Edit Mode

The left panel in Edit mode contains the Scene Tree that includes a list of all objects in the scene, the Library tab used to insert default objects into the scene, and Assets include a list of meshes, textures, sounds, and prefabs used in the project.

The Inspector panel is located in the right side of the workspace. The Inspector panel is contextual, it appears when a supported object in the scene is being selected. The view of available parameters and tabs displayed in the Inspector panel changes, depending on what type of object is being selected. Generally, the Inspector panel includes four tabs:

1. Properties

2. Material

3. Physics

4. Variable

Let’s have a quick look at each of them.

Properties

Properties represent a list of properties of a particular object selected in the scene.

Material

The Material tab includes material properties of an object, such as color, shader, and texture.

Physics

The Physics tab contains a list of physical properties of an object, such as type of the rigid body, collider and other parameters.

Variables

The variables tab is designed to add a custom variable to an object. Any object can have a custom variable of your choice that you can apply in the animation timeline.

Navigation in the 3D Space

There are a variety of ways in which to navigate the 3D space within the Edit mode, also known as MANU viewport. A viewport is your window into the 3D game worlds you create in MANU.

Note, that the camera viewport changes, depending on what type of the main camera projection is selected. There are two types of projection in MANU: Perspective and Orthographic. To learn more about projections, go to Main Camera. In MANU, the default type of projection is perspective.

Camera viewport can be navigated entirely with the mouse, with the keyboard, with the trackpad, or with a variety of combinations between them. It can also be managed in both the Edit and Animation modes. There are multiple ways of controlling the camera viewport that apply to both types of projection. These controls include camera pan and zoom, camera fly rotate, camera fly orbit, camera alignment and focusing. Let’s have a closer look at navigation controls for each of them.

Camera Pan and Dolly Zoom

Panning moves the camera either horizontally or vertically from one side to another on a central axis. Use A or D to pan the camera viewport horizontally, and Q or E - to move it vertically. Alternatively, hit SPACE+ LMB Drag.

Dolly Zoom is the type of effect where the camera simultaneously moves towards a target object and zooms out from it. To dolly zoom, the camera viewport, use the mouse WHEEL UP or WHEEL DOWN or TWO FINGER SCROLL on the touchpad.

Camera Fly Rotate

To rotate the camera using a mouse, use RMB + Drag. Alternatively, hold SHIFT + W/A/S/D to orbit the camera up, left, down, and right respectively.

Camera Fly Orbit

To orbit the camera around the selected object, select the object, hold ALT + LMB Drag. To perform the same action using a keyboard, hold ALT + W/A/S/D keys to orbit the camera up, left, down and right respectively.

Camera Viewport Alignment

In addition to the navigation controls described above, there is another viewport control you can use to align the camera to Top, Side, and Front - a View cube. It is available at the bottom right corner of the Edit mode. Hold ALT and clicking on the edges or faces of the view cube rotates the camera viewport around the target object. It also allows you to use LMB + Drag the cube's faces to rotate the viewport to any custom angle.

Focusing

In MANU, you can focus on any object in your scene by double-clicking on it in the scene tree. Also you can select object and press F .

Using 3D Gizmo to Manipulate Objects

3D Gizmo is used to give visual setup aids available in the Edit mode. In MANU, 3D gizmo provides help to manipulate selected objects right in the scene along a 3D axis or plane. There are various types of gizmo that can be selected in the 3D gizmo panel, such as Move, Rotate, Scale, and Collider.

By default, gizmos are displayed automatically when you select an object in the Edit mode. To select the object, click on it in the scene or select it from the Scene tree.

Since gizmos constrain modifications along specific axes, they help ensure more predictable results. You can specify which gizmos are displayed when an object is selected using the 3D Gizmo panel.

Note, that if one of the 3D gizmos is selected: Move, Scale, or Rotate, the Properties tab will be displayed in the Inspector. Also, if you select the properties tab, the previously selected 3D gizmo will be displayed in the Edit mode.

By default, the gizmo is initially placed in the center of the selected object or a group. The center box of the gizmo sets the base point for object modification. The axis handles on the gizmo constrain the movement, scale, or rotation to an axis (X, Y, Z). The axes square on the gizmo constrains the movement or scale to two relative axes (XY, YZ, XZ).

It is worth noting that some Library objects do not have the default 3D Gizmo. For example, if you add a spotlight into the scene, it will have Move and Rotate gizmo in Edit mode. Similarly, a point light would display a Move gizmo only. Generally, the displayed types of available 3D Gizmo depend on the type of selected object. Let’s have a closer look at the description below about each 3D Gizmo.

Move Gizmo

Move Gizmo is a default type of gizmo in MANU. Move gizmo relocates selected objects along an axis or plane. You can use this gizmo to constrain the movement to an axis or plane.

To use Move gizmo, select the object in the scene, switch to Move gizmo in the 3D Gizmo Panel. As the cursor hovers over an axis handle on the gizmo, the specified axis turns yellow. Click the axis handle. As you drag the cursor using the LMB, the movement of the selected objects and subobjects is constrained to the highlighted axis.

You can use the 3D Move gizmo to constrain the movement to a plane. Each plane is identified by an axes square between the respective axis handles. You can specify the plane of movement by moving the cursor over the axes square. When the square turns yellow, click it. As you drag the cursor, the selected objects and subobjects move only along the highlighted plane for XY, YZ, or XZ axes.

To move the object precisely, input the position values for XYZ axes in the Transform panel.

You can also adjust the Move gizmo settings by selecting either Smooth opting or entering a custom value of your own. If smooth is selected, it will move the object around the scene smoothly. Entering the custom values (in meters) allow you to define the distance for movement. For example, if you put “1”, it will move the selected object by 1 meter. This feature is helpful if you are working on a big scene, it allows you to move objects around the scene quicker as opposed to using the smooth option.

Rotate Gizmo

Rotate Gizmo rotates selected objects about a specified axis. It allows you to constrain the rotation of 3D objects and subobjects to an axis. To rotate the object, select it from the 3D view or scene tree, then switch to the Rotation gizmo in the 3D Gizmo panel. After you select the rotation, 3D gizmo is displayed at the center of the selection set. You can constrain the rotation to a specified axis. As you move the cursor over the rotation paths on the 3D Rotate gizmo, a vector line representing the axis of rotation is displayed. Specify an axis of rotation by clicking the rotation path when it turns yellow. When you drag the cursor using the LMB, the selected objects and subobjects rotate about its base along the specified axis (XYZ).

For precise rotation, go to the Inspector tab and input the rotation values for XYZ axes.

Similarly to Move gizmo settings, there are Rotation gizmo settings. You can use them to adjust the rotation by selecting either Smooth option or entering a custom value of your own. If smooth is selected, it will rotate the object around its base smoothly. Entering the custom values allow you to define the degree for rotation. For example, if you put “45”, it will rotate the selected object by 45 degrees.

Scale Gizmo

Scale Gizmo scales selected objects along a specified plane or axis, or uniformly along all 3 axes. To scale the object, select it from the scene tree or in the 3D view and switch to the Scale gizmo in the 3D Gizmo panel. After you select the objects and subobjects to scale, constrain the object scaling by clicking the 3D gizmo axis, or plane (axes square).

To constrain object scaling to a specified axis, move the cursor over an axis handle on the 3D Scale gizmo, specify an axis by clicking the axis when it turns yellow. When you drag the cursor using the LMB, the selected objects and subobjects are resized along the specified axis.

Also, you can constrain the object scaling to a specified plane. Each plane is identified by an axes square between the respective axis handles. Specify the plane of scale by moving the cursor over one of the axes square. When the axes square turns yellow, click it. Similarly to moving the object, as you drag the cursor, the selected objects and subobjects are scaled only along the highlighted plane for XY, YZ, or XZ axes.

Additionally, you can also lock the object's size proportions in the Inspector tab to scale all values proportionally at the same time.

Collider Gizmo

Collider Gizmo is displayed when the selected object is physical. To add physics to the selected object, go to the Physics tab in the Inspector panel and click YES for Physical. Collider gizmo relocates the selected object’s collider along an axis or plane. When the collider gizmo is selected, the collider is highlighted in blue about the selected object. As the cursor hovers over an axis handle on the gizmo, the specified axis turns yellow. Click the axis handle. As you drag the cursor using the LMB, the movement of the selected collider is constrained to the highlighted axis.

Similar to the Move gizmo, you can use the 3D Collider gizmo to constrain the collider movement to a plane. Each plane is identified by an axes square between the respective axis handles. You can specify the plane of movement by moving the cursor over the axes square. When the square turns yellow, click it. As you drag the cursor, the selected objects and subobjects move only along the highlighted plane for XY, YZ, or XZ axes.

There are a number of additional collider settings, available in the Inspector tab. To learn more about these settings, go to Physics / Collider (link).