Unity Game Development with Firebase: A Step-by-Step Guide

Streamlining Game Development with Firebase and Unity

Creating games with Unity is an enjoyable experience, but setting up a backend system can be a daunting task. This is because developers need to leave the Unity game engine and switch to a new development environment to create a backend database and API endpoints. However, Firebase offers a solution to this problem by bundling all the necessary backend services in one place.

Unity Project Setup

To get started, create a new Unity 3D project and name it “Hello Firebase.” Then, follow these steps:

1. Launch Unity Hub on your computer and click “New project.”
2. Select “3D” from the templates and update the project name.
3. Click the “Create project” button.

Configuring Firebase

Next, open the Firebase Console in your browser and follow these steps:

1. Click “Add project” and name the project “HelloFirebaseUnity.”
2. Keep Google Analytics disabled for now.
3. Click “Create project” and wait for it to be created.
4. Click on the Unity logo in the project overview page.
5. Enter your package name, which can be found in the HelloFirebase Unity project.
6. Download the google-services.json file and place it in the Assets folder of your Unity project.
7. Download the Firebase Unity SDK and unzip it.
8. Import the FirebaseDatabase.unitypackage into your Unity project.

Structuring Data in Firebase

Before diving into the code, it’s essential to understand how Firebase stores data in the Realtime Database. The Realtime Database stores and syncs data in real-time, allowing all connected devices to access the updated data instantly. The data is stored in JSON format, which consists of key-value pairs.

Performing CRUD Operations with Firebase and Unity

CRUD stands for Create, Read, Update, and Delete, which are standard operations that can be performed on databases. Here’s how to perform these operations using Firebase and Unity:

Creating a Database

To create a database manually, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Firebase Console and select your project.
2. Click on the Realtime Database and then click “Create Database.”
3. Select the Realtime Database location and click “Next.”
4. Select test mode and click “Enable.”

To create a database programmatically, use the following code:
“`csharp
using UnityEngine;
using Firebase;
using Firebase.Database;

public class FirebaseDatabaseManager : MonoBehaviour
{
private DatabaseReference reference;

void Start()
{
    reference = FirebaseDatabase.DefaultInstance.RootReference;
    CreateNewUser();
}

void CreateNewUser()
{
    string userId = SystemInfo.deviceUniqueIdentifier;
    reference.Child("users").Child(userId).SetValueAsync("John Doe");
}

}
“`

Reading the Database

To read the database, use the following code:
csharp
void ReadDatabase()
{
reference.Child("users").GetValueAsync().ContinueWith(task =>
{
if (task.IsCompleted)
{
DataSnapshot snapshot = task.Result;
foreach (DataSnapshot child in snapshot.Children)
{
Debug.Log(child.Value.ToString());
}
}
});
}


Updating the Database

To update the database, use the following code:
csharp
void UpdateDatabase()
{
string userId = SystemInfo.deviceUniqueIdentifier;
reference.Child("users").Child(userId).SetValueAsync("Jane Doe");
}


Deleting the Database

To delete the database, use the following code:
csharp
void DeleteDatabase()
{
string userId = SystemInfo.deviceUniqueIdentifier;
reference.Child("users").Child(userId).RemoveValueAsync();
}

By following these steps and using the provided code, you can create a Firebase Realtime Database and perform CRUD operations using Unity. This will help streamline your game development process and provide a robust backend system for your game.