How to create a Triple Shot

Including a basic power up system

We already have a normal laser. In this article we will create a Triple shot variant. To activate the triple shot it we will create a power up too.

Power Up and shoot Triple Laser

Triple Laser Prefab

1. Duplicate Laser twice — unpack prefab completely if needed
2. Align the left and right laser with the Player
3. Create empty container — LaserTriple
4. Put all 3 lasers in container
5. Prefab — LaserTriple
6. Adjust Laser script to destroy parent too if it exists when going off screen

Triple Laser Prefab

The code to check for a parent and if it exists destroy it. Only used when laser is off screen.

//check if object has parent            
            if (transform.parent != null)
            {
                //then destroy parent
                Destroy(transform.parent.gameObject);
            }

Script Player

1. Create Reference to Triple Laser prefab
2. Drag prefab into Inspector box
3. Create bool to check activation status of powerup
4. Create public function to activate powerup

public void PowerUpPickUp(string PowerUpType)
    {
        if (PowerUpType == "TripleShot")
        {
            _isTripleLaserActive = true;
            //start coroutine
            StartCoroutine(TripleShotCooldown());
        }
    }

5. Create coroutine to let the powerup end after X seconds

IEnumerator TripleShotCooldown()
    {
        yield return new WaitForSeconds(5f);
        _isTripleLaserActive = false;
    }

Powerup creation

Yesterday we animated a powerup game object, which we are going to use today.

Simple Animation in Unity

Script Powerup

1. Create Powerup script
2. Add script to powerup gameobject
3. Make object move down
4. Destroy object when off screen
5. Collision detection if tag == player
6. Then access player script and activate triple

private void OnTriggerEnter2D(Collider2D other)
    {
        //if collision tag is Player
        if (other.tag == "Player")
        {
            //get player script //activate power up triple shot
            Player player = other.transform.GetComponent<Player>();
            if (player != null)
            {
                player.PowerUpPickUp("TripleShot");
            }
            Destroy(this.gameObject);
        }
    }

Spawn Powerup

Finally add create a powerup spawn coroutine just like the one we created for enemies in the article below.

How to use Coroutines in Unity