Coding 3D worlds at your Code Club

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has released a path of six new Unity projects to help young people take their first steps to create 3D worlds. Find out why Unity is such a versatile tool and how you can use it to stretch your more confident coders.

What is Unity? 

Unity is a free coding platform used by developers, artists, and professionals across the globe.

It’s perhaps best known for its part in the creation of many well-known games — such as the viral hit Among Us — but Unity’s uses extend beyond the gaming world. Medical simulations created in Unity have allowed doctors to learn through 3D interactive experiences, and it can support a wide range of 3D projects, from architectural visualisations, to animations and interactive displays.

Last year, several young people used Unity to make their creations for Coolest Projects. Their incredible projects included an amazing minigolf game and a virtual reality ‘Escape the Maze’ game. Through our new Unity project path, your Code Club members could build the next gaming sensation or code amazing interactive 3D stories to share with the world!

What can you learn with Unity?  

Unity scripting uses C#, which is a popular object-oriented programming language used by many professional developers. C# scripting tells GameObjects that represent characters, props, and scenery in Unity how to behave and interact. 

For learners who already have some knowledge of text-based coding, Unity opens up an exciting world of new opportunities. Our team has created a path of introductory projects to guide your learners from their first steps in Unity, to creating a self-directed Unity project. 

Before you get started

Unity is a powerful piece of software. Before you use it in your club, make sure you check the system requirements to ensure your hardware is able to run it. 

Our Unity guide takes you through all the steps to download the Unity Hub and Visual Studio. It can take a while to download this software, so make sure to leave plenty of time ahead of your Code Club session!

Six new projects 

The new Unity project path builds young people’s skills across six linked projects.

First, there are three Explore projects for young people to get to know Unity: they build their knowledge as they follow instructions to create a 3D game with players, animations, sounds, and effects. 

The following two Design projects ask learners to use the skills they’ve developed to make design choices: they create their own 3D world and add quests and NPCs (non-player characters). 

The final Invent project of the path then asks young coders to fulfil a brief: they create a 3D adventure with a goal that the player needs to achieve. Learners can draw inspiration from a series of examples or use their own interests and experiences to decide the direction of their final project. 

We have a NEW Unity crib sheet to help you build your confidence and navigate these projects with your Code Club.

If you’re based in the UK, the USA, India, or Ireland, visit your dashboard to download the crib sheet. If you’re based outside of these countries, visit the Club Organiser Pack page of the Code Club International website to download the crib sheet.

Your learners can also join The Raspberry Pi team for their first-ever Unity livestream on Thursday 24 March at 6.30pm GMT. The livestream will run for around 45 minutes. It will be the perfect introduction to Unity and our project path for you and your experienced coders.