Unity Cheatsheet

Table of Content

Vectors

Addition


Vector3 v1 = new Vector3(5,-1);
Vector3 v2 = new Vector3(1,-6);
Vector3 v3 = v1 + v2;

Subtraction


Vector3 pos1 = new Vector3(0,0,0);
Vector3 pos2 = new Vector3(5,-1,0);
Vector3 p1ToP2 = pos2 - pos1;//Points from pos1 towards pos2

Multiplication

Vector3 v1 = createVector(5, 1);
Vector3 longerVector = v1 * 2;//(10, 2)

Magnitude

Vector3 v1 = new Vector3(10,20);
float v1Magnitude = v1.magnitude;//length of v1: 22,36

Normalization



Vector3 v1 = new Vector3(10,20);
normalizedV1 = v1.normalized;//(0.44, 0.89)

Dot Product

Used for

  • Checking if two vectors face in similar direction
  • Checking if enemy can see player
  • One-Way Trigger/Collider, i.e. Platform that you collide with only from above

v1v2 = 1 when they are facing in the same direction
v1v2 = -1 when they are facing in opposite direction
v1*v2 = 0 when facing 90° right or left of the other direction

Hint: You usually normalize one or both vectors.

source

Commutative: v1*v2 = v2*v1

v1 * v2 = v1.x * v2.x + v1.y * v2.y

v1 * v2 = |v1| * |v2| * cos(angleV1ToV2) -> angleV1ToV2 = acos(v1*v2)

Vector3 v1 = new Vector(1,0,0);
Vector3 v2 = new Vector(1,5,0);
float dotProduct = Vector3.Dot(v1, v2);

Cross Product


Only useful for 3D-Games.
Used for

  • Calculating Normals
  • Building structures along slopes
  • Shaders

Generates a 3D-vector that is perpendicular to the two given vectors. The length of the resulting vector is equal to the parallelogram which the two input-vectors create.




Anti – Commutative: v1 x v2 = –v2 x v1

Basic Cross Product
Vector3 v1 = new Vector(1,0,0);
Vector3 v2 = new Vector(0,1,0);
float forwardVec = Vector3.Cross(v1, v2);//result: (0,0,1)
Turret-Placement via Cross Product
void Update()
{
    Camera cam = Camera.main;//Cache this for better performance!
    bool wasHit = Physics.Raycast(cam.transform.position, cam.transform.forward, out RaycastHit hitInfo);
    if (wasHit)
    {
        Vector3 xAxis = Vector3.Cross(Vector3.up, cam.transform.forward).normalized;
        Vector3 zAxis = Vector3.Cross(xAxis, Vector3.up).normalized;

        _turret.transform.position = hitInfo.point;
        _turret.rotation = Quaternion.LookRotation(zAxis, Vector3.up);
    }
}

By the way, this is the formula for the cross-product, which you really don’t need to memorize:

Unity uses a left-handed-coordinate system:

Lerping

Used for animating numbers, vectors, positions, colors

Source

Vector3 startPos = new Vector3(10, 20);
Vector3 endPos = new Vector3(20, 15);
float t = 0.7f;
Vector3 p1 =  Vector3.Lerp(startPos, endPos, t);

The Lerp-Function “moves” the vector from startPos towards endPos.
The variable t determines how far the rotation has already progressed.

Vector3.Lerp(startPos, endPos, t)
t… value between 0 and 1.
t=0 remains at startPos
t=0.7f travels 70% of the way from startPos towards endPos
t=1 travels to endPos

Basic Lerp

Lerps toward destination, getting slower the closer it gets

float lerpSpeed = 3;
float t = Time.deltaTime * lerpSpeed;
transform.position = Vector3.Lerp(_lerpedTransform.position, mousePosition, t);

Lerp over Time

Lerps over fixed duration
-> Animation takes i.e. 8 seconds
-> The further away the destination is the faster it will move towards it.
Warning: When lerping via duration you should never change the origin because it will look weird :).

private float _lerpTimer;
private float _lerpDuration = 8;

void Update()
{
    Vector3 origin = Vector3.zero;
    Vector3 destination = new Vector3(1, 2, 3);
    _lerpTimer += Time.deltaTime;
    float t = _lerpTimer / _lerpDuration;
    transform.position = Vector3.Lerp(origin, destination, t);
}

Movement

Move with constant speed

Move with constant speed towards specific position.
-> Object moves i.e. 3 meters per second

transform.position +=

float moveSpeed = 3;
Vector3 direction = (_target.position - transform.position).normalized;
transform.position += direction * moveSpeed * Time.deltaTime;

MoveTowards

Can’t overshoot destination.

Vector3 destination = new Vector3(5,0,0);
Vector3 moveSpeed = 3;
transform.position = Vector3.MoveTowards(transform.position, destination, moveSpeed * Time.deltaTime);

Rotations

Set rotation

//Via Angle-Axis
transform.rotation = Quaternion.AngleAxis(45, Vector3.forward);

//Via Euler
transform.rotation = Quaternion.Euler(0, 0, 45);

Rotate by degrees

//Rotate around axis (preferred way of rotating)
Vector3 rotationAxis = new Vector3(0, 0, 1);
transform.Rotate(rotationAxis, 180 * Time.deltaTime, Space.World);

//Rotate 180 degrees per Second around the Z-Axis
Vector3 rotationSpeed = new Vector3(0, 0, 180);
transform.Rotate(rotationSpeed * Time.deltaTime, Space.World);

Rotate towards directionvector (instantly)

2D

Vector3 dir = _objToLookAt.transform.position - transform.position; 
transform.up = dir;

3D

[SerializeField] private Transform _target;
void Update()
{
        //rotate towards world-position
        transform.LookAt(_target.position);
        
        //Rotate towards direction
        Vector3 targetDir = _target.position - transform.position;
        transform.rotation = Quaternion.LookRotation(targetDir);
        
        //Let the right side look towards direction
        transform.right = targetDir;
    }
}

Rotate towards directionVector with rotationspeed

2D

//Rotate 90° per second 
void Update()
{
    Vector3 targetDirection = new Vector3(1,1,0);
    transform.up = Vector3.RotateTowards(transform.up, targetDirection, Mathf.Deg2Rad * 90 * Time.deltaTime, 999);
}

3D

public Transform _target;
void Update()
{
  Vector3 targetDir = _target.position - transform.position;
  
  float degreesPerSecond = 60;
  float maxDelta = degreesPerSecond * Time.deltaTime;
  transform.rotation = Quaternion.RotateTowards(transform.rotation, Quaternion.LookRotation(targetDir), maxDelta);
}

Slerping

Spherical Lerp, used for rotations because lerp looks janky

Lerp vs Slerp

Source
Source

Slerp Rotations

Used for animating rotations.

float t = 0.5;
Quaternion originRotation = Quaternion.identity;
Quaterntion targetRotation =Quaternion.Euler(0, 100, 0);
transform.rotation = Quaternion.Slerp(originRotation , targetRotation, t);

The Slerp-Function “rotates” the vector from one rotation towards another.
The variable t determines how far the rotation has already progressed.
t: 0 -> returns Quaternion.identity
t: 1 -> returns targetRotation
t: 0.5 -> returns a Vector that is halfway between origin- and targetRotation (0, 50, 0)
t: 0.75 -> returns a Vector that has rotated 75% from origin- to targetRotation (0, 75, 0)

Basic Slerp

Slerpts toward target-rotation getting slower the closer it gets to the final rotation.

void Update()
{
  transform.rotation = Quaternion.Slerp(transform.rotation, Quaternion.Euler(0, -130, 0), Time.deltaTime);
}

Slerp over Duration

Performs a rotation over a duration (i.e. 2seconds)

[SerializeField] private float _slerpDuration = 2;
private float _slerpTimer;

void Update()
{

  _slerpTimer += Time.deltaTime;
  float t = _slerpTimer / _slerpDuration;

  transform.rotation = Quaternion.Slerp(Quaternion.identity, Quaternion.Euler(0, -130, 0), t);
}