🛠️ TOOLS & SETUP GUIDE
Everything you need to get your game dev environment ready to go.
📡 USING A SCHOOL COMPUTER?
Unity and Blender are already installed on your Georgia Cyber Academy school computer — you don't need to download anything!
Just open the programs and follow the First-Time Setup tabs below.
Only follow the Download & Install steps if you are setting up a personal computer at home.
▶ UNITY
Go to unity.com/download and download Unity Hub for your operating system (Windows or Mac). Unity Hub is the launcher that manages your Unity versions and projects.
Open Unity Hub and click Sign In. If you don't have an account, create one at id.unity.com. Choose the Personal (free) plan — it has everything you need for this course.
Inside Unity Hub, click Installs → Add and select Unity 2022.3.x (LTS). LTS = Long Term Support, meaning it's the most stable version. This may take 15–30 minutes to download depending on your internet speed.
When installing, make sure to check the box for Microsoft Visual Studio Community (for C# coding) and Windows Build Support. You can add modules later by clicking the ⚙️ next to the installed version in Unity Hub.
⚠️ BEFORE YOU START
- Make sure your computer has at least 8GB of RAM and 10GB of free storage.
- If the download stalls, try pausing and resuming in Unity Hub.
- Don't install Unity outside of Unity Hub — always use Hub to manage versions.
Launch Unity Hub from your desktop or Start menu. Sign in with your Unity account (or create one for free at id.unity.com).
Go to Preferences → Licenses → Add and select Get a free personal license. This unlocks Unity for use as a student — completely free.
Click New Project, select 3D (Core) as the template, name your project, and choose a save location you'll remember (like your Documents folder). Click Create project.
In Unity, go to Edit → Preferences → External Tools and set External Script Editor to Microsoft Visual Studio. This lets you open and edit C# scripts directly from Unity.
Press the ▶ Play button at the top of the Unity Editor. If a game view window shows and no error appears in the Console, you're all set!
💡 UNITY TIPS FOR THIS COURSE
- Save your project often! Use Ctrl + S (Windows) or Cmd + S (Mac) constantly — Unity doesn't auto-save scripts.
- Keep your project folder organized: use separate folders for Scripts, Materials, Scenes, and Prefabs.
- If Unity freezes on startup, try deleting the Library folder in your project — Unity will rebuild it.
- Always check the Console panel for red errors before submitting. Red = broken, yellow = warning (usually okay).
- Back up your projects to Google Drive or a USB drive regularly!
▶ BLENDER
Go to blender.org/download and click the big blue Download Blender button. It automatically detects your OS. Blender is completely free — you don't need an account.
Open the downloaded .msi (Windows) or .dmg (Mac) file and follow the installation steps. The default install location is fine. The whole install takes under a minute.
Open Blender from your Start menu or Applications folder. You should see the Blender splash screen with a default cube in the viewport. If you see this — you're ready to go!
⚠️ SYSTEM NOTES
- Blender runs best with a dedicated GPU. On older computers, set the renderer to EEVEE instead of Cycles for better performance.
- A mouse with a scroll wheel (middle click) is strongly recommended — navigating in Blender without one is painful.
Click anywhere outside the splash screen to dismiss it. You'll see the default 3D viewport with a cube, a light, and a camera. This is your workspace!
Go to Edit → Preferences. Under Input, check Emulate Numpad if your keyboard doesn't have a number pad — this lets you use the top number keys to change viewport angle instead.
Middle Mouse + Drag = Orbit Shift + Middle Mouse = Pan Scroll Wheel = Zoom. Practice these until they feel natural — they're used constantly!
Once you have your preferences set, go to File → Defaults → Save Startup File. This way Blender always opens with your settings instead of the defaults.
💡 BLENDER TIPS FOR THIS COURSE
- The most important shortcut: Ctrl + Z = Undo. Use it freely — Blender has a deep undo history.
- Press Numpad 5 to switch between perspective and orthographic view — ortho is great for precise modeling.
- To export for Unity: File → Export → FBX. Make sure "Apply Transform" is checked before exporting!
- Name your objects clearly in the Outliner panel — your future self will thank you.
- Save often! Use Ctrl + S and consider enabling Auto Save under Preferences → Save & Load.
STILL HAVING TROUBLE?
Check the "I'm Stuck" page for troubleshooting guides — or reach out during office hours!