unity-tilemap-2d Checked
Installation
Copy the prompt below and send it to your AI assistant (e.g. Claude Code) — it will follow the instructions and install automatically.
Install the "unity-tilemap-2d" skill by following the instructions at https://skill123.me/install/unity-tilemap-2d.
Run in your terminal — downloads and installs to ~/.claude/skills/.
curl -fsSL https://skill123.me/install/unity-tilemap-2d.sh | bash
Download the zip and extract it into your skills directory (e.g. ~/.claude/skills/), then restart your session.
⬇ Download v1.0.0 · 3 KBNot live-tested yet — this skill is rated on static analysis only.
About this skill
Build and script 2D tilemaps in Unity 6.3 LTS: the Grid + Tilemap components, the Tile Palette, tilemap colliders, rule tiles, and runtime SetTile/GetTile painting. Use when painting tile levels, adding a TilemapCollider2D, using rule or animated tiles, generating tilemaps from code, or when the user mentions Unity tilemap, tile palette, rule tile, or Grid.
Unity 2D Tilemap
Author and script tile-based 2D levels in Unity 6.3 LTS with the Grid/Tilemap system, the Tile
Palette, colliders, and runtime painting. Targets **Unity 6.3 LTS (6000.3)**.
> **Package note:** the core Tilemap (Grid, Tilemap, Tile, TilemapCollider2D) is
> built in. **Rule Tiles, Animated Tiles, and Tile Palette brushes live in the separate
> "2D Tilemap Extras" package (com.unity.2d.tilemap.extras)** — install it via Package
> Manager before using RuleTile.
Documentation
Build and script 2D tilemaps in Unity 6.3 LTS: the Grid + Tilemap components, the Tile Palette, tilemap colliders, rule tiles, and runtime SetTile/GetTile painting. Use when painting tile levels, adding a TilemapCollider2D, using rule or animated tiles, generating tilemaps from code, or when the user mentions Unity tilemap, tile palette, rule tile, or Grid.
Unity 2D Tilemap
Author and script tile-based 2D levels in Unity 6.3 LTS with the Grid/Tilemap system, the Tile
Palette, colliders, and runtime painting. Targets **Unity 6.3 LTS (6000.3)**.
> **Package note:** the core Tilemap (Grid, Tilemap, Tile, TilemapCollider2D) is
> built in. **Rule Tiles, Animated Tiles, and Tile Palette brushes live in the separate
> "2D Tilemap Extras" package (com.unity.2d.tilemap.extras)** — install it via Package
> Manager before using RuleTile.
When to use
- Use when laying out a 2D level by painting tiles, setting up a
Grid+Tilemap, adding
collision to the map, using auto-tiling Rule Tiles, or generating/editing tiles from script.
- Use when scenes contain a
GridwithTilemapchildren, or*.assettile/palette files.
**When _not_ to use:** level _design_ practice (pacing, blockout, layout principles) →
level-design. 3D tile/grid placement → Unity's own 3D tooling (ProBuilder / grid brushes; no dedicated skill here). The platformer character that
moves over the tiles → platformer / unity-physics.
Core workflow
1. **Create the grid:** GameObject → 2D Object → Tilemap → Rectangular (the Grid's **Cell
Layout** also offers Hexagonal and Isometric for hex/iso levels). This makes a Grid
with a child Tilemap (+ TilemapRenderer). Use one Tilemap per layer (background,
ground, foreground) and set each renderer's sorting.
2. **Open the Tile Palette** (Window → 2D → Tile Palette), drag in a sliced sprite sheet to
create Tile assets, then paint with the brush tools.
3. **Add collision** to the solid layer: TilemapCollider2D. For one merged collider (far
cheaper and gap-free), also add CompositeCollider2D (+ a Rigidbody2D set to **Static**)
and enable _Used By Composite_ on the tilemap collider.
4. **Auto-tile with Rule Tiles** (2D Tilemap Extras) so edges/corners pick the right sprite
automatically instead of hand-placing every variant.
5. **Edit at runtime via script** with cell coordinates (Vector3Int): SetTile, GetTile,
SetTilesBlock, converting world↔cell with the Grid/Tilemap.
6. **Verify** in Play mode: confirm collisions (Physics Debugger), sorting order, and that
RefreshAllTiles ran after bulk edits.
Patterns
### 1. Painting tiles at runtime (cell coordinates)
using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.Tilemaps;
public class TilePainter : MonoBehaviour
{
[SerializeField] private Tilemap tilemap; // assign the target Tilemap
[SerializeField] private TileBase groundTile;
View full documentation
// World position -> cell, then place a tile.
public void PaintAt(Vector3 worldPos)
{
Vector3Int cell = tilemap.WorldToCell(worldPos);
tilemap.SetTile(cell, groundTile);
}
public bool IsSolid(Vector3 worldPos)
=> tilemap.GetTile(tilemap.WorldToCell(worldPos)) != null;
}
### 2. Bulk fill a region (faster than per-cell `SetTile`)
// SetTilesBlock writes a whole BoundsInt in one call — use it for procedural rooms/floors.
public void FillFloor(Tilemap map, TileBase tile, int width, int height)
{
var bounds = new BoundsInt(0, 0, 0, width, height, 1);
var tiles = new TileBase[width * height];
for (int i = 0; i < tiles.Length; i++) tiles[i] = tile;
map.SetTilesBlock(bounds, tiles);
}
### 3. Clearing and refreshing
tilemap.SetTile(cell, null); // null erases the tile at that cell
tilemap.RefreshTile(cell); // re-evaluate just this cell's rule/animated neighbors (cheap)
// RefreshAllTiles() re-evaluates the ENTIRE map — reserve it for full regenerations, not per-edit.
## Pitfalls
- **`RuleTile` type not found** — it's not built in. Install the **2D Tilemap Extras** package
(`com.unity.2d.tilemap.extras`) via Package Manager.
- **A collider per tile tanks performance / leaves seams** — add a `CompositeCollider2D` with a
static `Rigidbody2D` and _Used By Composite_ to merge the whole layer into one smooth shape.
- **Confusing world and cell coordinates** — `SetTile`/`GetTile` take a `Vector3Int` _cell_,
not a world position. Always convert with `WorldToCell` / `CellToWorld`.
- **Tiles render behind/in front of sprites unexpectedly** — set each `TilemapRenderer`'s
Sorting Layer and Order in Layer; multiple tilemaps need explicit ordering.
- **Rule/animated tiles don't update after script edits** — refresh after writes, but prefer
the targeted `RefreshTile(cell)` for a few edits; `RefreshAllTiles()` re-evaluates every tile
on the map and stalls large levels. Reserve the full refresh for whole-map regenerations.
- **Painting onto the wrong layer** — the active target Tilemap in the Tile Palette determines
where paint lands; check the "Active Tilemap" dropdown.
## References
- Primary docs: Unity Manual "Tilemaps"
(`https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/tilemaps/work-with-tilemaps/tilemap-reference.html`),
`ScriptReference/Tilemaps.Tilemap`, and the 2D Tilemap Extras package manual
(`https://docs.unity3d.com/Packages/com.unity.2d.tilemap.extras@6.0/manual/index.html`) for
Rule Tiles. (`@6.0` is the version that ships with Unity 6.3 LTS; the old `@1.6` docs are
for Unity 2021-era projects.)
## Related skills
- `level-design` — engine-agnostic blockout, pacing, and tile layout practice.
- `procedural-gen` — generating the tile data (noise, RNG, dungeons) you feed to `SetTilesBlock`.
- `platformer` / `roguelike` — genres that compose this skill with movement and generation.
Score breakdown
Assessment methodology
Version history
Imported from gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills@main