Grid Battles – Part 1: Basic Setup

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Learn how to add a turn based grid battle in this short gameplay tutorial series.

This is the first part of multiple gameplay tutorials about adding turn based grid battles to your game. These tutorials are based on the game tutorial series.

In this part we’ll set up the basic battle grid settings and grid cell types. You can learn more about grid battles in this how-to.

I’ll use the prefabs provided in the Grid Prefabs for the grid cell type prefabs – you can download them here:

Download Grid Prefabs

The other parts of the grid battle tutorials handle:

Battle Grid Settings

First, we’ll set up the basic battle grid settings – e.g. which grid type we’re using, cell selections and highlighting.

We’ll go with a Hexagonal grid using the Horizontal Odd type, i.e. a corner of the cells will face north and every odd row will be offset horizontally by half a cell’s width, like this:

news_grid_battles3

Grid Settings

  • Grid Type
    Select Hexagonal.
  • Hexagonal Type
    Select Horizontal Odd.
  • Cell Size
    Set to 2.
  • Cell Offset
    Set to X=0.1, Y=0.1.

The Raycast Settings are used for mouse/touch based cell selection. Usually you’ll set the layer mask to use the layer your ground is placed on.

  • Layer Mask
    Select Default.
  • Distance
    Set to 100.

Cell Selection

The cell selection handles how the player can select cells. We’ll use input keys as well as mouse/touch input.

Input Key Settings

  • Use Input Keys
    Enable this setting.
  • Vertical Axis
    Select Vertical.
  • Horizontal Axis
    Select Horizontal.
  • Axis Minimum
    Set to 0.3.
  • Use Camera Direction
    Enable this setting.
    The vertical and horizontal selection axis will depend upon which way the camera is facing.
  • Cursor Timeout
    Set to 0.25.

Mouse/Touch Control

  • Use Click
    Enable this setting.
  • Mouse Button
    Set to 0.
  • Use Touch
    Enable this setting.
  • Touch Count
    Set to 1.
  • Click Count
    Set to 1.
  • Mode
    Select Start.

Audio Settings

The audio clips can be found in Assets/Tutorial Resources/Audio.

  • Select Audio
    Select cursor01.
  • Accept Audio
    Select accept01.
  • Cancel Audio
    Select cancel01.
  • Fail Audio
    Select fail01.

Orientation Selection

The orientation selection is used when the player has to select the orientation of a combatant, e.g. when using the turn end orientation.

  • Only Neighbour Cells
    Enable this setting.
    The cell selection will only select cells around the combatant.
  • Rotate On Selection
    Enable this setting.

Info Text

  • Show Info Text
    Enable this setting.
  • Info GUI Box
    Select Top Info.
  • Text
    Set to:
    Select direction of %un.

Combatant Placement

The combatant placement is used when the player is asked to place combatants on the grid (e.g. in the battle start event).

Combatant Selection

  • Use Selection
    Enable this setting.
    The player will be able to select which combatant to place – otherwise the combatants are placed in a defined order.
  • Combatant Selection
    Select Default.
    This defines which Combatant Selection (Menus > Combatant Selections) will be used to display the placeable combatants.
  • Sort By
    Select Name.

Cell Selection

  • Remember Cell
    Disable this setting.
  • Place On Selection
    Enable this setting.
  • Allow Cancel Cell
    Enable this setting.
  • Select Orientation
    Enable this setting.
  • Allow Cancel Orientation
    Enable this setting.

Info Text

  • Show Info Text
    Enable this setting.
  • Info GUI Box
    Select Top Info.
  • Text
    Set to:
    Select cell for %un.

Move Command

The move command settings handle how the player can select a target cell for movement and combatants move on the grid.

  • Use Only Once
    Enable this setting.
    Combatants can only perform one move command per turn.
  • Allow Cancel
    Enable this setting.
  • Use Shortest Path
    Enable this setting.
  • Move Over Allies
    Enable this setting.
  • Move Over Enemies
    Disable this setting.

Default Move Range

The default move range defines how far a combatant can move on the grid. This can be overridden by each combatant individually.

We’ll use a move range of 5 as the default range.

  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 5.

Info Text

  • Show Info Text
    Enable this setting.
  • Info GUI Box
    Select Top Info.
  • Text
    Set to:
    Move %un: %/%r

Target Cell Selection

The target cell selection defines how the player can select a target cell for None target range abilities/items (when using target cell selections).

  • Allow Cancel
    Enable this setting.

Info Text

  • Show Info Text
    Enable this setting.
  • Info GUI Box
    Select Top Info.
  • Text
    Set to:
    Select target for %an.

Examine Grid

These settings handle how the player can examine the grid and which information is displayed of a selected combatant.

  • Allow Cancel
    Enable this setting.

Info Text

  • Show Info Text
    Enable this setting.
  • Info GUI Box
    Select Top Info.
  • Text
    Set to:
    Select cell to examine.

Combatant Info Dialogue

  • Show Move Range
    Enable this setting.
  • Auto Show Move Range
    Enable this setting.
  • Show Attack Range
    Disable this setting.
  • Auto Show Info
    Enable this setting.
  • GUI Box
    Select Player HUD.
  • Show Ok Button, Show Cancel Button
    Disable these settings.
  • At Combatant Position
    Enable this setting.
  • Path to Child
    Set to Head.

We’ll only show one page with basic combatant information – change the settings of the already added Entry Page 0.

  • Use HUD
    Enable this setting.
  • HUD
    Select Player HUD.

Grid Highlighting

The grid highlighting defines how parts of the grid will be highlighted in different situations, e.g. how a selected cell or range is displayed.

We’ll first define the 3 base highlights for area, selection and no selection – they’ll be used by most of the different grid highlights.

Area Highlight

  • Use Prefab
    Disable this setting.
  • Use Blink
    Enable this setting.
  • Blink Children
    Enable this setting.
  • Time (s)
    Set to 1.
  • Interpolation
    Select Linear.
  • Fade Alpha/Red/Green/Blue
    Enable these settings.
  • Start Color
    Select a blue color with full alpha (R=0, G=0, B=1, A=1).
  • End Color
    Select a blue color with half alpha (R=0, G=0, B=1, A=0.5).

Selection Highlight

  • Use Prefab
    Enable this setting.
  • Replace Cell Prefab
    Disable this setting.
  • Prefab
    Select CursorPrefab.
    The prefab can be found in Assets/Tutorial Resources/Prefabs/BattleSystem.
  • Position Offset
    Set to X=0, Y=1, Z=0.
  • Use Blink
    Enable this setting.
  • Blink Children
    Enable this setting.
  • Time (s)
    Set to 1.
  • Interpolation
    Select Linear.
  • Fade Alpha/Red/Green/Blue
    Enable these settings.
  • Start Color
    Select a green color with full alpha (R=0, G=1, B=0, A=1).
  • End Color
    Select a green color with half alpha (R=0, G=1, B=0, A=0.5).

No Selection Highlight

  • Use Prefab
    Enable this setting.
  • Replace Cell Prefab
    Disable this setting.
  • Prefab
    Select CursorPrefab.
  • Position Offset
    Set to X=0, Y=1, Z=0.
  • Use Blink
    Enable this setting.
  • Blink Children
    Enable this setting.
  • Time (s)
    Set to 1.
  • Interpolation
    Select Linear.
  • Fade Alpha/Red/Green/Blue
    Enable these settings.
  • Start Color
    Select a red color with full alpha (R=1, G=0, B=0, A=1).
  • End Color
    Select a red color with half alpha (R=1, G=0, B=0, A=0.5).

Placement (Combatant Placement)

Defines how the available cells for placement are highlighted.

  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Disable this setting.
  • Base Highlight
    Select Area.

Placement Selection (Combatant Placement)

Defines how the selected cell is highlighted, if it’s available for placement.

  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Disable this setting.
  • Base Highlight
    Select Selection.

No Placement Selection (Combatant Placement)

Defines how the selected cell is highlighted, if it’s not available for placement.

  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Disable this setting.
  • Base Highlight
    Select No Selection.

Move Range (Move Command)

Defines how the available cells for movement are highlighted.

  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Disable this setting.
  • Base Highlight
    Select Area.

Move Selection (Move Command)

Defines how the selected cell is highlighted, if it’s available for movement.

  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Disable this setting.
  • Base Highlight
    Select Selection.

No Move Selection (Move Command)

Defines how the selected cell is highlighted, if it’s not available for movement.

  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Disable this setting.
  • Base Highlight
    Select No Selection.

Move Path (Move Command)

Defines how the path to the selected cell is highlighted.

  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Enable this setting.
  • Use Prefab
    Disable this setting.
  • Use Blink
    Enable this setting.
  • Blink Children
    Enable this setting.
  • Time (s)
    Set to 1.
  • Interpolation
    Select Linear.
  • Fade Alpha/Red/Green/Blue
    Enable these settings.
  • Start Color
    Select a purple color with full alpha (R=1, G=0, B=1, A=1).
  • End Color
    Select a purple color with half alpha (R=1, G=0, B=1, A=0.5).

Target Cell Selection (Target Selection)

Defines how the selected cell is highlighted, if it’s a valid target.

  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Disable this setting.
  • Base Highlight
    Select Selection.

No Target Cell Selection (Target Selection)

Defines how the selected cell is highlighted, if it’s not a valid target.

  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Disable this setting.
  • Base Highlight
    Select No Selection.

Orientation Selection

Defines how the selected cell is highlighted for selecting the orientation.

  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Disable this setting.
  • Base Highlight
    Select Selection.

Use Range

Defines how the cells within use range of an ability/item are highlighted.

  • In Action Selection
    Enable this setting.
    The use range will be highlighted when an ability/item is selected in the battle menu.
  • In Target Selection
    Disable this setting.
    The use range will not be highlighted when selecting a target for an action.
  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Disable this setting.
  • Base Highlight
    Select Area.

Affect Range

Defines how the cells within use range of an ability/item are highlighted.

  • In Action Selection
    Disable this setting.
  • In Target Selection
    Enable this setting.
  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Enable this setting.
  • Use Blink
    Enable this setting.
  • Blink Children
    Enable this setting.
  • Time (s)
    Set to 1.
  • Interpolation
    Select Linear.
  • Fade Alpha/Red/Green/Blue
    Enable these settings.
  • Start Color
    Select a yellow color with full alpha (R=1, G=1, B=0, A=1).
  • End Color
    Select a yellow color with half alpha (R=1, G=1, B=0, A=0.5).

Examine Selection

Defines how the selected cell for grid examination is highlighted.

  • Use Highlight
    Enable this setting.
  • Own Highlight Settings
    Disable this setting.
  • Base Highlight
    Select Selection.

Grid Cell Types

Next we’ll set up the grid cell types that will be available for grids. Navigate to Battle System > Grid Cell Types and change the following settings.

The prefabs used for the grid cells are available in Assets/Grid/Prefabs after importing the GridPrefabs package.

Cell Type 0: Ground

  • Name
    Set to Ground.
  • Prefab
    Select GridHexagonalHorizontal.
  • Position Offset
    Set to X=0, Y=0.1, Z=0.
  • Use Prefab Rotation
    Enable this setting.

Cell Settings

  • Blocked
    Disable this setting.
  • Deployment Type
    Select None.

The Move Cost defines how much moving on this cell will cost a combatant.

  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 1.

Cell Type 1: Blocked

Copy the previous cell type and change the following settings.

  • Name
    Set to Blocked.
  • Prefab
    Select GridHexagonalHorizontalBlocked.

Cell Settings

  • Blocked
    Enable this setting.

Cell Type 2: Deploy Player

Copy the 1st cell type (Ground) again, change the following settings.

  • Name
    Set to Deploy Player.

Cell Settings

  • Deployment Type
    Select Player.

Cell Type 3: Deploy Ally

Copy previous cell type and change the following settings.

  • Name
    Set to Deploy Ally.

Cell Settings

  • Deployment Type
    Select Ally.

Cell Type 4: Deploy Enemy

Copy previous cell type and change the following settings.

  • Name
    Set to Deploy Enemy.

Cell Settings

  • Deployment Type
    Select Enemy.

Cell Type 5: Deploy All

Copy previous cell type and change the following settings.

  • Name
    Set to Deploy All.

Cell Settings

  • Deployment Type
    Select All.

Cell Type 6: Empty

Copy the 2nd cell type (Blocked) and change the following settings.

  • Name
    Set to Empty.
  • Prefab
    Select None (i.e. no prefab is used).

Cell Type 7: Heavy Ground

Copy the 1st cell type (Ground) again and change the following settings.

  • Name
    Set to Heavy Ground.

Cell Settings

  • Value (Move Cost)
    Set to 2.

And that’s it for now – don’t forget to save the changes by clicking on Save Settings.

The next grid battles tutorial will handle setting up the grid in the scene.

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