Who wins, the Inspector or Start function?

I've started running into a problem. I need to set some basic parameters, like hit points, mana,armor, game objects used as projectiles in the Start() function. But, when you drag an object into the scene, you can set variables manually in the Inspector panel. It would be great if I could drag in instances of the game creatures and just let the Start function take care of the variables, unless I override them manually using the Inspector.

Problem is the stuff in the Inspector panel seems to be ignored. Any way to respect the variables assigned there within the script attached to an object?

 

At the top of your script is usually where you define the global variabes such as:

var varName01: GameObject;
var varName02: float = 1.0;

This puts two variables in your inspector that you will see named as: VarName01 and VarName02. I've placed a default value of 1.0 in the second variable, so in the inspector I will see 1.0 as the value. I can change the default through the inspector so it starts with another value. If I do, my default value will not be used on the gameobject that the changed value is on (but other gameobjects with this script will retain the default value unless you change them too).

When the script executes the Start() function, those variables are already set to the defaults or whatever you assigned them through the inspector. So if you change the value within the Start function, they no longer equal there original value.

So in order of execution:

• Global variable equals the default value (if given)
  Override this by changing value in the inspector
  Override the default and inspector by changing it in Awake, Start, Update, or any other function in the script.

 

Thanks Harmit. I had worked around it by using code like this in the Start() function

{code}
if(attacktype==""){attacktype="melee";}
{/code}

But your solution is better. Had no idea I could declare the default values for variables outside the Start() function. Hmmm...maybe the documentation should have cleared that up better.

 

There's not extensive documentation on the UT site:
Unity Variables

The Wiki has a better description and a lot of other examples as well:
References at UnifyCommunity.Com


Good luck!