I’ve been diving deep into creating my own character controller in Unity for my 3D game, and honestly, I’m starting to feel pretty lost. I’ve been grinding away for about a week now, trying to make something that feels right, but the built-in Rigidbody physics is driving me crazy! It feels like it puts a lot of limits on what I want to achieve, and it just doesn’t give me that kind of control I need over character movement.
I’ve come across the “collide and slide” algorithm from Godot, specifically their `move_and_slide` method, which seems super flexible and robust for character movement. I think that kind of system would mesh perfectly with what I’m envisioning for my game. I’ve even read some academic papers like “Improved Collision Detection and Response” by Kasper Fauerby and “Improving the Numerical Robustness of Sphere Swept Collision Detection” by Jeff Linahan, but honestly, they’re pretty dense and it’s hard to translate those ideas into practical code in Unity.
What I’m really struggling with is figuring out how to implement this algorithm without the built-in physics system. I found some tutorials and videos on collision detection, like this one that walks through the basics, but it doesn’t really connect the dots on how to incorporate it into a character controller. They give some nice explanations, but I’m still left wondering about specifics like how to handle movement input, applying collision response, and keeping the character grounded without having to use Rigidbody components.
So, if anyone here has experience implementing something similar in Unity or has managed to pull off a custom `move_and_slide` style system, I would seriously appreciate any tips or guidance. What kind of structure did you use? Any code snippets, pseudo code, or just general advice on how to approach this would be so helpful. I’m eager to hear how you tackled it and any roadblocks you faced along the way!
Creating your own character controller in Unity can be a daunting task, especially when the built-in Rigidbody physics feel restrictive. It sounds like you’re on the right track looking into something like the “collide and slide” method from Godot!
First off, it’s totally okay to feel lost—character controllers can be super complex. If you want to implement a system similar to `move_and_slide`, you might start by breaking down the process into manageable chunks:
float moveHorizontal = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");
float moveVertical = Input.GetAxis("Vertical");
Vector3 movement = new Vector3(moveHorizontal, 0.0f, moveVertical);
Here’s a simple skeleton of how you might structure it:
void Update() {
Vector3 movement = GetInput(); // Your method for getting input
Vector3 newPosition = transform.position + movement;
if (CheckCollision(newPosition)) {
// Handle collision response
newPosition = HandleCollision(newPosition);
}
transform.position = newPosition;
}
And remember to experiment! Tweak values, adjust your raycasts, and see how it feels in the game. It’s all about finding what works best for your specific needs. If you hit a roadblock, don’t hesitate to reach out for more specific questions. There are tons of resources out there, and the community is super helpful!
Good luck, and happy coding!
Creating a custom character controller in Unity without relying on built-in Rigidbody physics requires implementing your own collision detection and response system, closely resembling Godot’s
move_and_slide
. A solid starting point involves using Unity’s built-inPhysics.SphereCast
orPhysics.CapsuleCast
methods, as these provide continuous collision detection similar to sphere-casting methods described in the academic papers you’ve mentioned. Typically, you’d structure your controller by first computing the intended movement vector from user inputs, casting it against your environment, then calculating collision response with a sliding algorithm. Begin by performing a cast with your character’s collision shape and, if collisions occur, adjust the character’s velocity vector by removing any component paralleling the collision normal, effectively applying a “slide” response.Managing grounded states efficiently often means conducting a downward cast (such as a short-distance capsule or sphere cast) at each frame to detect grounding and slopes, allowing you to appropriately reset jumps, apply gravity consistently, and produce stable movement. It’s advisable to encapsulate collision checks and response calculations into reusable methods, keeping your character controller clean and maintainable. Also, handling multiple collisions sequentially per frame (iterative approach) simplifies resolving complex situations where multiple surfaces interact with your character simultaneously. Remember to optimize your collision detection by carefully controlling cast distances and layers. This structured approach—separating input handling, collision detection, response logic, and grounding checks—helps clarify your implementation and allows easy tuning for better feel and control.