Variables

The Numbers Within

Game Creator comes with a variables system that allows you to keep track of the game progress and save the state between play sessions.

A variable is a value container with information that can be changed during gameplay.

For example, in a Zelda game, the hearts at the top of the screen would be a variable identified by the name "hearts".

(You can track the Player health creating an integer variable called "hearts")

There are different types of Variables:

• Global Variables: Identified by a unique name.
• Local Variables: identified by a unique name. Only affect one scene.
• List Variables: An array of values accessed by index. Only affect one scene.

Variables can also be accessed through code. Head to Variables Access to know more.

Anatomy of a Variable

A variable is has a name that identifies it (for example: “shotgun ammo“) and a value.

A variable can have different types of values, including character strings, numbers, booleans (on/off), Colors, Vector3, and references to Game Objects.

Next to the name there's a checkbox. This allows to save the variable's state between play sessions

Not all variable types allow to save its state. For example, Game Objects can't be saved because they are a reference type, which Unity doesn't allow to serialize.