OR SHIFT+INSERT)
0	Cut the selected item	CTRL+X
0	Undo an action	CTRL+Z
0	Redo an action	CTRL+Y
0	Zoom in or out of apps pinned to the Start screen	CTRL+PLUS (+) OR CTRL+MINUS (-)
0	Zoom in or out of apps pinned to the Start screen	CTRL+SCROLL WHEEL
0	Change the size of desktop icons	CTRL+ MOUSE SCROLL WHEEL
0	Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word	CTRL+RIGHT ARROW
0	Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word	CTRL+LEFT ARROW
0	Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph	CTRL+DOWN ARROW
0	Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph	CTRL+UP ARROW
0	Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps	CTRL+ALT+TAB
0	Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop	CTRL WITH AN ARROW KEY+SPACEBAR
0	Select a block of text	CTRL+SHIFT WITH AN ARROW KEY
0	Open the Start screen	CTRL+ESC
0	Open Task Manager	CTRL+SHIFT+ESC
0	Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are enabled	CTRL+SHIFT
0	Display the shortcut menu for the selected item	SHIFT+F10
0	Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document	SHIFT WITH ANY ARROW KEY
0	Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first	SHIFT+DELETE
0	Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu	RIGHT ARROW
0	Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu	LEFT ARROW
0	Cancel the current task	ESC
0	Windows Key+start typing	SEARCH YOUR PC
0	Ctrl+plus or Ctrl+minus	ZOOM IN OR OUT OF A LARGE NUMBER OF ITEMS, LIKE APPS PINNED TO T
0	Ctrl+scroll wheel	ZOOM IN OR OUT OF A LARGE NUMBER OF ITEMS, LIKE APPS PINNED TO T
0	Windows Key+C	OPEN THE CHARMS
0	Windows Key+F	OPEN THE SEARCH CHARM TO SEARCH FILES
0	Windows Key+H	OPEN THE SHARE CHARM
0	Windows Key+I	OPEN THE SETTINGS CHARM
0	Windows Key+J	SWITCH THE MAIN APP AND SNAPPED APP
0	Windows Key+K	OPEN THE DEVICES CHARM
0	Windows Key+O	LOCK THE SCREEN ORIENTATION (PORTRAIT OR LANDSCAPE)
0	Windows Key+Q	OPEN THE SEARCH CHARM TO SEARCH APPS
0	Windows Key+W	OPEN THE SEARCH CHARM TO SEARCH SETTINGS
0	Windows Key+Z	SHOW THE COMMANDS AVAILABLE IN THE APP
0	Windows Key+Spacebar	SWITCH INPUT LANGUAGE AND KEYBOARD LAYOUT
0	Windows Key+Ctrl+spacebar	CHANGE TO A PREVIOUSLY SELECTED INPUT
0	Windows Key+Tab	CYCLE THROUGH OPEN APPS (EXCEPT DESKTOP APPS)
0	Windows Key+Ctrl+Tab	CYCLE THROUGH OPEN APPS (EXCEPT DESKTOP APPS) AND SNAP THEM AS T
0	Windows Key+Shift+Tab	CYCLE THROUGH OPEN APPS (EXCEPT DESKTOP APPS) IN REVERSE ORDER
0	Windows Key+PgUp	MOVE THE START SCREEN AND APPS TO THE MONITOR ON THE LEFT (APPS
0	Windows Key+PgDown	MOVE THE START SCREEN AND APPS TO THE MONITOR ON THE RIGHT (APPS
0	Windows Key+Shift+period	SNAPS AN APP TO THE LEFT
0	Windows Key+period	SNAPS AN APP TO THE RIGHT

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Dialogs

Useful	Description	Keys
0	Display Help	F1
0	Display the items in the active list	F4
0	Move forward through tabs	CTRL+TAB
0	Move back through tabs	CTRL+SHIFT+TAB
0	Move to Nth tab	CTRL+N (NUMBER 1-9)
0	Move forward through options	TAB
0	Move back through options	SHIFT+TAB
0	Perform the command or select the option for that letter	ALT+UNDERLINED LETTER
0	Replace clicking the mouse for many selected commands	ENTER
0	Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box	SPACEBAR
0	Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box	BACKSPACE
0	Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons	ARROW KEYS

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Windows logo

Useful	Description	Keys
0	Windows key keyboard shortcuts
0	Open Windows Help and Support	WINKEY KEY+F1
0	Display or hide the Start menu	WINKEY KEY
0	Set focus in the notification area	WINKEY KEY+B
0	Open the Charms	WINKEY KEY+C
0	Open the commands for the app	WINKEY KEY+C
0	Display and hides the desktop	WINKEY KEY+D
0	Open Computer	WINKEY KEY+E
0	Open the Search charm and search file	WINKEY KEY+F
0	Cycle through gadgets on the desktop	WINKEY KEY+G
0	Open the Share charm	WINKEY KEY+H
0	Open the Settings charm	WINKEY KEY+I
0	Switch the main app and snapped app	WINKEY KEY+J
0	Open the Devices charm	WINKEY KEY+K
0	Lock your PC or switch users	WINKEY KEY+L
0	Minimize all windows	WINKEY KEY+M
0	Lock device orientation	WINKEY KEY+O
0	Choose a presentation display mode	WINKEY KEY+P
0	Open the Search charm and search apps	WINKEY KEY+Q
0	Open the Run dialog box	WINKEY KEY+R
0	Cycle through apps on the taskbar	WINKEY KEY+T
0	Open Ease of Access Center	WINKEY KEY+U
0	Cycle through notifications	WINKEY KEY+V
0	Cycle through notifications in reverse order	WINKEY KEY+SHIFT+V
0	Open the Search charm and search settings	WINKEY KEY+W
0	Opens the Quick Link menu	WINKEY KEY+X
0	Temporarily peek at the desktop	WINKEY KEY+,
0	Show the commands available in the app	WINKEY KEY+Z
0	Display the System Properties dialog box	WINKEY KEY+PAUSE
0	Search for PCs (if you're on a network)	WINKEY KEY+CTRL+F
0	Restore minimized windows on the desktop	WINKEY KEY+SHIFT+M
0	Start the desktop app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the app is already running, switch to that app.	WINKEY KEY+NUMBER
0	Start a new instance of the desktop app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number	WINKEY KEY+SHIFT+NUMBER
0	Switch to the last active window of the desktop app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number	WINKEY KEY+CTRL+NUMBER
0	Open the Jump List for the desktop app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number	WINKEY KEY+ALT+NUMBER
0	Open a new instance of the desktop app located at the given position on the taskbar as admin	WINKEY KEY+CTRL+SHIFT+NUMBER
0	Cycle through open apps (except desktop apps)	WINKEY KEY+TAB
0	Cycle through open apps (except desktop apps) and snaps them as they are cycled	WINKEY KEY+CTRL+TAB
0	Switch to the app that displayed a message in the notification area	WINKEY KEY+CTRL+B
0	Maximize the desktop window	WINKEY KEY+UP ARROW
0	Minimize the desktop window
0	Maximize the desktop window to the left side of the screen	WINKEY KEY+LEFT ARROW
0	Maximize the desktop window to the right side of the screen	WINKEY KEY+RIGHT ARROW
0	Minimize all but the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke)	WINKEY KEY+HOME
0	Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen	WINKEY KEY+SHIFT+UP ARROW
0	Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width	WINKEY KEY+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW
0	Move a window in the desktop from one monitor to another	WINKEY KEY+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW OR RIGHT ARROW
0	Switch input language and keyboard layout	WINKEY KEY+SPACEBAR
0	Change to a previously selected input	WINKEY KEY+CTRL+SPACEBAR
0	Open Narrator	WINKEY KEY+ENTER
0	Move the Start screen and apps to the monitor on the left (Apps in the desktop won’t change monitors)	WINKEY KEY+PGUP
0	Move the Start screen and apps to the monitor on the right (Apps in the desktop won’t change monitors)	WINKEY KEY+PGDOWN
0	Snaps an app to the left	WINKEY KEY+SHIFT+PERIOD (.)
0	Snaps an app to the right	WINKEY KEY+PERIOD (.)
0	Cycle through opens apps (except desktop apps)	WINKEY KEY+TAB
0	Cycle through opens apps (except desktop apps) in reverse order
0	Cycle through opens apps (except desktop apps) and snaps them as they are cycled	WINKEY KEY+CTRL+TAB
0	Initiate IME reconversion	WINKEY KEY+/
0	Opens Windows Media Center	WINKEY KEY+ALT+ENTER
0	Zoom in or out (in Magnifier)	WINKEY KEY+PLUS (+) OR MINUS (-)
0	Exit Magnifier	WINKEY KEY+ESC

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Explorer

Useful	Description	Keys
0	Select the address bar	ALT+D
0	Select the search box	CTRL+E
0	Select the search box	CTRL+F
0	Open a new window	CTRL+N
0	Close the current window	CTRL+W
0	Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons	CTRL+MOUSE SCROLL WHEEL
0	Display all folders above the selected folder	CTRL+SHIFT+E
0	Create a new folder	CTRL+SHIFT+N
0	Display all subfolders under the selected folder	NUM LOCK+ASTERISK (*)
0	Display the contents of the selected folder	NUM LOCK+PLUS (+)
0	Collapse the selected folder	NUM LOCK+MINUS (-)
0	Display the preview pane	ALT+P
0	Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item	ALT+ENTER
0	View the next folder	ALT+RIGHT ARROW
0	View the parent folder	ALT+UP ARROW
0	View the previous folder	ALT+LEFT ARROW
0	View the previous folder	BACKSPACE
0	Display the current selection (if it's collapsed), or select the first subfolder	RIGHT ARROW
0	Collapse the current selection (if it's expanded), or select the parent folder	LEFT ARROW
0	Display the bottom of the active window	END
0	Display the top of the active window	HOME
0	Maximize or minimize the active window	F11

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Taskbar

Useful	Description	Keys
0	Open a app or quickly open another instance of a app	SHIFT+CLICK ON A TASKBAR BUTTON
0	Open a app as an administrator	CTRL+SHIFT+CLICK ON A TASKBAR BUTTON
0	Show the window menu for the app	SHIFT+RIGHT-CLICK ON A TASKBAR BUTTON
0	Show the window menu for the group	SHIFT+RIGHT-CLICK ON A GROUPED TASKBAR BUTTON
0	Cycle through the windows of the group	CTRL+CLICK ON A GROUPED TASKBAR BUTTON

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Ease of Access

Useful	Description	Keys
0	Turn Filter Keys on and off	RIGHT SHIFT FOR EIGHT SECONDS
0	Turn High Contrast on or off	LEFT ALT+LEFT SHIFT+PRTSCN
0	Turn Mouse Keys on or off	LEFT ALT+LEFT SHIFT+NUM LOCK
0	Turn Sticky Keys on or off	SHIFT FIVE TIMES
0	Turn Toggle Keys on or off	NUM LOCK FOR FIVE SECONDS
0	Open the Ease of Access Center	WINKEY KEY+U

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Magnifier

Useful	Description	Keys
0	Zoom in or out	WINKEY KEY+PLUS (+) OR MINUS (-)
0	Preview the desktop in full-screen mode
0	Switch to docked mode	CTRL+ALT+D
0	Switch to full-screen mode	CTRL+ALT+F
0	Invert colors	CTRL+ALT+I
0	Switch to lens mode	CTRL+ALT+L
0	Resize the lens	CTRL+ALT+R
0	Pan in the direction of the arrow keys
0	Exit Magnifier	WINKEY KEY+ESC

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Remote Desktop

Useful	Description	Keys
0	Move between apps from left to right	ALT+PAGE UP
0	Move between apps from right to left	ALT+PAGE DOWN
0	Cycle through apps in the order that they were started in	ALT+INSERT
0	Display the Start menu	ALT+HOME
0	Switch between a window and full screen	CTRL+ALT+BREAK
0	Display the Windows Security dialog box	CTRL+ALT+END
0	Display the system menu	ALT+DELETE
0	Place a copy of the active window, within the client, on the Terminal server clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing Alt+PrtScn on a local PC).	CTRL+ALT+MINUS (-) ON THE NUMERIC KEYPAD
0	Place a copy of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing PrtScn on a local PC).	CTRL+ALT+PLUS (+) ON THE NUMERIC KEYPAD
0	“Tab” out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host app (for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop controls are embedded in another (host) app.	CTRL+ALT+RIGHT ARROW
0	“Tab” out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host app (for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop controls are embedded in another (host) app.	CTRL+ALT+LEFT ARROW