Introduction

The Mecanim animation system has revolutionized how characters are animated and controlled within Unity. In this chapter, we will learn how to take advantage of its flexibility, power, and friendly and highly visual interface.

 

The big picture

Controlling a playable character with the Mecanim system might look like a complex task, but it is actually very straightforward:

By the end of the chapter, you will have gained a basic understanding of the Mecanim system. For a more complete overview of the subject, consider taking a look at Jamie Dean's Unity Character Animation with Mecanim, also published by Packt Publishing.

Note

All the recipes will make use of Mixamo motion packs. Mixamo is a complete solution for character production, rigging, and animation. In fact, the character used was designed with Mixamo's character creation software called Fuse and rigged with the MixamoAuto-Rigger. You can find out more about Mixamo and their products at Unity's Asset Store or the Mixamo website...