Input system

1. Installation & Setup

1. Install the Input System package to your project
   • Set the option Project Settings > Player > Other settings > Configuration > Active Input Handling: Both
   • This enables both the new Input System and the old Input Manager.
2. Create a new Input action asset (a .inputactions file) in Create > Input Actions.

Input actions

• Input System Manual: Input Actions
• The purpose of input actions is to separate the input checking from the actual performed action
• After all, we might want a player to jump by pressing spacebar, pressing the A button of controller #1, touching an on-screen button, etc!
  • In the Input System, these are called Input Schemes.
• So in the code, we don't want to check those all at once (what if the mappings change?), but rather check if a certain action has triggered

This is how an input action asset looks like in Unity.

• Input System Manual: Input Action Assets

Input action asset

• In the input asset window we define which inputs the actions are mapped to.
• On the left, we have the Action Maps panel
  • For instance, in a multiplayer game we would have different maps for different players.
  • In the image above, we have action maps for Player and UI.
• In the middle, we have the Actions panel
  • Actions are defined here (green).
  • Their input bindings are under the actions (blue).
  • Composite bindings have their paths under them (pink).
• On the right, we have the Binding properties panel
  • Here, we define what kind of input types are used for the input bindings under the Actions panel.

2. Create new bindings

1. Press the icon in the Actions panel to create a new action Bark. By default, it has no bindings.
2. Click <No binding> to create a new binding, or press the action's own icon (or right click the action) and create a new binding.
3. Click Path in the Binding properties panel
   • Either search for the input you want to bind to the action
   • ...or press the Listen button and just perform the input you want to bind.

3. Add a player input component

• To use your inputs, you need to add a Player input component to the GameObject that you want to control with your inputs:
  
• Under the component, drag your Input Actions asset file into the Actions slot.
• Set the Default map to the one you want to use for this GameObject.
• Set Behavior to Send Messages.
  • Underneath, you will see what message listener functions are now usable!

4. Use the input system in code with Send Messages

• Add a controller script for the GameObject you added the Player input component into
• To use the input system in the script, import the input system first with

  using UnityEngine.InputSystem;
  

• Now, add a new message listener function according to the name of your action (you can check their names from the list mentioned earlier):

  function OnBark() {
    // do stuff
  }
  

Reading

• Video: How to use NEW Input System Package
• Madwomb: Unity Local Multi-player