Build a Modular, Scriptable Object-Driven Tutorial System in Unity

Forget the days of hard-coded, inflexible tutorials that break with every minor game update. Let’s ditch the spaghetti code and embrace a system that’s as adaptable as your players are creative. I’m going to show you how to build a modular, scriptable object-driven tutorial system in Unity. It’s time to empower your players, and more importantly, empower yourself with a system that scales.

The Power of Scriptable Objects for Tutorial Steps

Why Scriptable Objects? Because they’re data containers that exist independently of scene instances. This means you can easily create, edit, and reuse tutorial steps without touching your code. Forget juggling prefabs and hardcoded values.

Creating a TutorialStep Scriptable Object is straightforward. Here’s the code:

using UnityEngine;

[CreateAssetMenu(fileName = "TutorialStep", menuName = "Tutorial/TutorialStep", order = 1)]
public class TutorialStep : ScriptableObject
{
    public string stepName;
    [TextArea]
    public string instructionText;
    public GameObject targetObject; // Optional: Object to highlight
    public bool waitForAction; // Optional: Wait for player action
    public string requiredAction; // Optional: String representing the action
}

This defines a single step in our tutorial. instructionText holds the text to display to the player. targetObject lets you highlight a specific UI element or in-game object. waitForAction makes the system wait for a specific player action, like clicking a button (indicated by requiredAction) before moving to the next step.

A common mistake is forgetting to use [TextArea] for the instructionText. This forces you to write single-line instructions, which is incredibly limiting. Remember to use it!

Implementing the Tutorial Manager

The Tutorial Manager is the brain of the operation. It’s responsible for loading tutorial steps, displaying them, and advancing the tutorial based on player actions.

Here’s a basic TutorialManager script:

using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.UI;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public class TutorialManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    public List<TutorialStep> tutorialSteps;
    public Text instructionDisplay; // UI Text element
    public GameObject targetObjectHighlighter; // Optional: UI Highlighter

    private int currentStepIndex = 0;
    private TutorialStep currentStep;

    void Start()
    {
        if (tutorialSteps.Count == 0)
        {
            Debug.LogWarning("No tutorial steps defined!");
            return;
        }

        LoadStep(currentStepIndex);
    }

    void Update()
    {
        if (currentStep != null && currentStep.waitForAction)
        {
            // Check for the required action. This is a simplified example.
            if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.Space) && currentStep.requiredAction == "PressSpace")
            {
                AdvanceTutorial();
            }
            // Add other action checks here.
        }
    }

    void LoadStep(int stepIndex)
    {
        if (stepIndex < 0 || stepIndex >= tutorialSteps.Count)
        {
            Debug.LogError("Invalid step index!");
            return;
        }

        currentStepIndex = stepIndex;
        currentStep = tutorialSteps[stepIndex];

        instructionDisplay.text = currentStep.instructionText;

        //Handle highlighting the target object, if applicable.
        if(currentStep.targetObject != null){
             if(targetObjectHighlighter != null){
                  targetObjectHighlighter.SetActive(true);
                  targetObjectHighlighter.transform.position = currentStep.targetObject.transform.position;
             } else {
                  Debug.LogWarning("Tutorial Manager: You have a targetObject defined in the tutorial step, but no targetObjectHighlighter is set.");
             }
        } else {
             if(targetObjectHighlighter != null){
                  targetObjectHighlighter.SetActive(false);
             }
        }
    }

    public void AdvanceTutorial()
    {
        currentStepIndex++;

        if (currentStepIndex < tutorialSteps.Count)
        {
            LoadStep(currentStepIndex);
        }
        else
        {
            Debug.Log("Tutorial Complete!");
            // Disable the tutorial or move to the next stage.
        }
    }
}

Drag and drop your Scriptable Object tutorial steps into the tutorialSteps list in the Inspector. Assign a Text UI element to instructionDisplay. Create a UI element (e.g., a semi-transparent panel) to act as a highlighter and assign it to targetObjectHighlighter.

One common mistake is forgetting to disable the targetObjectHighlighter when currentStep.targetObject is null. The code above handles this, ensuring your UI looks clean.

Displaying Instructions with Unity UI

This system hinges on Unity’s UI system. Create a Canvas, add a Text element for displaying instructions, and optionally, a visual element for highlighting key UI elements or in-game objects. Bind these to the TutorialManager script via the Inspector.

The biggest challenge here is responsive UI design. What looks good on a 1080p monitor might be a mess on a mobile device. Use Unity’s UI anchoring and scaling options to ensure your tutorial UI adapts to different screen sizes. Consider using different layouts for portrait and landscape orientations.

Making it Modular and Scriptable: Beyond the Basics

The real power lies in extending this system. Consider these enhancements:

• Event-Driven Progression: Instead of relying on simple key presses, use Unity’s event system to trigger tutorial advancement based on in-game events (e.g., player crafting an item, reaching a specific location).
• Conditional Steps: Add logic to your TutorialStep Scriptable Object to determine if a step should be shown based on player progress or game state. This allows for branching tutorials tailored to individual players.
• Multi-Language Support: Store instruction text in a separate localization file and load it dynamically based on the player’s language setting.
• Visual Cues: Instead of just highlighting objects, use animations or particle effects to draw the player’s attention.

A concrete example of conditional steps: imagine a crafting tutorial. Only show the “Smelt Iron” step if the player has the required materials (iron ore and coal). You can add a Predicate (a function that returns true or false) to your TutorialStep scriptable object, which is evaluated before displaying the step.

Overcoming Pitfalls and Common Mistakes

Developers often fall into the trap of creating overly complex tutorial systems that are difficult to maintain. Here’s how to avoid that:

• Keep it Simple: Start with a basic system and add complexity only when necessary.
• Use Scriptable Objects Wisely: Don’t overuse Scriptable Objects. They’re great for data, but not for logic.
• Test Thoroughly: Test your tutorial system on different devices and screen resolutions.
• Gather Feedback: Get feedback from players early and often. They’ll quickly identify confusing or frustrating aspects of your tutorial.

Building a modular, scriptable object-driven tutorial system is an investment that pays off in the long run. It allows you to create engaging, adaptable tutorials that improve the player experience and reduce development time. Embrace the power of Scriptable Objects and build a tutorial system that’s as dynamic and evolving as your game itself.