In this recipe, we'll create a simple signpost using an image containing text, as well as a combination of 3D cubes, cylinders, and plane primitives.
While in some cases we'll use complex 3D models that have been imported from modeling apps or third parties, there are several cases where 3D primitives are quick, simple, and sufficient for a game task. Examples of 3D primitives in games include invisible objects with trigger colliders (such as to open doors or to signal a checkpoint), the use of spheres as projectiles, the use of scaled cubes and planes for signposts, and so on. The speed and simplicity of using 3D primitives also make them perfect for fast prototyping, where the objects act as placeholders that can be replaced with more sophisticated models at a later stage in the production of the game. Materials can be quickly created that reference images to textured 3D primitives:
