You read it here first: we partnered with iLLOGIKA to create a first-person shooter (FPS) video game template (or “Microgame”) to help new users get started in Unity. The FPS Microgame is a simple, already-functional game, and by following the guided tutorials that come with it, you can edit and customize the game to make it your own. Best of all, you can share your playable Microgame online after you’re done.

When you download Unity for the first time, this self-guided learning path invites you to discover Unity’s tools for unleashing your creativity at your own speed via a collection of Microgames and tutorials to modify your game called “Mods.” (If you’re not a first-time user but curious about the Microgames, you can find them in the Learn tab of the Unity Hub v2.1.3+.) These fully customizable, already-working Microgames come with both easy-to-follow in-Editor tutorials and an extended series of Mods teaching you how to customize them further. You can keep track of your progress with the Microgames and Mods by following the Getting Started with Unity Course on Unity Learn, which is designed to make Unity fun and accessible for new users. So far, we’ve created customizable 2D Platformer and 3D Karting Microgames, and we’re thrilled to add the new 3D first-person shooter to the mix.

Out of the box, the FPS Microgame comes with a playable scene that includes a linear pathway through three rooms, where one enemy bot and one boss bot are waiting to attack any player who comes through. The In-Editor Tutorials visually highlight how to do things like build a new level, change a scene’s colors, and add more enemy bots.

We’ve also included project-specific tooltips in the Editor to help you understand how individual components of the FPS Microgame work. This is one of the many ways iLLOGIKA ensured the Microgame is beginner-friendly and adheres to industry-level fundamentals and best practices. These tips explain what different components in the project do – just hover over a field title in the Inspector window, and a floating box appears to describe how changing its value will impact your game.

The In-Editor Tutorials are a great jumping-off point, and the FPS Mods offer even more ammunition for your creativity by showing you how to edit gameplay and customize your game’s look. At launch time, you’ll get more than 15 mods to try out, arming you with the skills you need to:

Add new power-ups and enemies – add loot items (such as a jet pack) and new weapons (like a sniper rifle), make weaponized projectiles (like chocolate chip cookies), create custom enemies, and boost your player’s lifespan with health (or cookie) packs.

– add loot items (such as a jet pack) and new weapons (like a sniper rifle), make weaponized projectiles (like chocolate chip cookies), create custom enemies, and boost your player’s lifespan with health (or cookie) packs. Design your own levels – reconfigure the battle arena, build new levels with easy-to-use snap-in assets, set constraints for enemies’ movements, and customize the game’s look with props and level art.

– reconfigure the battle arena, build new levels with easy-to-use snap-in assets, set constraints for enemies’ movements, and customize the game’s look with props and level art. Mod the look – change the sky, create your own title screen and menus, and give your game a unique splash of color.

– change the sky, create your own title screen and menus, and give your game a unique splash of color. Test, tune, and optimize – adjust hit points and damage, modify player mechanics like speed and jump strength, optimize your game’s performance, and create a WebGL build to share your game online

Soon we’ll be rolling out more mods to show you how to create your own burst rifle, integrate new scenes into your game flow, add post-process image effects, and modify game objectives such as the win and lose conditions.

Your First Game Jam

We’re really excited about the new FPS Microgame, and we want all of you to get excited, too. To celebrate the game’s launch, we’re hosting a live YouTube stream called Your First Game Jam, where you can use the FPS Microgame as a base for creativity as you try out different customizations alongside other beginners, guided by more experienced Unity developers online.

We hosted the first edition of Your First Game Jam in August, when we invited Unity beginners around the world to hop online to customize the Karting Microgame together. The idea was to foster a more collaborative approach to getting started in Unity, and we were blown away by your enthusiasm and creativity. Thousands of you joined the stream, asked questions via live chat, and shared screenshots and links to your projects on Twitter with the #YourFirstGameJam hashtag. Your participation embodied the spirit of a traditional game jam, where people come together to make something great in a fun and supportive environment that feels more like hanging out with friends than learning tech.

Okay, I'm figuring out how to make my first unity game and first tweets at the same time! Baby steps, for the win! ​@unity3d #yourfirstgamejam pic.twitter.com/9EzhXPcSli — FlyingTurnip (@turnip_flying) August 27, 2019

The FPS edition of Your First Game Jam is slated for November 24, 2019, at 6 pm UTC. It will be hosted by André Cardoso from the Mix and Jam YouTube channel, and he’ll be joined by indie game devs Code Monkey and CouchFerret, as well as Unity’s Elena Nizhnik. The team will hand out $75 gift cards for the Unity Gear Store, which you can swap for cool Unity swag. You can enter during the event by tweeting or Instagramming using the hashtag #yourfirstgamejam and #madewithunity. Be sure to tag Unity (@unity3d on Twitter, @unitytechnologies or @madewithunity on Instagram). Not on social? Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. You can also post in the FPS Creators group for a chance to win.

It’s never been easier to get started in Unity – just download the Unity Hub and FPS Microgame, and fire away! Then join us on November 24 for the FPS Microgame Jam to hang out with your fellow FPS modders and get expert tips and tricks to help take your game to the next level.

Here’s a sneak peek of what the hosts are already working on:

Code Monkey’s Awesome FPS Game

CouchFerret’s Slick FPS

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We can’t wait to see what you create.