Highrise Studio Unity Templates Tutorial: 2026 Guide

TL;DR

A Highrise Studio template is a pre-made starting point for building a 3D World inside a Unity-based workflow. It is not a finished game. Creators pick a template in Studio Hub, customize it in the Unity Editor using assets and Lua scripts, test it in Play Mode, then upload and release through Creator Portal. This guide defines every term you will encounter and walks through the full workflow from installation to published World.

What Is a Highrise Studio Template?

A Highrise Studio template is a starter layout for a new project. It gives you a preconfigured scene, example objects, or basic mechanics so you do not begin with a completely blank screen. But a template is not a finished World. You still need to customize it, add assets, write Lua scripts, test everything, upload a build, and release it through Creator Portal.

Think of it like a recipe card. The recipe gives you ingredients and steps, but you still have to cook. The Highrise Build-An-Obby Game Jam made this explicit: creators were required to use the Obstacle Course template, but the template was not a completed game and had to be finished and customized.

If you have seen official Highrise docs or YouTube tutorials and felt confused by the vocabulary (project, scene, prefab, client script, build, release), this highrise studio unity templates tutorial will define those terms in the order you actually encounter them.

The Workflow Map: From Studio Hub to Published World

Before diving into definitions, here is the full path a creator follows. Every step introduces new terms that the glossary below will explain.

Step	Tool	What Happens	Terms Introduced
1	Studio Hub	Install and manage tools and projects	Studio Hub, Unity Hub, Unity Editor, Highrise Studio Package
2	Studio Hub	Start a new project from a template	Project, Template
3	Unity Editor	Edit the world visually	Scene, Hierarchy, Inspector, Assets
4	Unity Editor	Add gameplay behavior	Lua, Client Script, Server Script
5	Unity Editor	Test the experience	Play Mode, Console
6	Unity + Creator Portal	Upload and release	Upload, Project Validator, Build, Release, Version Number

This sequence comes directly from the official Highrise Getting Started documentation, which walks creators through installing Studio Hub, choosing the Basic Template, editing in Unity, testing with Play, uploading, and releasing through Creator Portal.

Before you start building, it helps to explore what other creators have already published. Browse live Highrise Worlds to see what is possible and get a feel for the types of experiences players enjoy.

Core Glossary: Every Term You Need

This is the section that existing tutorials and docs do not consolidate in one place. Each entry answers four questions: What is it? Where do you see it? Why does it matter? What is the common mistake?

Studio Hub

What it is: The launcher and project manager for Highrise Studio. You download it from Creator Portal, and it prompts you to install required tools, including Unity Hub and the correct Unity Editor version.

Where you see it: Right at the start. Every new project begins here.

Common mistake: Confusing Studio Hub with Unity Hub. Studio Hub manages Highrise projects specifically. Unity Hub is Unity’s own tool for managing editor installations and licenses. You will likely use both, but Studio Hub is your primary launcher for Highrise creation work.

Unity Hub

What it is: Unity’s own application for managing Unity Editor versions, licenses, and projects. Unity’s documentation describes it as the tool for downloading editors, creating projects, exploring templates, and managing licenses.

Where you see it: Studio Hub may prompt you to install it during initial setup.

Common mistake: Trying to create a Highrise project directly from Unity Hub. Start from Studio Hub instead, which ensures the Highrise Studio Package is included.

Unity Editor

What it is: The workspace where you actually build. You move objects, inspect components, adjust lighting, test with Play Mode, and prepare uploads here.

Where you see it: After you create or open a project in Studio Hub, Unity Editor launches automatically. The beginner lecture on Highrise Create explains the key panels: Scene View, Game View, Project panel, Console, Hierarchy, and Inspector.

Common mistake: Assuming you are building a standard Unity game. The final output is a Highrise World, and publishing goes through Highrise’s upload and release system, not Unity’s normal build pipeline.

Highrise Studio Package

What it is: A Unity package that adds Highrise-specific tools to the Unity Editor.

Where you see it: It installs automatically when you create a project through Studio Hub. A March 2024 Highrise Create forum update explained that Studio became two parts: the Hub application for managing projects and the Unity package that brings Highrise features into the editor.

Common mistake: Thinking a package and a template are the same thing. A package adds functionality to your editor. A template starts a project with a specific structure.

Template

What it is: A pre-made starting point for a new project. It can include initial scenes, assets, scripts, or example mechanics.

Where you see it: When you click “New Project” in Studio Hub, you choose a template. The Getting Started docs tell you to pick the Basic Template or another option.

Important context: Unity itself also has templates (Core, Sample, Learning categories), described in Unity’s project creation documentation. Highrise templates are specifically built for Highrise Worlds and include the Highrise Studio Package.

Basic Template / Empty Template

What it is: A minimal starting template designed for learning or building from scratch.

Where you see it: The Highrise beginner lecture suggests going with the empty template for your first project. It reduces the number of moving parts, making it easier to understand the Unity panels and Highrise workflow.

When to use it: Choose this if you are following a highrise studio unity templates tutorial for the first time, or if you want full creative control over every element.

Project

What it is: The working folder containing all the files used to build a Highrise World. The official Projects documentation defines a Highrise project as a collection of scenes, assets, and resources representing a world.

Where you see it: Studio Hub lists your projects. You create, open, and manage them from here.

Common mistake: Treating “project” and “World” as synonyms. A project is editable. A World is what players experience after you publish.

World

What it is: The playable Highrise experience that users enter after you publish and release a build. After upload and release, the World becomes live on Highrise and appears in the app under the Worlds tab.

Where you see it: Inside the Highrise app. You can browse published Worlds through the World directory.

Key distinction: A project is your workshop. A World is the gallery where visitors see your finished piece.

Scene

What it is: A Unity file containing the objects, layout, lighting, triggers, UI, and other elements for a part of your project.

Where you see it: Inside the Unity Editor’s Project panel.

Critical troubleshooting tip: When importing an existing project, Unity may not automatically open the scene. If your project opens but looks completely empty, search t:scene in the Project panel to find and open your scene file.

Asset

What it is: Any reusable file or object used in a World: a 3D model, texture, audio file, script, material, or prefab. The Highrise asset guide identifies three sources: the Highrise Asset Catalog, external platforms like the Unity Asset Store, and custom assets you create yourself.

Common mistake: Confusing assets with templates. A template starts your project. Assets fill and customize it.

Prefab

What it is: A reusable Unity object setup that can be placed multiple times in a scene. If you create a tree with specific materials, scale, and components, saving it as a prefab lets you drop copies everywhere without rebuilding each one.

Where you see it: In the Project panel under your assets. Template projects often include prefabs for common objects. A forum thread about editing player parameters mentions finding WorldScene and HumanoidCharacter prefabs in the package assets.

Prefab Variant

What it is: A version of a prefab that inherits from a base prefab but changes specific properties. Unity’s documentation explains they are useful for predefined variations that share a parent but override certain values.

Highrise example: Creators on the Highrise forum have been told to create prefab variants of WorldScene or HumanoidCharacter when customizing player parameters, rather than modifying the originals directly.

Lua Script

What it is: The code file used to add logic, interactions, and gameplay behavior in Highrise Studio. The Lua documentation states that Lua is the primary scripting language and that C# scripts are not supported for creating Highrise games and experiences.

Why it matters: A template can look visually complete but do nothing interactive without Lua scripts.

Client Script, Server Script, and ClientAndServer Script

Client scripts run on the player’s side: input handling, UI, visual effects, audio. The docs warn against using client scripts for server-side logic or data storage.

Server scripts run on the server: authoritative game logic, data storage, multiplayer synchronization, AI behavior, physics calculations.

ClientAndServer scripts coordinate mechanics across both sides. The teleport example is a good illustration: a client sends a teleport request to the server, which validates it and broadcasts the teleport event back to all clients.

Each script file uses a --!Type(...) attribute at the top to declare its type: Client, Server, Module, ClientAndServer, or UI. The typings documentation explains this system.

Build and Release

Build: An uploaded version of your project that sits in Creator Portal, ready to be released.

Release: The step that makes a build live and assigns it a version number (like 1.0.0). The publishing docs walk through this entire flow.

Key rule: A World cannot be published without an uploaded build. And you should test in the Highrise app after uploading but before releasing publicly.

Template vs. Project vs. World vs. Asset

This comparison trips up almost every beginner. Here is the clearest way to separate them.

Term	Plain Translation	Example
Template	Starting recipe	“Basic Template” or “Obstacle Course” starter
Project	Editable working folder	The files you open and modify in Studio Hub and Unity
Scene	Layout file inside your project	The map or environment you edit
Asset	A building block you place into the project	A chair model, a sound effect, a texture
Build	Uploaded version waiting for release	Your project after clicking Upload in Unity
World	Published experience players enter	What appears in the Highrise app

A template creates a project. You edit the project. The project contains scenes and assets. You upload the project as a build. You release the build as a World.

If you are brainstorming what kind of World to create, check out Highrise Ideas for inspiration from the community.

Which Template Should Beginners Choose?

Not all templates serve the same purpose. Use this decision framework.

Choose Basic/Empty Template if you are learning the interface, following a written tutorial, or building a simple room from scratch. The beginner lecture recommends the empty template for first-timers because it keeps things simple.

Choose a gameplay template if your idea matches the template’s mechanics. For example, the Obstacle Course template is built for platformer-style games. But remember: the template is not done for you. The Build-An-Obby Game Jam made clear that creators still had to add obstacles, customize assets, and finish the experience.

Choose an example template if you want to learn a specific mechanic, like character setup, teleporting, triggers, or UI systems.

Open an existing project if you already have a Highrise or Unity project folder and want to continue work. Studio Hub lets you open existing projects directly.

Do not start with a complex template if you have never used Unity’s Hierarchy, Inspector, or Console panels. You will spend more time confused than creating.

How Assets Fit into Templates

Practitioners on the Highrise Create forum regularly confuse “template” with “asset pack.” One user asked how to enable packages downloaded from asset stores in Highrise Studio, and the answer explained the Unity Asset Store import flow, not a template selection flow. If you downloaded something from the Unity Asset Store, you are importing an asset or package, not choosing a Highrise Studio template.

Three asset sources matter for this highrise studio unity templates tutorial:

Highrise Asset Catalog. A library of premade assets designed for Highrise Studio. The docs describe it as offering free, low-poly assets across categories like Furniture, Landscapes, and Vehicles. These are the safest bet for beginners because they are built for compatibility. You can explore the broader Highrise item ecosystem through the Highrise catalog.

Unity Asset Store. Unity’s marketplace for models, textures, tools, and more. The Highrise guide for Unity Store assets explains the flow: browse, add to your account, open in Unity, download through Package Manager, and import. Not every Asset Store item works well in Highrise, so stick with low-poly, mobile-friendly assets and always check license terms.

Custom assets. Models, textures, and audio you create yourself or commission. These require proper export settings and testing.

How Lua Scripting Fits into Templates

A template can look complete at first glance but do nothing interactive until scripts are added. This is where many beginners stall. They follow a highrise studio unity templates tutorial, pick a template, admire the scene, and then wonder why nothing happens when they press Play.

Highrise Studio uses Lua for all gameplay scripting. C# is not supported for Highrise experiences. This surprises Unity veterans who expect to write MonoBehaviour scripts. Instead, you write Lua files with type attributes like --!Type(Client) or --!Type(Server).

The distinction between client and server scripts matters from the start:

• Use client scripts for anything local: reading player input, updating UI, playing sounds, triggering visual effects.
• Use server scripts for anything authoritative: game state, scores, multiplayer synchronization, spawning logic, data storage.
• Use ClientAndServer scripts when a mechanic needs coordination across both. The teleport players example shows this well: a trigger collider fires on the client, the client requests teleportation from the server, and the server broadcasts the new position to everyone.

Highrise Studio also supports a UI stack using UXML for structure, USS for styling, and Lua for behavior. The UI documentation explains this system. If your template includes menus, buttons, or HUD elements, you will encounter these files.

How to Publish a Template-Based World

The keyword “tutorial” implies you want to see the finish line, not just the starting block. Here is the publishing flow.

1. Test in Unity. Press the Play button. Watch for errors in the Console.
2. Sign into Highrise. Use the sign-in button inside Unity.
3. Click Upload. Name your World and confirm settings.
4. Fix Project Validator issues. A validator window may appear flagging errors that must be resolved before upload succeeds. A Studio Package update later fixed a bug where worlds could be uploaded despite validation errors, showing how seriously the team treats this check.
5. Complete details in Creator Portal. Add a description, thumbnail, tags, category, and maximum user count.
6. Test in the Highrise app. Play the World yourself before making it public.
7. Release from Builds. Assign a version number like 1.0.0 and confirm.

After release, you can update by uploading a new version. The support article on publishing confirms this update flow.

The Five Layers of a Highrise Template

This framework makes the concept stick. Every template-based project has five layers, and understanding them explains why a template alone is never enough.

1. Project layer. The folder, settings, and configuration files.
2. Scene layer. The editable 3D space with objects, lighting, and layout.
3. Asset layer. Models, materials, textures, audio, UI files, and prefabs.
4. Logic layer. Lua scripts that define interactions, gameplay rules, and multiplayer behavior.
5. Publishing layer. Upload, validation, Creator Portal metadata, build, and release.

A template gives you layers one through three (partially). You build layers four and five yourself.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting

Mistake 1: Thinking the template is done

Templates are starting points. The Obstacle Course template for the Obby Game Jam required creators to add new obstacles, customize assets, and finish the experience.

Mistake 2: Opening a project and seeing nothing

If your project loads but the viewport is empty, you probably have not opened the main scene. Search t:scene in the Project panel to find and double-click your scene file.

Mistake 3: Trying to use Studio on mobile or tablet

A user on the Highrise Create forum asked if Studio works on Android. The answer: no, Studio requires Unity and is only accessible on PC. Highrise itself runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Steam, but the creation tools need a desktop computer.

Mistake 4: Writing C# instead of Lua

Unity developers instinctively reach for C#. Highrise Studio does not support C# for gameplay scripting. Write Lua and use the --!Type(...) attribute to declare your script type.

Mistake 5: Using client scripts for server logic

Client scripts handle local player-side behavior. Putting game state, score tracking, or data storage in client scripts creates security and synchronization problems. Use server scripts for authoritative logic.

Mistake 6: Importing heavy Asset Store content without checking performance

Not every Unity Asset Store package is suitable for Highrise Worlds. Stick to low-poly, mobile-optimized assets. Check licenses before publishing.

Mistake 7: Ignoring Project Validator errors

Those red flags exist for a reason. Fix validation issues before uploading.

Mistake 8: Long file paths on Windows

Unity Support lists path-length limits as a common cause of “Error Resolving Templates.” Keep project paths short (something like C:\Projects\MyWorld) and avoid special characters in folder names.

Mistake 9: Following an outdated tutorial

A Studio Hub 0.5.2 update added version information to project cells and the ability to upgrade editor versions. If a YouTube tutorial shows different buttons or menus, check whether your Studio Hub and package versions match. Update if needed.

Practitioner Insights from the Community

Official documentation covers the ideal path. Real creators share the friction.

“Where did my template go?” In a forum thread about editing player parameters, a user looked for the Kaiju template inside their project and could not find it. The answer clarified that templates create projects from starters, they do not bundle every other template into your current project. Once you choose a template, you work with the project it generated.

Templates power rapid prototyping, not just room building. A post on Reddit’s r/gamejams described Highrise Studio as a Unity package with Lua scripting for building interactive 3D worlds, framing it as suitable for time-boxed game jams. This aligns with how Pocket Worlds positions templates: rapid-start tools for iterative creation.

Mixed-skill teams use templates as shared starting points. A Pocket Worlds LinkedIn post described how nine teams of engineers, designers, and non-technical builders used Highrise Studio and an AI building companion to create playable worlds in just a few days. Templates give everyone on a team the same foundation.

Bugs get fixed, so update often. A Studio Package 0.15.2 changelog fixed issues with VSCode type definitions, UI bind errors, the asset catalog button, and Lua script changes not being detected during Play Mode. If something behaves differently from a tutorial, updating your package is often the fix.

Mini Tutorial: Create Your First Template-Based Project

This quick walkthrough ties together everything from the glossary.

1. Download and open Studio Hub. It will prompt you to install Unity Hub and the correct Unity Editor version.
2. Click New Project. Pick the Basic or Empty template if this is your first time.
3. Name the project and choose a save location. Keep the path short.
4. Wait for Unity to load. The beginner lecture warns this can take a few minutes.
5. Find the main scene if it does not open automatically. Search t:scene in the Project panel.
6. Add objects. Use the GameObject menu or drag assets from the Highrise Asset Catalog.
7. Write Lua scripts for interactions. Start simple: a trigger that prints to the Console.
8. Press Play to test. Watch the Console for errors.
9. Sign into Highrise in Unity and click Upload. Fix any Project Validator issues.
10. Open Creator Portal. Add a description, thumbnail, tags, and category.
11. Test in the Highrise app. Enter your World and check everything.
12. Release from the Builds tab. Assign version 1.0.0 and confirm.

You now have a published World. To update it, make changes in Unity, upload again, and release a new version.

Ready to start building? Download Highrise to get Studio Hub and begin your first project. If you prefer the desktop experience, the Steam hub is another way in. And for ongoing updates, creator spotlights, and inspiration, check the Highrise blog.

FAQ

What is a Highrise Studio template?

A pre-made starting point for a new project. It can include scenes, assets, and example mechanics, but it is not a finished World. You customize it, add scripts, test, upload, and release through Creator Portal. The Getting Started documentation walks through this entire flow.

Is Highrise Studio the same as Unity?

No. Highrise Studio uses a Unity-based workflow, but it consists of Studio Hub (the launcher and project manager) plus the Highrise Studio Package (which adds Highrise-specific tools to the Unity Editor). You build inside Unity, but the output is a Highrise World, not a standalone Unity game.

Do I need Unity Hub?

Yes. Studio Hub prompts you to install Unity Hub and the correct Unity Editor version during initial setup. Unity Hub manages editor installations and licenses, while Studio Hub manages your Highrise projects.

Can I use Highrise Studio on my phone or tablet?

No. Studio requires Unity, which runs on PC (Windows or macOS). Players access Highrise Worlds on mobile and desktop, but building requires a computer.

Can I import Unity Asset Store assets into Highrise Studio?

Yes. Browse the Unity Asset Store, add items to your account, then download and import through Unity’s Package Manager. But treat them as assets, not templates. Check that they are low-poly and mobile-friendly, and confirm license terms before publishing.

Does Highrise Studio use C# or Lua?

Lua. The Lua documentation states that C# scripts are not supported for Highrise games and experiences. Every gameplay script uses Lua with a --!Type(...) attribute to declare whether it runs on the client, server, or both.

What is Project Validator?

A pre-upload check inside Unity that flags issues blocking your upload. If the validator window appears with errors, fix them before proceeding. Ignoring validation problems can prevent your World from working correctly.

Why does my project look empty when I open it?

The main scene probably is not open. Unity does not always load the scene automatically, especially for imported projects. Type t:scene in the Project panel search bar, find your scene file, and double-click it.