/unity-mcp-skill

name: unity-mcp-orchestrator
description: Orchestrate Unity Editor via MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools and resources. Use when working with Unity projects through MCP for Unity - creating/modifying GameObjects, editing scripts, managing scenes, running tests, or any Unity Editor automation. Provides best practices, tool schemas, and workflow patterns for effective Unity-MCP integration.

Unity-MCP Operator Guide

This skill helps you effectively use the Unity Editor with MCP tools and resources.

Template Notice

Examples in `references/workflows.md` and `references/tools-reference.md` are reusable templates. They may be inaccurate across Unity versions, package setups (UGUI/TMP/Input System), and project-specific conventions. Please check console, compilation errors, or use screenshot after implementation.

Before applying a template:

• Validate targets/components first via resources and `find_gameobjects`.
• Treat names, enum values, and property payloads as placeholders to adapt.

Quick Start: Resource-First Workflow

**Always read relevant resources before using tools.** This prevents errors and provides the necessary context.

1. Check editor state     → mcpforunity://editor/state
2. Understand the scene   → mcpforunity://scene/gameobject-api
3. Find what you need     → find_gameobjects or resources
4. Take action            → tools (manage_gameobject, create_script, script_apply_edits, apply_text_edits, validate_script, delete_script, get_sha, etc.)
5. Verify results         → read_console, manage_camera(action="screenshot"), resources

**If a tool you need is not in your tool list, it is not necessarily missing.** Check these before troubleshooting the connection:

• **Project custom tools** (C# `[McpForUnityTool]`): with project-scoped tools enabled on the server, they are *not* callable by name. List them via `mcpforunity://custom-tools` and run them with `execute_custom_tool(tool_name="...", parameters={...})`. With it disabled, they are registered as ordinary tools and appear in your list.
• **Disabled tool groups**: over HTTP, a session starts with only the `core` group enabled. Over stdio, all groups start enabled and are then synced to the tool toggles in the Unity editor, so a tool can still be hidden. `manage_tools(action="list_groups")` shows the groups, `manage_tools(action="activate", group="...")` enables one.

Critical Best Practices

1. After Writing/Editing Scripts: Wait for Compilation and Check Console

# After create_script or script_apply_edits:
# Both tools already trigger AssetDatabase.ImportAsset + RequestScriptCompilation automatically.
# No need to call refresh_unity — just wait for compilation to finish, then check console.

# 1. Poll editor state until compilation completes
# Read mcpforunity://editor/state → wait until is_compiling == false

# 2. Check for compilation errors
read_console(types=["error"], count=10, include_stacktrace=True)

**Why:** Unity must compile scripts before they're usable. `create_script` and `script_apply_edits` already trigger import and compilation automatically — calling `refresh_unity` afterward is redundant.

2. Use `batch_execute` for Multiple Operations

# 10-100x faster than sequential calls
batch_execute(
    commands=[
        {"tool": "manage_gameobject", "params": {"action": "create", "name": "Cube1", "primitive_type": "Cube"}},
        {"tool": "manage_gameobject", "params": {"action": "create", "name": "Cube2", "primitive_type": "Cube"}},
        {"tool": "manage_gameobject", "params": {"action": "create", "name": "Cube3", "primitive_type": "Cube"}}
    ],
    parallel=True  # Hint only: Unity may still execute sequentially
)

**Max 25 commands per batch by default (configurable in Unity MCP Tools window, max 100).** Use `fail_fast=True` for dependent operations.

**Tip:** Also use `batch_execute` for discovery — batch multiple `find_gameobjects` calls instead of calling them one at a time:

batch_execute(commands=[
    {"tool": "find_gameobjects", "params": {"search_term": "Camera", "search_method": "by_component"}},
    {"tool": "find_gameobjects", "params": {"search_term": "Player", "search_method": "by_tag"}},
    {"tool": "find_gameobjects", "params": {"search_term": "GameManager", "search_method": "by_name"}}
])

3. Use Screenshots to Verify Visual Results

# Basic screenshot (saves to Assets/, returns file path only)
manage_camera(action="screenshot")

# Inline screenshot (returns base64 PNG directly to the AI)
manage_camera(action="screenshot", include_image=True)

# Use a specific camera and cap resolution for smaller payloads
manage_camera(action="screenshot", camera="MainCamera", include_image=True, max_resolution=512)

# Batch surround: captures front/back/left/right/top/bird_eye around the scene
manage_camera(action="screenshot", batch="surround", max_resolution=256)

# Batch surround centered on a specific object
manage_camera(action="screenshot", batch="surround", view_target="Player", max_resolution=256)

# Positioned screenshot: place a temp camera and capture in one call
manage_camera(action="screenshot", view_target="Player", view_position=[0, 10, -10], max_resolution=512)

# Scene View screenshot: capture what the developer sees in the editor
manage_camera(action="screenshot", capture_source="scene_view", include_image=True)

# Scene View framed on a specific object
manage_camera(action="screenshot", capture_source="scene_view", view_target="Canvas", include_image=True)

**Best practices for AI scene understanding:**

• Use `include_image=True` when you need to *see* the scene, not just save a file.
• Use `batch="surround"` for a comprehensive overview (6 angles, one command).
• Use `view_target`/`view_position` to capture from a specific viewpoint without needing a scene camera.
• Use `capture_source="scene_view"` to see the editor viewport (gizmos, wireframes, grid).
• Keep `max_resolution` at 256–