Versatile Character Controller for Unity

A comprehensive and flexible character controller that provides smooth, responsive movement with support for multiple movement types and interactions.

Features

• Smooth movement with acceleration/deceleration
• First-person camera controls
• Jumping mechanics
• Crouching system with camera adjustment
• Sprint functionality
• Air control for mid-jump movement
• Slope handling and ground detection
• Fully customizable through Unity Inspector
• Built-in movement smoothing
• Ground normal projection for realistic slope movement
• Debug visualization for ground checking

Installation

1. Create a new script in your Unity project called CharacterController.cs
2. Copy the entire script content into this file
3. Create a player object in your scene with the following hierarchy:

PlayerObject └── Main Camera

Setup

1. Add required components to your player object:

   • The CharacterController script will automatically add a Rigidbody
   • Add a Capsule Collider or custom collider
   • Ensure you have a camera as a child object

2. Configure the ground layer:

   • Create a layer for ground objects (e.g., "Ground")
   • Set the ground objects to use this layer
   • In the CharacterController component, set the Ground Mask to include this layer

3. Configure the controller in the Unity Inspector:

Movement Settings

• Move Speed: Base movement speed (default: 6)
• Sprint Multiplier: Speed multiplier when sprinting (default: 1.5)
• Crouch Multiplier: Speed multiplier when crouching (default: 0.5)
• Jump Force: Force applied when jumping (default: 5)
• Air Control: Movement control multiplier while in air (default: 0.3)

Ground Check Settings

• Ground Mask: Layer mask for ground detection
• Ground Check Distance: How far to check for ground (default: 0.2)
• Slope Limit: Maximum angle for walkable slopes (default: 45)

Movement Smoothing

• Rotation Speed: How quickly the player turns (default: 10)
• Movement Smoothing: Smoothing factor for acceleration/deceleration (default: 0.1)

Camera Settings

• Player Camera: Reference to the camera transform
• Mouse Sensitivity: Mouse look sensitivity (default: 2)
• Max Look Angle: Maximum up/down look angle (default: 80)

Usage

Basic Controls

• WASD: Movement
• Mouse: Look around
• Space: Jump
• C: Toggle crouch
• Left Shift: Sprint

Code Example - Basic Setup

// Example of setting up the controller in code
public class GameManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    public CharacterController playerController;

    void Start()
    {
        // Customize controller settings
        playerController.SetMouseSensitivity(2.5f);
        playerController.SetMoveSpeed(8f);
    }
}

Public Methods

// Enable/disable movement
controller.SetMovementEnabled(bool enabled);

// Adjust mouse sensitivity
controller.SetMouseSensitivity(float sensitivity);

// Change movement speed
controller.SetMoveSpeed(float speed);

// Check player states
bool isGrounded = controller.IsGrounded();
bool isCrouching = controller.IsCrouching();
bool isSprinting = controller.IsSprinting();

Best Practices

1. Physics Setup

• Set the Rigidbody's Collision Detection to Continuous
• Adjust the player's mass and drag values for desired feel
• Use physics materials to control friction

2. Performance

• Adjust the ground check distance based on your game's scale
• Use appropriate layer masks for ground checking
• Consider the performance impact of movement smoothing

3. Camera Setup

• Position the camera at the character's head level
• Adjust Field of View (FOV) for desired perspective
• Consider adding camera bob or effects for more immersion

Common Issues and Solutions

Player Sliding on Slopes

• Check the ground normal angle calculation
• Adjust the slope limit
• Verify physics material friction settings

Jittery Movement

• Increase the movement smoothing value
• Check for framerate issues
• Verify rigidbody interpolation settings

Camera Clipping

• Adjust the camera's near clip plane
• Check for colliders between the camera and player
• Verify camera position during crouching

Extending the Controller

The controller can be extended with additional features such as:

• Footstep system
• Animation integration
• Wall running
• Sliding mechanics
• Climbing system
• Swimming capabilities
• Advanced state machine