Hello
I’m currently in the planning stages of a unity project, one of the things I need to consider is how I’ll be doing level creation.
Which is the easiest way to handle this?
Should I create a load of different models then “Snap” them together? Is just using the scene editors stuff sufficent? Or should I use some weird script based level format?
Thanks for any help you provide.
P.S: Currently using free version.
Hi, welcome to the forum!
In Unity, a scene usually corresponds quite nicely to a level in a game. Arranging objects in a scene using the editor is usually preferable to constructing the level from code, but there are exceptions. Can you give any more detail about the type of game you are going to make?
I haven’t decided quite yet, but I’m leaning towards a mainly terrain based game with some buildings.
Would it be best to use Unity’s terrain editor for the terrain and models for the buildings etc?
The terrain editor that comes with unity has alot of features so i suggest it for all your terrain creation needs. Then you have the ability to make on the spot corrections, and wont have to reimport any external terrain files. I like to have a huge library of content before starting a scene and since you need something to stand on Terrains are a good place to start. The creation possess is different for every one. what i like to do is stay in a mode of the terrain stage for as long as possible before moving on to the next (ie)Modes = Geometry, water, Paint/trees/grass/Bushes, rocks, buildings, Items/Characters. Fine tuning of all these modes can be done after there all put together. (Tip)Then you wont get creation block.lol.
Geometry - I like to create maybe 20 terrains, just hills rivers and mountains. Insert a water plane to give reference to the rivers/lakes if the terrain calls for it. Depending on how much detail your going for this mode should take quite some time. but you will notice that your skills with the editor has improved by the look of your terrains.(Tip) Mountains i make like a wedding cake with stacked layers and then use the brushes to carve trails and create noise/peaks/cliffs. (Tip)Paint and a light map help you see all the indentions with the use of the shadows. Then pick the top ten to take to the next mode
Paint/Trees/grass/Bushes - Try not to get lost in the void of detail.lol Mountain peeks first(of course all of this is a matter of preference) and then a cross/blend texture to transfer from one texture to the next,ect. Trees/grass/Bushes you can mass place the trees or just paint them on
Well Before i end up writing a full blown tutorial, you should follow the tutorials made by the professionals where you can also lean tips on how to organize your project and created content.
I feel the best approach is to do lots of hard work first to create a huge library of ready to drop and go prefabs. This way the next time the game creation bug hits you have done most of the work 
Check this little tut
http://www.learnmesilly.com/index.php?currentPage=unity_lesson1
Think about the design. Then think about what you want to be static and what should be dynamic. If you need a terrain, make it in Unity. Then make the rest of the static map in an other editor, and when your happy, add textures. Then create loads of dynamic objects, and make them prefabs. In this way, you do it one step at a time, and you can get a sense of what you game will be like later 
Thanks for all the advice guys.
I have another question, but it doesn’t warrant it’s own thread.
Is it possible to anaylse meshes with script? I can think of a few situations where i’d want a projectile to stick into a mesh (E.G enemy), but change it’s orientation to be perpendicular to the “face” of the mesh it hit.
You can use the Mesh class to do any mesh analysis you like, but what you’ve described can often be done more easily. The RaycastHit object returned by a raycast contains a field for the normal of the mesh at the point that was hit.This technique is easier than searching the mesh for most purposes.
Cheers, thats exactly what I needed.