Physics Character Controller

Update 6.0.0 – Major Input / Events update with centralized inputs, swap detection, slope fixes, and Unity 6 + Cinemachine support. Feel free to check the Release Notes and the Playable Demo below to test the asset yourself!

Documentation: nappin.dev

Support: hey@nappin.dev

Playable demo

▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

What is it?

Physics Character Controller is a powerful yet simple character controller based on the unity physics system without the need to use custom kinematics. The character can easily interact with the physical environment, move and push objects, slide on surfaces, climb, wall jump and so on...

How do I use it?

Simple: install the package, assign a ground layer to your floor and reference it in the CharacterController and you are ready to go! The package accommodates the user who wants a simple plug and play solution and also developers who want to add their own modifications on top of the existing code. It also works seamlessly with both the Old Input System and the New Input System, so you can integrate it without changing your project setup.

What's included?

The asset includes all the essential content and prefabs to start experimenting with the character controller right away:

Core Content

• Player model and multiple obstacle meshes
• Humanoid animated model
• Prefab folder with all the "core" components
• 2 sample scenes that guides the user and allows them to experiment with the character controller and find the best parameters combination for their needs.

Main Features

• Basic character movement in third and first person
• Player can move the character and rotate the camera
• Player can perform jump, long jumps, wall climb, wall slide, crouch, climb and sprint
• Camera solution to avoid clipping with the objects in the scene
• Capsule based collision and simple interpolated movements
• Allows the player to walk on rubble and irregular terrain
• Allows the player to walk on smooth terrain with changing normals
• Allows the player to move up a slope within a certain angle limit
• Ground snapping so the player can stick to surfaces and slopes
• Allows the player to move on steps (within a certain height set by the player)
• Supports rigidbody interaction and allows the player to move and collide with rigidbodies
• Supports and ignores specific layers
• Contains prefab that simulate viscosity
• Contrains speedup and slowdown platforms
• Contains bounce platforms
• Contains moving platforms
• Contains rotating platforms that keep the player rotation locked
• Allows the player to climb ladders

▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

» FAQ:

• Can the player collide with simple rigidbodies? Yes, differently from other character controllers, the player is simply a vanilla rigidbody so it can handle interaction with every physic object without having to attach scripts and complicate your project.
• Do I need to be a coder? No, the asset allows you to simply edit the controller to your need (check the documentation below to know the details). If you want to add new features a intermediate level of programming is required and of course I'm always available to assist you via email.
• How is the camera handled? With cinemachine, the project is setup so that there are 4 different cameras for mouse, controller, first person and third person. Regardless you can easily create your own solution.
• Can I use a humanoid character? Of course, you can use the controller to set animation parameters (isGrounded, isSliding,IsTouchingWall...etc)

____________________________________

Need help or guidance with the tool? Reach out anytime at hey@nappin.dev

Did you enjoy the tool? We’d really appreciate a positive rating—it helps us improve and keep creating great tools!

nappin.dev

Release Notes

Version 6.0.0 (04/10/2025) - Major Input / Events update:

• Centralized all inputs including camera rotation
• Added swap detection regardless of input method
• Fixed slope bug on specific angles
• Added support for all recent Unity versions
• Added Cinemachine in Unity 6 and upgraded script support
• Rearranged sample scenes
• Fixed debug behaviour for Player gizmos
• Exposed new events for Input Reader
• Rewritten documentation and ported to website

Version 5.1.0 (06/3/2025):

• Improved compatibility with Unity 2023
• Refined slope handling and collision response
• Optimized performance of CharacterManager
• Updated sample scenes with clearer setup examples

Version 5.0.0 (13/04/2024) - Major Camera update:

• Updated Cinemachine cameras setup
• Simplified [Cameras] hierarchy
• Added ThirdPersonCamera controller to better handle camera motion
• Added collapsable Old Input System code to ThirdPersonCamera
• Added FirstPersonCamera controller to better handle camera motion
• Added collapsable Old Input System code to FirstPersonCamera
• Added Coroutine setup to better transition between first person and third person marks (and vice versa)
• Added the fact that when in first person the Character Model rotates with the camera
• Added the that when moving from third person to first person the camera forward doesn't change
• Added variables to control the initial camera tilt for First and Third person camera
• Updated asset playable demo
• Updated documentation

Version 4.2.0 (19/01/2024):

• Updated the asset foldering.
• Fixed bug on ladder climb.

Version 4.1.2 (31/05/2023):

• Updated the asset foldering.
• Updated promotion content.
• Updated documentation.

Version 4.1.0 (11/02/2023):

• Optimized the character controller's performance for smoother gameplay experiences on lower-end devices.
• Implemented a character interaction system for ladders.

Version 4.0.0 (11/22/2022):

• Added humanoid version of the capsule character.
• Overhauled the entire character controller with improved performance and stability.
• Introduced a set events for developers to extend and customize the character controller's behavior (check documentation).

Version 3.5.0 (10/28/2022):

• Added support for additional input methods (old and new Input system)
• Improved the integration with Unity's Input System for easier customization and compatibility with various input devices.
• Updated documentation.

Version 3.0.0 (08/17/2022):

• Fixed minor bugs when interacting with fluids.
• Implemented support for external physics forces, allowing integration with other Unity physics-based assets or systems.

Version 2.1.0 (08/12/2022):

• Optimized the performance of the character controller to handle larger environments with multiple interactable objects.
• Improved the collision response system to reduce jittering or unwanted physics behavior.
• Added a new option to enable/disable specific physics interactions platforms.

Version 2.0.0 (04/25/2022):

• Improved Cinemachine camera motion in first and third person
• Added lockCursor script to disable the cursor if needed

Version 1.3.0 (02/20/2022):

• Fix minor bugs when interacting with irregular terrain.

Version 1.2.0 (01/27/2022):

• Added new configurable parameters for character movement, such as walking and running speeds, jump height, and gravity.
• Enhanced the controller's response to user input for more precise control over character movement.
• Added rotating platforms.

Version 1.1.0 (01/03/2022):

• Added support for slopes and stairs, allowing the character to smoothly traverse inclined surfaces.
• Improved collision handling to prevent unwanted sliding or sticking to walls.
• Implemented basic physics interactions, such as pushing objects or being affected by external forces.

Version 1.0.0 (11/11/2021):

• Initial release of the Physics Based Character Controller.
• Implemented a character controller that utilizes the Unity physics system for movement and collision detection.
• Basic movement controls such as walking, running, jumping, and crouching.