Automatic Door System - Setup Guide

A high-performance automatic door system using Unity ECS (Entities) with pooled audio and colliders for optimal performance with hundreds of doors.

Table of Contents

1. System Overview
2. Prerequisites
3. Part 1: Creating Door Configurations
4. Part 2: Setting Up Door Prefabs
5. Part 3: Adding Doors to Subscenes
6. Part 4: Main Scene Setup
7. Part 5: Setting Up Door Identifiers
8. Part 6: Player Setup
9. Part 7: Audio Configuration (Optional)
10. Troubleshooting

System Overview

This door system uses:

• Unity ECS for efficient door state management and animation
• Subscenes for doors (better loading performance)
• Object pooling for audio sources and colliders (handles hundreds of doors)
• Distance-based culling to only activate nearby doors

Architecture Diagram

SUBSCENE (ECS World)                    MAIN SCENE (MonoBehaviour World)
+---------------------------+           +----------------------------------+
| Door Prefab               |           | DoorManagement                   |
| - DoorAuthoring          |           | - BoxColliderPoolManager         |
| - DoorConfig (SO)        |  <---->   | - AudioSourcePoolManager         |
| - Door Meshes + Colliders |           | - DoorDataBridge                 |
| - TriggerVolume          |           | - DoorAudioBridge                |
+---------------------------+           +----------------------------------+
                                                      |
                                                      v
                                        +----------------------------------+
                                        | DoorIdentifier (per door)        |
                                        | - Links doorNumber to ECS door   |
                                        | - Audio configuration reference  |
                                        +----------------------------------+

Prerequisites

• Unity 2022.3 LTS or newer
• Entities package installed
• Basic understanding of Unity's Subscene system

Part 1: Creating Door Configurations

Door configurations are ScriptableObjects that define how a door behaves. Multiple doors can share the same configuration.

Step 1.1: Create a DoorConfig Asset

1. In the Project window, right-click in your desired folder
2. Select Create > AutomaticDoorSystem > DoorConfig
3. Name it descriptively (e.g., DoorConfig_DoubleRotating_90deg)

Right-click > Create > AutomaticDoorSystem > DoorConfig

Step 1.2: Configure the DoorConfig

Select your new DoorConfig and configure it in the Inspector:

| Setting | Description | Recommended Values | |---------|-------------|-------------------| | Door Movement | Rotating or Sliding | Choose based on door type | | Door Count | Single or Double | Single = 1 panel, Double = 2 panels | | Opening Style | How double doors open | Forward (both away from player) | | Open Forward Angle | Rotation when opening forward | 90 | | Open Backward Angle | Rotation when opening backward | -90 | | Slide Open Offset | Distance to slide (sliding doors) | (1.5, 0, 0) | | Animation Duration | How fast the door opens/closes | 1.0 - 1.5 seconds | | Auto Close Delay | Time before auto-closing | 3.0 seconds | | Can Open Layer Mask | Which layers can trigger doors | Select Player layer | | Start Locked | Should door start locked? | Usually false |

DoorConfig Inspector with all settings visible

Part 2: Setting Up Door Prefabs

Step 2.1: Create the Door Hierarchy

Create a new prefab with this exact hierarchy structure:

Door_DoubleRotating          <- Root GameObject (DoorAuthoring goes here)
  ├── LeftDoorMesh           <- Left door panel (mesh + BoxCollider)
  ├── RightDoorMesh          <- Right door panel (mesh + BoxCollider)
  └── TriggerVolume          <- Detection zone (DoorTriggerVolumeAuthoring)

For single doors, use this structure instead:

Door_SingleRotating          <- Root GameObject (DoorAuthoring goes here)
  ├── DoorMesh               <- Door panel (mesh + BoxCollider)
  └── TriggerVolume          <- Detection zone

Door prefab hierarchy in the Hierarchy window

Step 2.2: Set Up the Root GameObject

1. Select the root GameObject (e.g., Door_DoubleRotating)
2. Click Add Component and add DoorAuthoring
3. Configure the DoorAuthoring component:

| Field | What to Assign | |-------|---------------| | Door Id | Unique number for this door (e.g., 1, 2, 3...) | | Door Mesh | (Single doors only) Drag your DoorMesh here | | Left Door Mesh | (Double doors) Drag LeftDoorMesh here | | Right Door Mesh | (Double doors) Drag RightDoorMesh here | | Trigger Volume Object | Drag TriggerVolume GameObject here | | Door Config | Drag your DoorConfig asset here | | Enable Debug | Check for gizmo visualization |

DoorAuthoring component configured for a double door

Step 2.3: Add BoxColliders to Door Meshes

Important: BoxColliders on door meshes are essential for player collision!

1. Select each door mesh (e.g., LeftDoorMesh)
2. Click Add Component > BoxCollider
3. Adjust the collider to match your door's visual size:
   • Click Edit Collider button in the Inspector
   • Drag the green handles to fit the door mesh
   • Or manually set Size and Center values

Typical values for a standard door:

• Size: (1.0, 2.2, 0.08) (width, height, thickness)
• Center: (0.5, 1.1, 0) (offset from pivot)

BoxCollider on LeftDoorMesh with Edit Collider mode active

Scene view showing the green BoxCollider outline on door meshes

Note: These colliders won't work directly in subscenes for physics. The system extracts their size/center during baking and applies them to pooled colliders at runtime.

Step 2.4: Set Up the Trigger Volume

1. Select the TriggerVolume child GameObject
2. Add the DoorTriggerVolumeAuthoring component
3. Configure the detection zone:

| Field | Description | Recommended Value | |-------|-------------|-------------------| | Volume Size | Size of the trigger box | (3.5, 3.0, 3.5) | | Volume Center | Center offset | (0, 1.5, 0) |

DoorTriggerVolumeAuthoring component settings

The trigger volume appears as a green wireframe box when selected in the Scene view.

Scene view showing the trigger volume gizmo

Step 2.5: Save the Prefab

1. Drag the root GameObject from Hierarchy to your Project window
2. Save it in a folder like Assets/Prefabs/Doors/
3. Name it clearly (e.g., Door_DoubleRotating.prefab)

Part 3: Adding Doors to Subscenes

Step 3.1: Create or Open a Subscene

1. In your scene, select GameObject > New Sub Scene > Empty Sub Scene
2. Name it (e.g., Subscene_Building1_Doors)
3. The subscene appears in the Hierarchy with a special icon

Creating a new subscene

Step 3.2: Add Door Prefabs to the Subscene

1. Double-click the subscene to open it for editing (or right-click > Open)
2. Drag your door prefab from the Project window into the subscene
3. Position the door in your scene
4. Important: Set a unique Door Id for each door instance

Door prefab placed inside an open subscene

Step 3.3: Assign Unique Door IDs

Each door must have a unique Door ID. This ID links the ECS door to its MonoBehaviour DoorIdentifier.

1. Select the door in the subscene
2. In the DoorAuthoring component, set Door Id to a unique number
3. Write down or remember this number - you'll need it for the DoorIdentifier later

| Door | Door ID | |------|---------| | Entrance Door | 1 | | Office Door | 2 | | Storage Door | 3 | | ... | ... |

Multiple doors with unique Door IDs

Step 3.4: Close the Subscene

1. Right-click the subscene in Hierarchy
2. Select Close
3. The subscene will bake and convert to ECS entities

Part 4: Main Scene Setup

The Main Scene contains the DoorManagement system that handles pooled resources.

Step 4.1: Create the DoorManagement GameObject

1. In your Main Scene (not a subscene), create an empty GameObject
2. Name it DoorManagement
3. Position it at (0, 0, 0) - position doesn't matter, but keep it organized

DoorManagement GameObject in the Main Scene hierarchy

Step 4.2: Add Required Components

Add these four components to the DoorManagement GameObject:

Component 1: BoxColliderPoolManager

Purpose: Creates pooled BoxColliders that follow door panels for physics collision.

| Setting | Description | Recommended Value | |---------|-------------|-------------------| | Max Pool Size | Maximum active colliders | 25 | | Culling Distance | Range to activate colliders | 25 meters | | Distance Check Interval | How often to update | 0.5 seconds | | Minimum Spacing | Prevent duplicate colliders | 0.5 meters | | Reassignment Threshold | Hysteresis for stability | 1.3 | | Keep Out Of Range Assignments | Reduce reassignments | true |

BoxColliderPoolManager component settings

Component 2: AudioSourcePoolManager

Purpose: Creates pooled AudioSources for door sounds (open, close, lock, unlock).

| Setting | Description | Recommended Value | |---------|-------------|-------------------| | Audio Source Prefab | Optional custom prefab | Leave empty for default | | Max Pool Size | Maximum active audio sources | 25 | | Culling Distance | Range to activate audio | 25 meters | | Distance Check Interval | How often to update | 0.5 seconds | | Minimum Source Spacing | Prevent overlapping sounds | 0.5 meters | | Reassignment Threshold | Hysteresis for stability | 1.3 | | Keep Out Of Range Assignments | Reduce reassignments | true | | Fade Duration | Volume fade time | 0.1 seconds |

AudioSourcePoolManager component settings

Component 3: DoorDataBridge

Purpose: Bridges data between ECS doors and MonoBehaviour world. Caches door positions and states.

This component has no visible settings - just add it.

DoorDataBridge component (no settings)

Component 4: DoorAudioBridge

Purpose: Routes audio events from ECS to the pooled AudioSources.

This component has no visible settings - just add it.

DoorAudioBridge component (no settings)

Step 4.3: Verify DoorManagement Setup

Your DoorManagement GameObject should now have all 4 components:

Complete DoorManagement setup with all 4 components

Part 5: Setting Up Door Identifiers

DoorIdentifier components live in the Main Scene and link each door's audio configuration to its Door ID.

Step 5.1: Create DoorIdentifier GameObjects

For each door in your subscenes, create a corresponding DoorIdentifier in the Main Scene:

1. Create an empty GameObject in the Main Scene
2. Name it DoorIdentifier_[DoorID] (e.g., DoorIdentifier_001)
3. Position it at the same location as the subscene door (approximate is fine)

DoorIdentifier GameObject created in Main Scene

Step 5.2: Add and Configure DoorIdentifier Component

1. Add the DoorIdentifier component
2. Configure these settings:

| Field | Description | Value | |-------|-------------|-------| | Door Number | Must match the Door ID in DoorAuthoring | Same as subscene door | | Audio Configuration | Optional audio settings asset | Assign if using custom audio |

DoorIdentifier component showing Door Number field

Step 5.3: Organize DoorIdentifiers

Create a parent GameObject to keep things organized:

DoorIdentifiers              <- Parent (empty GameObject)
  ├── DoorIdentifier_001
  ├── DoorIdentifier_002
  ├── DoorIdentifier_003
  └── ...

Organized DoorIdentifiers under a parent

Tip: You can batch-create DoorIdentifiers for many doors at once using a simple editor script.

Part 6: Player Setup

The player needs to be able to trigger doors.

Step 6.1: Add DoorTriggerableAuthoring

1. Select your Player GameObject (the one with the CharacterController or Rigidbody)
2. Add the DoorTriggerableAuthoring component
3. Set the Player's Layer to match the door's Can Open Layer Mask

Player with DoorTriggerableAuthoring component

Step 6.2: Verify Player Layer

1. Check your Player's layer (top-right of Inspector)
2. Ensure your DoorConfig's Can Open Layer Mask includes this layer

Checking player layer matches DoorConfig layer mask

Step 6.3: Verify Camera.main

The pooling system uses Camera.main for distance calculations.

1. Ensure your main camera has the MainCamera tag
2. Or ensure it's the first enabled camera in the scene

Part 7: Audio Configuration (Optional)

Step 7.1: Create Audio Configuration Asset

1. Right-click in Project > Create > Automatic Door System > Door Audio Configuration
2. Name it (e.g., DoorAudio_Wood)

Creating a Door Audio Configuration

Step 7.2: Configure Audio Settings

| Setting | Description | |---------|-------------| | Volume | Master volume (0-1) | | Spatial Blend | 0 = 2D, 1 = 3D | | Min/Max Distance | 3D audio rolloff range | | Open Sound Clips | Array of sounds for opening | | Close Sound Clips | Array of sounds for closing | | Lock/Unlock Sound Clips | Sounds for lock events |

Door Audio Configuration with sound clips assigned

Step 7.3: Assign to DoorIdentifier

1. Select your DoorIdentifier
2. Drag the Audio Configuration asset to the Audio Configuration field

Assigning audio configuration to DoorIdentifier

Troubleshooting

Doors don't open when player approaches

1. Check Player has DoorTriggerableAuthoring component
2. Check Player layer matches DoorConfig's Can Open Layer Mask
3. Check TriggerVolume size is large enough
4. Check subscene is closed (baked to ECS)

Door colliders not working

1. Check BoxColliders exist on door meshes in prefab
2. Check BoxColliderPoolManager exists in Main Scene
3. Check Culling Distance is large enough

No door sounds playing

1. Check AudioSourcePoolManager exists in Main Scene
2. Check DoorIdentifier has matching Door Number
3. Check Audio Configuration has sound clips assigned
4. Check Camera.main exists (tagged MainCamera)

Door ID mismatch warning

• Ensure DoorAuthoring.doorId matches DoorIdentifier.doorNumber exactly

Screenshots to Take

Save screenshots with these exact names in an images/ folder next to this README:

| Filename | What to Capture | |----------|-----------------| | 01_create_doorconfig.png | Right-click menu showing Create > AutomaticDoorSystem > DoorConfig | | 02_doorconfig_inspector.png | DoorConfig asset selected, showing all Inspector settings | | 03_door_hierarchy.png | Door prefab hierarchy (Root > DoorMeshes > TriggerVolume) | | 04_doorauthoring_inspector.png | DoorAuthoring component with all fields configured | | 05_door_collider_setup.png | BoxCollider on door mesh in Inspector with Edit Collider active | | 06_collider_gizmo_scene.png | Scene view showing green BoxCollider wireframes on doors | | 07_triggervolume_inspector.png | DoorTriggerVolumeAuthoring component settings | | 08_triggervolume_gizmo.png | Scene view showing green trigger volume wireframe | | 09_create_subscene.png | GameObject menu showing New Sub Scene option | | 10_door_in_subscene.png | Door prefab inside open subscene in Hierarchy | | 11_unique_door_ids.png | Multiple doors selected showing different Door IDs | | 12_doormanagement_create.png | DoorManagement empty GameObject in Main Scene | | 13_boxcolliderpoolmanager.png | BoxColliderPoolManager component with all settings | | 14_audiosourcepoolmanager.png | AudioSourcePoolManager component with all settings | | 15_doordatabridge.png | DoorDataBridge component (simple, no settings) | | 16_dooraudiobridge.png | DoorAudioBridge component (simple, no settings) | | 17_doormanagement_complete.png | DoorManagement with all 4 components visible | | 18_dooridentifier_create.png | DoorIdentifier empty GameObject in Main Scene | | 19_dooridentifier_inspector.png | DoorIdentifier component showing Door Number field | | 20_dooridentifiers_organized.png | Multiple DoorIdentifiers organized under parent | | 21_player_triggerable.png | Player with DoorTriggerableAuthoring component | | 22_player_layer_check.png | Player Inspector showing layer, DoorConfig showing mask | | 23_create_audioconfig.png | Right-click menu showing Create audio config option | | 24_audioconfig_inspector.png | DoorAudioConfiguration with clips assigned | | 25_assign_audioconfig.png | DoorIdentifier with audio config assigned |

Quick Reference Checklist

Per Door Prefab:

• [ ] Root has DoorAuthoring with DoorConfig assigned
• [ ] Door meshes have BoxCollider sized to fit
• [ ] TriggerVolume has DoorTriggerVolumeAuthoring
• [ ] Meshes assigned in DoorAuthoring (single or left/right)

Per Door Instance (in Subscene):

• [ ] Unique Door ID set in DoorAuthoring

Main Scene (once):

• [ ] DoorManagement GameObject exists
• [ ] Has BoxColliderPoolManager
• [ ] Has AudioSourcePoolManager
• [ ] Has DoorDataBridge
• [ ] Has DoorAudioBridge

Per Door (in Main Scene):

• [ ] DoorIdentifier with matching Door Number
• [ ] Optional: Audio Configuration assigned

Player (once):

• [ ] Has DoorTriggerableAuthoring
• [ ] Layer matches DoorConfig's Can Open Layer Mask
• [ ] Main Camera has MainCamera tag