Learning C# by Developing Games with Unity 2020 Fifth Edition

Get to grips with coding in C# and build simple 3D games with Unity from the ground up with this updated fifth edition of the bestselling guide

▶Book Description
Over the years, the Learning C# by Developing Games with Unity series has established itself as a popular choice for getting up to speed with C#, a powerful and versatile programming language that can be applied in a wide array of application areas. This book presents a clear path for learning C# programming from the ground up without complex jargon or unclear programming logic, all while building a simple game with Unity.

This fifth edition has been updated to introduce modern C# features with the latest version of the Unity game engine, and a new chapter has been added on intermediate collection types. Starting with the basics of software programming and the C# language, you'll learn the core concepts of programming in C#, including variables, classes, and object-oriented programming. Once you've got to grips with C# programming, you'll enter the world of Unity game development and discover how you can create C# scripts for simple game mechanics. Throughout the book, you'll gain hands-on experience with programming best practices to help you take your Unity and C# skills to the next level.

By the end of this book, you'll be able to leverage the C# language to build your own real-world Unity game development projects.

▶What You Will Learn
⦁Discover easy-to-follow steps and examples for learning C# programming fundamentals
⦁Get to grips with creating and implementing scripts in Unity
⦁Create basic game mechanics such as player controllers and shooting projectiles using C#
⦁Understand the concepts of interfaces and abstract classes
⦁Leverage the power of the latest C# features to solve complex programming problems
⦁Become familiar with stacks, queues, exceptions, error handling, and other core C# concepts
⦁Explore the basics of artificial intelligence (AI) for games and implement them to control enemy behavior

▶Key Features
⦁Understand C# programming basics, terminology, and coding best practices
⦁Put your knowledge of C# concepts into practice by building a fun and playable game
⦁Come away with a clear direction for taking your C# programming and Unity game development skills to the next level

▶Who This Book Is For
If you're a developer, programmer, hobbyist, or anyone who wants to get started with C# programming in a fun and engaging manner, this book is for you. Prior experience in programming or Unity is not required.

▶What this book covers
⦁ Chapter 1, Getting to Know Your Environment, gets you started with the Unity installation process, the main features of the editor, and finding documentation for both C# and Unityspecific topics. We'll also go through creating C# scripts from inside Unity and take a look at the Visual Studio application, where all our code editing will take place.

⦁ Chapter 2, The Building Blocks of Programming, begins by laying out the atomic-level concepts of programming, giving you the opportunity to relate variables, methods, and classes to situations in everyday life. From there, we move on to simple debugging techniques, proper formatting and commenting, and a look at how Unity turns C# scripts into components.

⦁ Chapter 3, Diving into Variables, Types, and Methods, takes a deeper look at variables. This includes C# data types, naming conventions, access modifiers, and everything else you'll need for the foundation of a program. We'll also go over how to write methods, incorporate parameters, and use return types effectively, ending with an overview of standard Unity methods belonging to the MonoBehavior class.

⦁ Chapter 4, Control Flow and Collection Types, introduces the common approaches to making decisions in code, consisting of the if...else and switch statements. From there, we move on to working with arrays, lists, and dictionaries, and incorporating iteration statements for looping through collection types. We end the chapter with a look at conditional looping statements and a special C# data type called enumerations.

⦁ Chapter 5, Working with Classes, Structs, and OOP, details our first contact with constructing and instantiating classes and structs. We'll go through the basic steps of creating constructors, adding variables and methods, and the fundamentals of subclassing and inheritance. The chapter will end with a comprehensive explanation of object-oriented programming and how it applies to C#.

⦁ Chapter 6, Getting Your Hands Dirty with Unity, marks our departure from C# syntax into the world of game design, level building, and Unity's featured tools. We'll start by going over the basics of a game design document and then move on to blocking out our level geometry and adding lighting and a simple particle system.

⦁ Chapter 7, Movement, Camera Controls, and Collisions, explains different approaches to moving a player object and setting up a third-person camera. We'll discuss incorporating Unity physics for more realistic locomotion effects, as well as how to work with collider components and capture interactions within a scene.

⦁ Chapter 8, Scripting Game Mechanics, introduces the concept of game mechanics and how to effectively implement them. We'll start by adding a simple jump action, create a shooting mechanic, and build on the previous chapters' code by adding logic to handle item collection.

⦁ Chapter 9, Basic AI and Enemy Behavior, starts with a brief overview of artificial intelligence in games and the concepts we will be applying to Hero Born. Topics covered in this chapter will include navigation in Unity, using the level geometry and a navigation mesh, smart agents, and automated enemy movement.

⦁ Chapter 10, Revisiting Types, Methods, and Classes, takes a more in-depth look at data types, intermediate method features, and additional behaviors that can be used for more complex classes. This chapter will give you a deeper understanding of the versatility and breadth of the C# language.

⦁ Chapter 11, Introducing Stacks, Queues, and HashSets, dives into intermediate collection types and their features. Topics covered in this chapter include using Stacks, Queues, and HashSets and the different development scenarios that each is uniquely suited for.

⦁ Chapter 12, Exploring Generics, Delegates, and Beyond, details intermediate features of the C# language and how to apply them in practical, real-world scenarios. We'll start with an overview of generic programming and progress to concepts such as delegation, events, and exception handling. The chapter will end with a brief discussion of common design patterns and set you up for further study.

⦁ Chapter 13, The Journey Continues, reviews the main topics you've learned throughout the book and leaves you with resources for further study in both C# and Unity. Included in these resources will be online reading material, certification information, and a host of my favorite video tutorial channels.