New Input System overview in Unity - Mini Project: Build & Apply

New Input System overview

📖 Scenario: You are creating a simple Unity project to understand how the New Input System works. This system helps your game detect player actions like moving or jumping in a clean and flexible way.

🎯 Goal: Build a basic Unity script that sets up the New Input System to read player movement input and print the movement direction.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create an InputAction asset with a 'Move' action

Set up a Vector2 variable to store movement input

Write a method to read the 'Move' input value

Print the movement input direction when it changes

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Game developers use the New Input System in Unity to handle player controls cleanly and support multiple devices like keyboard, gamepad, and touch.

💼 Career

Understanding the New Input System is essential for Unity game developers to create responsive and flexible player input handling.

1

Create InputAction asset with 'Move' action

Create an InputAction asset called playerInputActions with a Move action of type Value and control type Vector2.

Unity

// Create InputAction asset named playerInputActions with Move action
// Your code here

Hint

Use Unity's InputAction class to define a 'Move' action with type Value and Vector2 control.

2

Add Vector2 variable to store movement input

Add a Vector2 variable called movementInput to store the player's movement direction.

Unity

// InputAction asset named playerInputActions with Move action of type Value and control type Vector2
// This is usually created in the Unity Editor, but here is a code representation
using UnityEngine.InputSystem;

public class PlayerInputActions : IInputActionCollection
{
    public InputAction Move;

    public PlayerInputActions()
    {
        Move = new InputAction("Move", InputActionType.Value, "/leftStick");
    }

    public void Enable() => Move.Enable();
    public void Disable() => Move.Disable();
}

using UnityEngine;

public class PlayerController : MonoBehaviour
{
    // Add a Vector2 variable called movementInput
    // Your code here
}

Hint

Declare a public Vector2 variable named movementInput inside the PlayerController class.

3

Read 'Move' input value in Update method

In the PlayerController class, write an Update() method that reads the Move action's current value into movementInput using ReadValue<Vector2>().

Unity

// InputAction asset named playerInputActions with Move action of type Value and control type Vector2
// This is usually created in the Unity Editor, but here is a code representation
using UnityEngine.InputSystem;

public class PlayerInputActions : IInputActionCollection
{
    public InputAction Move;

    public PlayerInputActions()
    {
        Move = new InputAction("Move", InputActionType.Value, "/leftStick");
    }

    public void Enable() => Move.Enable();
    public void Disable() => Move.Disable();
}

using UnityEngine;

public class PlayerController : MonoBehaviour
{
    public Vector2 movementInput;

    void Update()
    {
        // Read the Move input value into movementInput
        // Your code here
    }
}

Hint

Inside Update(), assign movementInput by calling playerInputActions.Move.ReadValue<Vector2>()

4

Print movement direction when input changes

Add a Debug.Log statement inside Update() to print the current movementInput value whenever it changes.

Unity

// InputAction asset named playerInputActions with Move action of type Value and control type Vector2
// This is usually created in the Unity Editor, but here is a code representation
using UnityEngine.InputSystem;

public class PlayerInputActions : IInputActionCollection
{
    public InputAction Move;

    public PlayerInputActions()
    {
        Move = new InputAction("Move", InputActionType.Value, "/leftStick");
    }

    public void Enable() => Move.Enable();
    public void Disable() => Move.Disable();
}

using UnityEngine;

public class PlayerController : MonoBehaviour
{
    public Vector2 movementInput;

    void Update()
    {
        movementInput = playerInputActions.Move.ReadValue();
        // Print movementInput value
        // Your code here
    }
}

Hint

Use Debug.Log to print the movementInput value inside Update().

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of the New Input System in Unity?

easy

A. To create 3D models for games

B. To handle multiple input devices easily and flexibly

C. To manage game physics and collisions

D. To optimize game graphics performance

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of input systems

   The New Input System is designed to manage inputs from devices like keyboard, mouse, gamepads, etc.

2. Step 2: Compare with other options

   Options B, C, and D relate to graphics, physics, or modeling, not input handling.

3. Final Answer:

   To handle multiple input devices easily and flexibly -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   New Input System = device input management [OK]

Hint: Focus on input device management purpose [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing input system with graphics or physics
• Thinking it only handles keyboard input
• Assuming it creates game assets

2. Which of the following is the correct way to enable an input action in the New Input System?

easy

A. inputAction.Run();

B. inputAction.Start();

C. inputAction.Activate();

D. inputAction.Enable();

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall method names in New Input System

   The method to activate an input action is called Enable(), not Start(), Activate(), or Run().

2. Step 2: Confirm syntax correctness

   inputAction.Enable(); is the correct syntax to enable the action.

3. Final Answer:

   inputAction.Enable(); -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Enable() activates input actions [OK]

Hint: Remember Enable() activates input actions [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using Start() instead of Enable()
• Confusing method names with Activate() or Run()
• Forgetting parentheses after method name

3. Given this code snippet using the New Input System:

var moveAction = playerInput.actions["Move"];
moveAction.Enable();
var value = moveAction.ReadValue<Vector2>();
Debug.Log(value);

What does value represent?

medium

A. The current 2D vector input from the Move action

B. A boolean indicating if Move is pressed

C. The name of the Move action as a string

D. An integer representing Move action's ID

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand ReadValue<Vector2>()

   This method reads the current input value as a Vector2, typically for movement directions.

2. Step 2: Analyze the variable 'value'

   Since moveAction is enabled and ReadValue<Vector2>() is called, value holds the 2D input vector from the Move action.

3. Final Answer:

   The current 2D vector input from the Move action -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   ReadValue<Vector2>() returns Vector2 input [OK]

Hint: ReadValue<Vector2>() returns 2D input vector [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it returns a boolean
• Confusing value with action name or ID
• Not enabling the action before reading

4. What is wrong with this code snippet using the New Input System?

var jumpAction = playerInput.actions["Jump"];
jumpAction.ReadValue<float>();
jumpAction.Enable();

medium

A. The action is read before it is enabled

B. ReadValue<float>() is not a valid method

C. The action name "Jump" is invalid

D. Enable() should be called twice

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the order of method calls

   The code reads the input value before enabling the action, which means no input is active yet.

2. Step 2: Understand correct usage

   Enable() must be called before reading values to get valid input data.

3. Final Answer:

   The action is read before it is enabled -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Enable() must come before ReadValue() [OK]

Hint: Always enable input action before reading values [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Reading input before enabling action
• Assuming ReadValue<float>() is invalid
• Thinking action names must be changed

5. You want to temporarily stop all player input during a cutscene using the New Input System. Which approach is best?

hard

A. Delete the input action asset during the cutscene

B. Set all input action callbacks to null

C. Call playerInput.actions.Disable() to disable all input actions

D. Ignore input values but keep actions enabled

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand disabling input actions

   Calling Disable() on the actions disables all input reading cleanly and temporarily.

2. Step 2: Evaluate other options

   Deleting assets is destructive, setting callbacks to null is error-prone, ignoring inputs wastes resources.

3. Final Answer:

   Call playerInput.actions.Disable() to disable all input actions -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Disable() cleanly stops input during cutscenes [OK]

Hint: Use Disable() to pause all inputs safely [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Deleting input assets instead of disabling
• Nullifying callbacks causing errors
• Ignoring inputs wastes CPU