unity-reusable-systems

name	unity-reusable-systems
description	Use when building reusable Unity game systems, creating UPM packages, or designing ScriptableObject-based modular architecture for gameplay systems like inventory, combat, dialogue, quests, or save/load. Also use when connecting multiple independent Unity packages that need to communicate without direct dependencies.

Unity Reusable Systems

Build every gameplay system as a self-contained UPM package. Data lives in ScriptableObjects, behavior lives in small single-responsibility MonoBehaviours, and systems talk through SO Event Channels — never direct references.

Target: Unity 6+ / C# 11.

The Rules

ALWAYS	NEVER
One system = one UPM package	Create a "shared contracts" package with interfaces
Data in ScriptableObjects, behavior in MonoBehaviours	Put data and behavior in the same class
MonoBehaviour [SerializeField] only for SO refs, component refs, scene refs, UnityEvents	[SerializeField] primitives (float, int, bool, string, LayerMask, enum, AnimationCurve) directly on MonoBehaviours — these belong in an SO Config asset
SO Event Channels for cross-system communication	Use singletons, service locators, or static managers
One assembly definition per folder (Runtime, Editor, Tests)	Ship without assembly definitions
Version Defines for optional cross-package awareness	Use #if defines without versionDefines in asmdef
Define Constraints for conditional integration assemblies	Create hard dependencies between gameplay packages
Small MonoBehaviours with [RequireComponent]	God classes that handle input + logic + rendering
ScriptableVariable for shared runtime state	Public static fields or global state holders
RuntimeSet for tracking active instances	FindObjectsOfType or singleton registries
Awaitable with destroyCancellationToken for async	Coroutines for new async work
[SerializeReference] for polymorphic serialized data	Deep inheritance hierarchies
Composition: many small components on one GameObject	One MonoBehaviour doing everything
Interfaces only at package boundaries when SO Events can't solve it	Interfaces inside a single package
Tests using ScriptableObject.CreateInstance in Edit Mode	Skipping tests because "it's just a SO"
Editor menu item that generates a fully-wired sample scene	Shipping a package without a one-click working demo scene
Generate docs/packages/<package-name>.md with full integration surface	Create a package without documenting its public events, variables, and interfaces
Read all docs/packages/*.md before designing a new package	Design a new package without checking what existing packages expose

Where Does This Code Belong?

• Data or config? → ScriptableObject
• Needs MonoBehaviour lifecycle? → MonoBehaviour
• Editor-only tooling? → Editor/ folder (EditorWindow / PropertyDrawer)
• Pure logic, no Unity deps? → Plain C# class in Runtime/
• Otherwise → MonoBehaviour

How Should Systems Communicate?

• Same package, same GameObject/parent-child? → C# event/delegate
• Same package, different GameObjects? → SO Event Channel
• Cross-package, sharing runtime state? → ScriptableVariable
• Cross-package, always installed together? → SO Event Channel
• Cross-package, optionally installed? → Version Defines + SO Event Channel or bridge package

Integration Discovery

Before designing a new package, read every file in docs/packages/*.md. These documents describe the integration surface of each existing package — their event channels, ScriptableVariables, RuntimeSets, and interfaces.

Discovery steps:

1. Read all docs/packages/*.md files. If the folder doesn't exist, this is the first package — skip to step 4.
2. List every event channel, ScriptableVariable, RuntimeSet, and interface from existing packages that is relevant to the new package.
3. Produce an Integration Plan as part of the new package design:
   • Listen to — existing events the new package should subscribe to (via Version Defines)
   • Publish — new events the new package should raise for others to consume
   • Read/Write — existing ScriptableVariables the new package should use
   • Expose — new ScriptableVariables the new package should create for shared state
   • Implement — existing interfaces the new package should implement
   • Bridge needed? — whether a Bridge Package is required for complex cross-package logic
   • Suggested changes to existing packages — checklist of Version Defines, listeners, or asmdef updates other packages could add to become aware of the new package
4. After building the package, generate docs/packages/<package-name>.md (see Package Integration Doc below).

MonoBehaviour Field Rule

A MonoBehaviour's [SerializeField] fields must only be references — never raw config values.

Allowed on a MonoBehaviour:

• SO references: config SOs, event channels, ScriptableVariables, RuntimeSets
• Component / GameObject references (scene wiring)
• UnityEvents (designer-hookable callbacks)

Belongs in an SO Config asset instead:

• Primitives and value types: float, int, bool, string, enum
• Unity structs: LayerMask, Color, AnimationCurve, Vector2/3
• Arrays/lists of the above

WRONG — config on the component:

public class GroundDetector2D : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] private LayerMask groundLayers;   // config!
    [SerializeField] private float boxWidth = 0.9f;    // config!
    [SerializeField] private float castDistance = 0.1f; // config!
}

RIGHT — config in an SO, component holds one reference:

[CreateAssetMenu(menuName = "Platformer2D/Ground Detection Config")]
public class GroundDetectionConfig : ScriptableObject
{
    public LayerMask groundLayers;
    public float boxWidthMultiplier = 0.9f;
    public float castDistance = 0.1f;
}

[RequireComponent(typeof(Collider2D))]
public class GroundDetector2D : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] private GroundDetectionConfig config; // one SO ref
}

Core SO Patterns

SO Config

A ScriptableObject holding only serialized fields — designer-tunable settings. Every primitive you'd put on a MonoBehaviour belongs here instead.

[CreateAssetMenu(menuName = "Combat/Weapon Config")]
public class WeaponConfig : ScriptableObject
{
    public float baseDamage = 10f;
    public float critMultiplier = 2f;
    public LayerMask hitLayers;
    public float attackRange = 1.5f;
}

ScriptableVariable<T>

Shared runtime state as an asset. Any component can read/write. Resets on play mode exit.

public abstract class ScriptableVariable<T> : ScriptableObject
{
    [SerializeField] private T initialValue;
    [System.NonSerialized] private T runtimeValue;

    public T Value
    {
        get => runtimeValue;
        set => runtimeValue = value;
    }

    private void OnEnable() => runtimeValue = initialValue;
}

// Concrete types for the serializer:
[CreateAssetMenu(menuName = "Variables/Float")]
public class FloatVariable : ScriptableVariable<float> { }

SO Event Channel

Fire-and-forget broadcast. Publishers and subscribers share an asset reference — never each other.

[CreateAssetMenu(menuName = "Events/Game Event")]
public class GameEvent : ScriptableObject
{
    private readonly List<Action> listeners = new();

    public void Raise()
    {
        for (int i = listeners.Count - 1; i >= 0; i--)
            listeners[i]?.Invoke();
    }

    public void Subscribe(Action listener) => listeners.Add(listener);
    public void Unsubscribe(Action listener) => listeners.Remove(listener);
}

Create one concrete SO per payload type (void, float, int, Vector3, DamageInfo, etc.). Generic SO base classes are not directly serializable — always create concrete leaf types.

GameEventListener

Bridges SO Event Channels to the scene via UnityEvent. Designers wire responses in the Inspector.

public class GameEventListener : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] private GameEvent gameEvent;
    [SerializeField] private UnityEvent response;

    private void OnEnable() => gameEvent.Subscribe(OnEventRaised);
    private void OnDisable() => gameEvent.Unsubscribe(OnEventRaised);

    private void OnEventRaised() => response.Invoke();
}

RuntimeSet<T>

Self-registering collection of active instances. Replaces FindObjectsOfType.

public abstract class RuntimeSet<T> : ScriptableObject
{
    private readonly List<T> items = new();
    public IReadOnlyList<T> Items => items;

    public void Add(T item) { if (!items.Contains(item)) items.Add(item); }
    public void Remove(T item) => items.Remove(item);
}

Component Composition

One entity, multiple focused components. Each MonoBehaviour references SOs — never raw config.

[RequireComponent(typeof(HealthComponent))]
public class Mover : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] private FloatVariable moveSpeed; // ScriptableVariable
    public void Move(Vector3 direction) =>
        transform.Translate(direction * moveSpeed.Value * Time.deltaTime);
}

public class WeaponController : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] private WeaponConfig config;  // SO Config
    [SerializeField] private GameEvent onAttack;    // SO Event Channel
    public void Attack() => onAttack.Raise();
}

Package Structure

com.{company}.{system}/
├── package.json
├── Runtime/
│   ├── {Company}.{System}.asmdef
│   ├── Components/          # MonoBehaviours
│   ├── Data/                # ScriptableObjects (config, definitions)
│   ├── Events/              # SO Event Channels
│   └── Variables/           # ScriptableVariables, RuntimeSets
├── Editor/
│   ├── {Company}.{System}.Editor.asmdef
│   └── SampleSceneGenerator.cs
├── Tests/
│   └── Editor/
│       └── {Company}.{System}.Tests.asmdef
└── Samples~/
    └── BasicUsage/

Runtime asmdef — use versionDefines for optional cross-package awareness:

{
  "name": "MyStudio.Inventory",
  "rootNamespace": "MyStudio.Inventory",
  "references": [],
  "versionDefines": [
    {
      "name": "com.mystudio.crafting",
      "expression": "1.0.0",
      "define": "MYSTUDIO_CRAFTING"
    }
  ]
}

Sample Scene Generator (Required)

Every package must include Editor/SampleSceneGenerator.cs with menu item Tools/{Company}/{System}/Create Sample Scene. The generator must:

1. Create a new scene
2. Instantiate all SO assets (config, event channels, variables, runtime sets) into a data folder
3. Create GameObjects with all components attached
4. Wire every [SerializeField] — SO references, event channels, variables
5. Press Play → system works without manual setup

Package Integration Doc

Every package must have a project-level integration doc at docs/packages/<package-name>.md. Generate this as the final step of package creation. If the docs/packages/ directory doesn't exist, create it.

Required sections:

# <package-name> — Integration Surface

## Event Channels

| Event | Payload Type | Raised When | Suggested Listeners |
|-------|-------------|-------------|---------------------|
| `OnX` | `void` / concrete type | Description of trigger | Systems that should react |

## ScriptableVariables

| Variable | Type | Purpose |
|----------|------|---------|
| `VarName` | `FloatVariable` / concrete type | What this variable represents |

## RuntimeSets

| Set | Item Type | Purpose |
|-----|-----------|---------|
| `SetName` | `ComponentType` | What instances this set tracks |

## Interfaces (Package Boundary)

| Interface | Purpose | When to Implement |
|-----------|---------|-------------------|
| `IName` | What contract it defines | When another package should implement it |

## Assembly & Version Define

- **Assembly:** `{Company}.{System}`
- **Package ID:** `com.{company}.{system}`
- **Version Define symbol:** `{COMPANY}_{SYSTEM}`

## Integration Examples

- **SystemA** → listen to `OnX`, do Y
- **SystemB** → read `VarName`, display Z

Omit any section that has no entries (e.g., if the package exposes no interfaces, omit "Interfaces"). Never omit Event Channels or Assembly & Version Define — every package has at least one event and an assembly.

Testing

Test asmdef in Tests/Editor/:

{
  "name": "MyStudio.Inventory.Tests",
  "references": ["MyStudio.Inventory", "UnityEngine.TestRunner", "UnityEditor.TestRunner"],
  "includePlatforms": ["Editor"],
  "overrideReferences": true,
  "precompiledReferences": ["nunit.framework.dll"],
  "testAssemblies": true
}

Create SO instances in code, test, destroy. Never depend on asset files:

[TestFixture]
public class FloatVariableTests
{
    private FloatVariable variable;

    [SetUp]
    public void SetUp() => variable = ScriptableObject.CreateInstance<FloatVariable>();

    [TearDown]
    public void TearDown() => Object.DestroyImmediate(variable);

    [Test]
    public void Value_AfterSet_ReturnsNewValue()
    {
        variable.Value = 42f;
        Assert.AreEqual(42f, variable.Value);
    }
}

Edit Mode unless you need MonoBehaviour lifecycle or physics. Edit Mode tests are faster and more reliable.

New Package Checklist

Before shipping any package, verify:

• Read all docs/packages/*.md and produce an Integration Plan before designing
• package.json with correct name, version, unity (6000.0+), displayName
• Runtime/ with {Company}.{Package}.asmdef — zero external references
• Editor/ with Editor-only asmdef (if any editor code exists)
• Tests/Editor/ with test asmdef using overrideReferences and testAssemblies
• Samples~/ with at least one importable sample
• Editor menu item under Tools/{Company}/{System}/Create Sample Scene that generates a fully-wired demo scene — all SO assets instantiated, all components on GameObjects, all event channels and variables assigned, playable on first run
• CHANGELOG.md following SemVer
• All SOs have [CreateAssetMenu] with organized menu paths
• All MonoBehaviours use [RequireComponent] where applicable
• No [SerializeField] primitives on MonoBehaviours — all config in SO assets
• SO Event Channels for every output event (no direct subscriber lists)
• ScriptableVariables for any shared runtime state
• RuntimeSets for any "all active X" queries
• Version Defines in asmdef for any optional package awareness
• No FindObjectsOfType, no singletons, no static mutable state
• Generate with all events, variables, RuntimeSets, interfaces, and integration examples

Reference Files

For deeper details — extended code, edge cases, and advanced patterns:

• references/package-structure.md — Sample scene generator full code, Define Constraints, SemVer rules, distribution
• references/so-architecture.md — Typed event channels, RuntimeSetMember, reset strategy details
• references/patterns.md — Cross-package integration table, bridge packages, SerializeReference + polymorphism, Awaitable async
• references/integration-discovery.md — Full integration doc template, discovery workflow example, bridge package decision criteria
• references/testing.md — SO Event Channel test patterns, Edit vs Play Mode guidance, mocking