In this chapter, we will cover the following recipes:
- Creating a minimap
- Implementing advanced features for minimaps
In previous chapters, we looked at various HUD and UI elements. In this final chapter, you will learn how to implement one more HUD/UI element — minimaps. Minimaps can serve a number of purposes, such as identifying locations of interest, objects, and even characters (such as the locations of enemies and other players, which can be shown as icons on the minimap). Please keep in mind that you will need to have Unity Pro installed in order to create both the minimaps in this chapter, as Unity Pro provides certain features we will be using in this chapter, such as render textures, that are not available in the free version.
There are two ways that we can activate an installation of Unity Pro: through online and manual activation.
Once you have downloaded, installed, and run the Unity editor, you will be asked to choose which version of Unity you want. Select Unity Professional (as this is required for this chapter).
Online activation requires that you have an existing serial number, which you have previously purchased, the Unity editor, downloaded and installed, and an Internet connection. During the process, you will be asked to input these details along with some other demographic data, such as your reasons for using Unity. Once you have worked your way through these, you will be able to start using Unity, ready to create your minimaps!
If, for some reason, you cannot activate your Unity license online, you will need to do it manually. Furthermore, manual activation is the fallback when online activation fails. To manually activate Unity, you will need to ensure that you have the Unity editor installed. Manual activation is a slightly more complicated process than online activation, so more details regarding the steps involved can be found at https://unity3d.com/unity/activation.