If you’re a Unity 3D developer looking to make simple changes to your 3D objects, one of the most common tasks is to change the pivot point. This is especially important when creating animations or manipulating objects in real-time. In this article, we will show you how to do just that, using a simple trick that will save you time and hassle.
What is the Pivot Point?
The pivot point of an object is the reference point around which its transformations are applied. It determines where the object’s rotation, scaling, and translation take place. In Unity, by default, the pivot point is located at the center of the object.
Why Change the Pivot Point?
There are several reasons why you might want to change the pivot point of your 3D objects in Unity. For example:
- If you’re creating an animation where you want the object to rotate around a specific point, changing the pivot point will allow you to achieve this easily.
- If you need to manipulate an object in real-time and want it to move or scale from a different location than its center, changing the pivot point will make it easier to do so.
- If you’re working with a large 3D model and want to simplify the process of editing or animating it by focusing on a specific part of the object, changing the pivot point will help you achieve this.
A Simple Trick for Changing the Pivot Point
Here’s how to change the pivot point of an object in Unity using a simple trick:
- Select the object that you want to modify.
- In the Transform panel, locate the pivot point section.
- Click on the X, Y, or Z button next to the word “Pivot” to toggle the visibility of the pivot point for each axis. By default, all three pivot points are visible.
- To move the pivot point along a specific axis, click and drag on the corresponding pivot point. For example, if you want to change the pivot point along the X-axis, click and drag on the red pivot point. If you want to change it along the Y-axis, click and drag on the green pivot point, and so on.
- Once you have moved the pivot point to your desired location, click on the corresponding lock button next to the word “Pivot” for each axis. This will lock the pivot point in place, preventing it from being accidentally moved again.
- You can now edit or animate your object as normal, with the pivot point located at the new position.
Example Use Case: Creating a Simple Animation
Let’s say you want to create an animation where a 3D cube rotates around its center on the X-axis. To achieve this using the simple trick described above, follow these steps:
- Create a new cube object in Unity.
- In the Transform panel, locate the pivot point section.
- Click on the red button next to the word “Pivot” to toggle the visibility of the X-axis pivot point. By default, it is hidden.
- Click and drag on the red pivot point to move it along the X-axis to a new location. In this case, you might want to move it to the center of the cube.
- Once you have moved the pivot point to your desired location, click on the lock button next to the word “Pivot” for the X-axis. This will lock the pivot point in place.
- Create a new animation clip for the cube and set it up as follows:
* In the Animation window, create a new clip by right-clicking and selecting “Create > Clip”.
* Give the clip a name and click “Next”.
* Select the cube object in the Hierarchy panel.
* In the Animator window, create a new animation layer for the cube and select it in the Layer dropdown menu.
* Drag the “X” transform property onto the timeline and give it a range of 0 to 360 degrees.
* Preview the animation by clicking the play button. The cube should rotate around its new pivot point on the X-axis.
7. Save your scene and play it in real-time to see the animated cube in action.
Real-Life Examples of Changing the Pivot Point in Unity
One great example of changing the pivot point in Unity can be seen in a game like “Overwatch”. In this game, characters have unique animations for each of their actions, such as shooting, meleeing, and jumping. To achieve this, the developers likely used the simple trick described above to change the pivot point of each character’s 3D model to match the location of the action they were performing.
Another example can be seen in architectural visualization projects. Architects often use 3D models to showcase their designs and make changes on the fly. By changing the pivot point of their 3D models, they can easily focus on specific parts of their design and make adjustments without having to start from scratch.
FAQs
Q: Can I change the pivot point of a group of objects at once?
A: No, you cannot change the pivot point of a group of objects at once. You will need to select each object individually and use the simple trick described above for each one.
Q: If I change the pivot point of an object in Unity, does it affect other objects that are part of the same scene?
A: No, changing the pivot point of an object only affects that specific object. It will not affect other objects in the same scene unless you specifically modify their pivot points as well.