Centipede Tutorial

Basic Gameplay:

The player controls a ship/body at the bottom of the screen and shoots up to destroy “centipedes” (multi-part segments) that move in rows through mushrooms/obstacles.

When the head is shot, the whole or the body will split or change direction — creating a “chase” feeling.

The goal is to destroy all parts of the centipede before they reach you or get too close.

This project helps you learn how to set up parts like: enemy segments, row-column movement, collision, mushroom destruction, spawn/respawn management, arcade game logic.

🧠 Technology & Techniques Used

Main Technology

Engine: Unity (compatible version guided by Zigurous)

GitHub

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Programming Language: C# — all logic is written in C#.

GitHub

2D interface: using sprites, 2D colliders, enemy segments system – objects are spawned & move on a grid.

Enemy movement logic: managing the list of segments, handling collisions, when the head or body is shot, the segment splits or changes direction.

Mushroom or obstacle system: when shot, can be “changed state” or destroyed, affecting the enemy’s path.

Spawn system & wave management: basic for infinite/higher tier arcade games.

User interface, scores, restarts – help complete the game to a “playable” level.

Technical highlights

Managing each segment in enemy centipede (list/array) — helps complex logic like splitting, changing paths.

Collision checking using 2D collider (OverlapBox/OverlapCircle) for mushrooms and pathing.

Manage the state of each segment: alive, destroyed, parted etc.

Spawn mushrooms randomly or by area – create increasing difficulty.

Design the project in the form of a tutorial/learning sequence – clear code structure, easy to follow and extend.

⚙️ Installation and testing instructions

1️⃣ Download the project

git clone https://github.com/zigurous/unity-centipede-tutorial.git

Or download the ZIP file directly from GitHub.

GitHub

2️⃣ Open in Unity

Open Unity Hub → Add a project → select the downloaded folder.

Use a compatible version of Unity (refer to the README in the repo for the recommended version).

3️⃣ Test run

Open the main scene (usually in Assets/Scenes/…)

Press Play to run the game in the Editor — you will see the character, enemy centipede, mushrooms/obstacles.

Test the logic of shooting, moving, enemies transforming when shot.

4️⃣ Build & Publish (optional)

Go to File → Build Settings → select the desired platform (PC/WebGL/Mobile)

Click Build & Run to publish the game.

Before building, test the input (keyboard, touch if mobile) and set the appropriate resolution.

💡 Highlights & Extensions

Highlights

Set up a classic arcade game with a sense of suspense & chase.

The logic of separating enemy segments makes a difference from the usual shooting game.

The source code is clean and clear — suitable for learning/extracting for your own project.

Combine sprite, collider, spawn, wave logic — many practical technical parts in 2D games.

Extension suggestions

Add more enemy types: different speeds, different separation methods.

Add side-power-ups for players: increased shooting speed, larger bombs, faster mushroom destruction.

Support multiplayer mode (co-op/versus).

Adjust UI, add high score table, new level.

Add special effects (particle, shader) when enemy splits or explodes.

Add level editor or dynamic transformation map.