Unity Basics
  • Welcome
  • Getting Started with Unity Software
  • Helpful Shortcuts
  • The Unity Software Interface
    • The Default Interface
    • The Windows (Tabs)
      • Hierarchy Window
      • Scene Window
      • Project Window
      • Inspector Window
      • Game Window
      • Console Window
    • Other Layouts
      • Create a Custom Layout
  • Create
    • Creating Game Objects
      • 3D Primitives
      • Creating Game Objects in the Editor
      • Spawning Objects
      • Unhiding/Hiding Objects During Gameplay
      • Parenting
    • Creating Assets
    • Creating Components and Scripts
      • Adding Components in the Inspector
      • Creating Custom Components and Scripts
    • Creating Prefabs
  • Select and Update
    • General Selection
    • Search and Focus
    • Updating Game Objects
      • Updating Game Objects in the Editor
      • Updating Prefabs
    • Updating Assets
    • Updating Components
      • Update Components in the Inspector
      • Accessing Components Through Scripts
  • Delete
    • Deleting Game Objects
      • Deleting and Disabling Objects in the Editor
      • Using the Destroy() Function
    • Deleting Components and Scripts
      • Disabling and Removing Components in the Editor
      • Disabling and Removing Components During Gameplay
  • Translate, Rotate, and Scale
    • Intro to Transforms
    • Handy Transform Shortcuts
    • Translate
      • Positioning Game Objects in the Editor
      • Updating Position Through Script Code
      • Using the Transform.Translate() Function
    • Rotate
      • Rotating Game Objects in the Editor
      • Updating Rotation Through Script Code
      • Using the Transform.Rotate() Function
    • Scale
      • Resizing/Scaling Objects in the Editor
      • Updating Scale Through Script Code
    • Controlling Speed
    • Common Issues with Transforms
  • Materials
    • Material Basics
      • Creating and Applying Materials
      • Accessing Materials Through Code
  • Physics
    • Physics Basics
    • Colliders and Triggers
      • Collider Component Overview
      • Accessing Colliders Through Scripts
      • Common Issues: Colliders and Triggers
    • Rigidbody Component
      • Rigidbody Component Overview
      • Accessing the Rigidbody Component Through Scripts
      • Common Issues: Rigidbody Components
    • Common Issues: Physics and Velocity
  • Interaction
    • Interaction Basics
    • Keyboard Controls
    • Mouse Controls
  • Coding Basics
    • Intro to Scripts
    • Variables
    • Conditionals (If / Then / Else)
    • Arrays
    • Loops
    • Functions
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  • Rotation
  • Rotation vs. Euler Angles

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  1. Translate, Rotate, and Scale

Rotate

PreviousUsing the Transform.Translate() FunctionNextRotating Game Objects in the Editor

Last updated 4 years ago

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Rotation

Rotation is the direction an object is facing. This is not in relation to the camera, but an overall coordinate system of the game (global rotation) or of the object's object (local rotation). The rotation coordinates in the Transform component show the object's local rotation in Euler angles unless it is not in a parent object.

Rotation vs. Euler Angles

The biggest difference you'll notice is that Transform.rotation is a Quaternion expecting four coordinates and Transform.eulerAngles is a Vector3.

When updating rotations directly, it's easiest to use Euler angles because it uses angles -360 to 360 (and technically, beyond).

If you ever need to use rotation and Quaternions, use Quaternion.Euler() or Quaternion.LookRotation to get the correct rotation quaternion coordinates.

You can...

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Rotate an object within the Unity editor
Rotate an object during gameplay using Transform.Rotate()
Rotate an object during gameplay by directly updating its rotation