The Unity Locomotion sample scene demonstrates various movement schemes as examples of how you can implement locomotion in your own applications.

This scene puts you in a large area with static structures and buildings. There are several movement schemes available to allow you to explore this environment. These movement schemes focus on teleportation, which reduces the risk of user discomfort, and several use the thumbsticks to walk and turn.

When the sample scene starts, use the B button to bring up or dismiss the menu. On the menu, choose a control scheme with the A button. Note that you must dismiss the menu once you make your selection for your chosen scheme to work properly. The control schemes are as follows:

The goal of this topic is to help you understand the prefabs, Game Objects, components, and properties that make this functionality work. You can also use this sample scene as a starting point for your own application.

This section describes the key prefabs and Game Objects that make the core functionality of this scene work. In this topic, the following are covered:

The PlayerController object includes components and has child objects necessary for 3D control in a VR environment. It also contains a child OVRCameraRig to serve as the user’s VR camera and provide access to OVRManager.

Select PlayerController in the Hierarchy and look at it in the Inspector window. Components important to this scene include the following:

The component that shows debug information in a HUD when the Space Bar is pressed while the scene is running.

Responsible for moving the character capsule to match the HMD, fading out the camera or blocking movement when collisions occur, and adjusting the character capsule height to match the HMD’s offset from the ground.

Implements the movement of a capsule in response to user input, for example, thumbstick or keyboard.

LocomotionController is a child object of PlayerController comprised of components that control and centralize functionality for different types of teleportation.

First, here are general LocomotionController components that are relevant to all types of locomotion presented in the sample:

An extendable set of input, aim, targeting, orientation, and transition components work together to provide a broad set of locomotion configurations. These components provide logic for each of the stages of the teleport sequence, including target selection, landing orientation, and teleport effects. This makes it possible for different kinds of teleport behaviors to occur by simply enabling different combinations of components. The different types of components do the following:

Now we’ll briefly look at each individual component. It is recommended that you look at each of them in the Inspector in Unity Editor. Many of them present options that can be experimented with.

Input handlers are responsible for handling the physical controls of the aiming and teleportation. Options for input handlers include configuring the specific inputs for aiming and teleporting. The input handlers are as follows:

Aim handlers are responsible for handling how aiming works. Aiming can be done in a straight, direct line, or in a parabolic curve, similar to a throw. Options for aim handlers include range and aspects of the parabolic curve. The aim handlers are as follows:

Target handlers determine whether the current aim target is valid, and update the teleport destination as required. Options include selecting which Game Object layers will be included in the targeting collision tests. The target handlers are as follows:

Orientation handlers determine how the post-teleportation facing direction of the player is controlled:

Teleport transitions manage the actual relocation of the player from their current position and rotation to the teleport destination, as well as the style and manner of relocation:

On this Game Object, you can get different types of locomotion by enabling and disabling these various components. As an example, open the LocomotionSampleSupport script on the SampleSupport Game Object and search for ActivateHandlers. You’ll come across lines like this, where the default control schemes’ individual handlers are declared:

 protected void ActivateHandlers<TInput, TAim, TTarget, TOrientation, TTransition>()
        where TInput : TeleportInputHandler
        where TAim : TeleportAimHandler
        where TTarget : TeleportTargetHandler
        where TOrientation : TeleportOrientationHandler
        where TTransition : TeleportTransition

You can similarly modify these schemes, or create your own. Just make sure you use one of each type of component.

TeleportPoint prefabs are used in node-based (TeleportTargetHandlerNode) teleportation, where static nodes are targeted as teleportation destinations. There can be many TeleportPoints in a given scene.

TeleportDestination is instantiated as needed when the player is actively aiming to match the current aim target. TeleportDestination begins as uninstantiated and becomes instantiated when an aim handler provides an aim position, at which point its Position Indicator transform component will be updated to that position. A target position being provided does not mean the position is valid; only that the aim handler found something to test as a destination.

The Orientation Indicator transform component is rotated to match the rotation of the aiming target. Simple teleport destinations should assign this to the object containing this component. More complex teleport destinations might assign this to a sub-object that is used to indicate the landing orientation independently from the rest of the destination indicator, such as when world space effects are required. This will typically be a child of the Position Indicator.

Using the modular handler and transition components, you can construct your own LocomotionController that fits your own needs while excluding the components you won’t be using.

In this sample, you can also experiment with the SampleSupport Game Object, which contains the LocomotionSampleSupport.cs script. In this script, you can alter the modular handler and transition components and the names for the four predefined control schemes, thus opening up further experimentation.