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Changing rotation

Learn to use Quaternion with transform.rotation.

Rotation with Transform

transform.rotation stores an object's rotation as a Quaternion. Quaternion is a data structure used to represent rotations in three-dimensional space. Instead of assigning angle values directly, you can create a Quaternion from degree-based angles using Quaternion.Euler.

transform.rotation = Quaternion.Euler(0, 90, 0);

This statement rotates the object by 90 degrees around the Y axis.

Quaternion and Euler Angles

Euler angles express the amount of rotation around the X, Y, and Z axes in degrees. Quaternion.Euler(x, y, z) converts these angles into a Quaternion value. You can assign the resulting value to the transform.rotation property.

Quaternion turn = Quaternion.Euler(30, 60, 0);
transform.rotation = turn;

Quaternion represents rotations, while Euler angles make it easier to work with readable degree values.

Practice Rotate the Object to a Specific Angle

In the Start method, set the object's rotation to 0 degrees around X, 75 degrees around Y, and 0 degrees around Z. Assign the result of Quaternion.Euler to transform.rotation.

Starter code

Player.cs
using UnityEngine;

public class RotationSetter : MonoBehaviour
{
    void Start()
    {
        // Set the required rotation.
    }
}

Sample solution

Player.cs
using UnityEngine;

public class RotationSetter : MonoBehaviour
{
    void Start()
    {
        transform.rotation = Quaternion.Euler(0, 75, 0);
    }
}

Expected output

(0.00, 75.00, 0.00)

Questions and answers

Review the lesson questions together with their answers. To test yourself, solve the lesson interactively.

1 Which statement correctly rotates an object by 45 degrees around the Y axis?

  • transform.rotation = Quaternion.Euler(0, 45, 0); Correct answer
  • transform.position = Quaternion.Euler(0, 45, 0);
  • transform.Translate(0, 45, 0);
  • transform.rotation = new Vector3(0, 45, 0);

Explanation: Quaternion.Euler converts three angles given in degrees into a Quaternion rotation value.

2 Create a Quaternion Rotation

Question 
transform.rotation = Quaternion.Euler(0, ____, 0);
Answer 
transform.rotation = Quaternion.Euler(0, 120, 0);

Explanation: The second parameter of the Euler method specifies the angle around the Y axis. This example rotates the object by 120 degrees around Y.

3 Rotation Concepts

Term Meaning
transform.rotation Stores object's Quaternion rotation
Quaternion Represents 3D rotations
Quaternion.Euler Converts angles to a Quaternion
Euler açıları Specify X, Y, Z rotations in degrees

All lessons in Beginner

1 What is game development?

  1. Intro to game development
  2. Game engines
  3. 2D and 3D games
  4. The game loop
  5. The scene concept
  6. Summary - Game dev fundamentals

2 Unity setup

  1. Installing Unity Hub
  2. Creating your first project
  3. The editor interface
  4. Toolbar and playback
  5. Saving the project
  6. Summary - Unity setup

3 First scene project

  1. Project overview
  2. Camera and light
  3. Your first cube in the scene
  4. Adding a material
  5. Testing in Play mode
  6. Summary - First scene

4 The GameObject concept

  1. What is a GameObject?
  2. Components
  3. The Hierarchy window
  4. Editing with the Inspector
  5. Tags and Layers
  6. Summary - GameObject

5 C# script basics

  1. Your first C# script
  2. using and namespace
  3. Class structure
  4. Variables and types
  5. Output with Debug.Log
  6. Summary - C# basics

6 MonoBehaviour

  1. What is MonoBehaviour?
  2. The Start method
  3. The Update method
  4. Awake vs Start
  5. SerializeField and public
  6. Summary - MonoBehaviour

7 Transform

  1. What is Transform?
  2. Changing position
  3. Moving with Translate
  4. Changing rotation
  5. Local vs world space
  6. Summary - Transform

8 Input

  1. The Input class
  2. Axis input
  3. Mouse input
  4. The new Input System
  5. Movement vector
  6. Summary - Input

9 Physics (Rigidbody/Collider)

  1. What is a Rigidbody?
  2. What is a Collider?
  3. Applying force with AddForce
  4. Collision events
  5. Trigger events
  6. Summary - Physics

10 2D Sprite

  1. What is a Sprite?
  2. SpriteRenderer
  3. Sprite import settings
  4. Sprite sorting
  5. Preparing sprite animation
  6. Summary - 2D Sprite

11 Godot basics

  1. The Godot editor
  2. A new project
  3. The scene tree
  4. The Node concept
  5. Saving the project
  6. Summary - Godot basics

12 GDScript

  1. What is GDScript?
  2. extends and variables
  3. Function definition
  4. Output with print
  5. Type hints
  6. Summary - GDScript

13 Node and Scene

  1. Node2D and Sprite2D
  2. Saving a scene
  3. Scene instance
  4. The _ready method
  5. The _process method
  6. Summary - Node and Scene

14 Beginner final

  1. Challenge 1: Print a score
  2. Challenge 2: Movement vector
  3. Challenge 3: Godot ready
  4. Challenge 4: Collision log
  5. Challenge 5: Final synthesis