Starting in the Gaming World with Unity 3D

As a new graduate from a designing course or even as a student, Unity 3D is a game changer to learn development on. While a number of studios even prefer using this software over their own tech, it is a great tool to have by your side. 3D game development with Unity 3D has been a transformation for the industry. Here are some reasons you should be equipped with this as a developer-

Getting Started for Free

While the paid version of the program comes with numerous features and benefits, the free version has complete features of it too. This allows students and gaming professionals to create actual games without having to pay a price.
 

The Multi Platform Application

Ranging from the gaming stations such as Xbox and Wii to various platforms such as iOS and androids, you can publish a game anywhere. With unity 3D, it is easier to customize these preferences and transfer them from one platform to the next without difficulty. This activity that took professional companies months to sometimes successfully complete can now be done without a great deal of effort.

The Community Support

With over 2 million developers making use of the software, Unity 3D has a number of online resources to guide you through difficulties and give you assistance. Sometimes these places are also a great place to learn from the mistakes of others and ask any questions that may have otherwise been left unanswered. Eager unity fans also make for great collaboration opportunities across the globe. 

Using the Net as an Extended Resource
Considering the levels of fame Unity has achieved since its conception, it is no surprise how popular it is online. With tutorials and guides by the hundreds, you can ensure all doubts will be answered. While it is a simple software to learn, figuring your way around it at the start may seem like a daunting process. Online courses and videos have made it possible to learn everything there is to know about this course at your own convenience. 

The unity Asset Store

This feature of the software is a great tool for artists, developers and designers. This store is the place to head to, if you do not wish to build elements such as characters and buildings from scratch. While at the same time, it also provides for you as an extra source of revenue as an artist. Selling your assets in the store ensures you get a royalty of 70% on every purchase, helping you fund your own various costs.

Creating Games You Desire 

While Unity is most popular for developing 3D games, there is also scope to develop 2D games on it, making it a great tool to equip yourself with. Since it also allows you to create multiplayer games, a number of professional companies too swear by this software.

Due to the growing popularity of this software, Unity also holds conferences annually across the globe to provide a platform for developers to meet and discover the world of development through Unity 3D.

Common Mistakes Game Developers Make on Unity

3d Game Development with Unity 3D is an increasingly preferred approach many game developers take today. This platform follows its own pattern of function and if you are not aware of how it operates a trivial feature too, can end up being a challenge. It has to be understood well so as to avoid mistakes especially the first-timers working on Unity make.

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Common mistakes Game developers make on Unity include:

• Mixing up scripts -
  The scripts that you attach with the objects should be either written in java or C#. It should not be a mixture of both. It will help you to avoid confusion as well as save you from other issues that can crop because of mixing two languages. So choose a language you are comfortable with.
  
  
• Not Making use of the Asset Store Logically-
  Do not be in a mad rush to use the asset store to get sounds, scripts, models etc., downloaded. Make sure that the assets you want to buy are relevant for your gaming project. Beware of buying the popular ones because though you may be tempted these assets due to over usage have lost its exclusiveness making Unity games using the same visual style losing its unique visual appeal. Developers have misused the standard assets given by Unity.
  
  
• Not Knowing How to Set your Scale Right-
  As the measurement of an object is taken in meters therefore ensure while importing that the size can be compared to the object it represents. For example a building can be taken approximately as 20 meters or a spaceship can be considered as 200 meters. You might have to resize if you have not taken it likewise. Actually in Unity size does not play a major factor as much as the scale. Whatever the size is if the scale is set right then faults can be avoided like objects falling at a slow pace. You might get tempted to speed up the gravity to make it fall faster but it will only end up being unrealistic. From the very start you must try to set the scale right as changing the settings in the middle of a developed project might be a difficult task.
  
  
• Relying too Much on Reflection-
  Methods like the Get Component or Send Message is expensive and can retard your gaming speed. So it is better to switch on to an efficient alternative pattern.
  
  
• Not Using Rigid body Objects-
  A gaming object has a position, angular velocity, speed, etc. If an object is changed from its position by a script then lot of discrepancy can occur which in turn might make the game unpredictable. A rigidbody can be attached to the object to avoid collision and also to stop messing up of positions of gaming objects.
  
  Make your 3d Game Development with Unity 3d unique by creating it from newer objects.

Rectifying Common Physics Problem in Your Game Development

There are games that use physics engines to help things in the game move and react. The use of a physics engine can add immersion as well as emergent game play, but at the same time, if not used appropriately, can result in game-breaking issues. This blog discusses about the ways to determine and rectify the common physics problems in 3D game development with Unity 3D.

Common Mistakes and Ways to Fix Them

Following are the common physics mistakes often seen in game development. The ways used for fixing these issues have also been discussed:

• Inappropriate Scale:

In majority of the games, players assume that the scale of the world is related to Earth’s scale. Suppose, in a game, an enemy is falling from a height. The players would expect the foe to come down at the same rate as he would if he falls in reality on earth. If the speed of falling is too slow or fast, it may detract from the immersion, specifically if the one falling is human-sized. 

• Use a RigidBody As Well As a Character Controller:

The game developer assumes that a Character Controller is required for controlling their avatar. But the players want the avatar to be influenced by gravity and similar things in the environment. The issue is that a Character Controller is created for more traditional controls as seen in first person shooter. Gravity and certain physical forces affect a RigidBody. You need to select a Character Controller if you wish to have complete control over the way a player moves. Again, if you wish your character to be moved by a Physics engine, you need to use a RigidBody. In including a RigidBody to a character, you may wish to restrict rotation so that the player does not tumble. 

• Objects Rolling Constantly:

Suppose, you are developing a golf game. In this instance, you may find that the golf ball is not stopping and rolling constantly until it finds a hole. In reality, the glass blades on a golf course offers rolling resistance and slow down the ball. However, in Unity, you need to use artificial stopping forces to stop the ball. Using angular drag may be helpful in this case.

• Objects with No Bounciness:

All the objects bounce following an impact. However, the internal, default physics material of Unity does not have bounce. There will be no bounce until you apply physics material to the things showcased in your scene with a bounciness value more than 0. This problem can be rectified with the creation and assignment of your own default physics material in the Physics Manager.

Keep in mind the above mentioned suggestions during 3D game development with Unity 3D.

3 Reasons to Take Up Diploma Courses in Animation

A Short Guide for Prospective Creative Students in Singapore

You’re fresh out of secondary education, and it seems to you that the academic route isn’t really your calling. As a kid, you’ve always been drawn to the Sunday morning cartoons in a different way. While everyone else around you stared transfixed at the screen, you wondered with curiosity on the inner workings behind such light-hearted magic. In school, you enjoyed art classes because it stimulated you, allowed you to create. I know, because I’ve been there.

Choosing to walk a non-traditional path is scary, after all we’d been brought up to believe that it’s important for us to study hard; to be good at Mathematics and the Sciences if you ever wanted to amount to anything. Art? That’s just a past-time. It’s been drilled into our heads over and over again, so much so that we start to believe that it’s true. I took the leap, got frightened, and turned my back on my dreams, only to find myself being drawn back to it, but that’s a story for another time. It did teach me a lesson though, and the first reason why you should take up Diploma Courses in Animation….

Because You Want To. The most important reason, and the simplest. I don’t mean to proceed with reckless abandon, but if being an Animator appeals more to you than say, being a Biochemist, why force yourself? Don’t let future income be a deciding factor in your journey, because to be honest, there are way too many variables in the future that could add or damage your earning power anyway. Do what you love, be good at what you do, and success will follow.

Times are also not what they used to be. The creative industry in Singapore has grown so much over the past 10 years, thanks to the efforts of the government and those within the industry. The growth in the Animation industry in fact, has been rather apparent. The arrival of industry giants, Lucasfilm Animation Singapore (LAS) in 2004 has also paved the way for smaller studios to flourish and boom. I guess what I’m saying is… Strike While the Iron is Hot. Granted, job stability is still something that could be worked in such a dynamic environment, but the industry has not looked as good in a long time, and seems like it is only to be getting healthier.

 

The truth is, if you’re still reading this, it means that you’ve considered this career path to some extent but might still be undecided. There is nothing much else for me to say to convince you though, except that Animation is one heck of a fulfilling industry. What you create is tangible, and the satisfaction of seeing your works being displayed… I met someone from Lucasfilms once, and he told me about how amazing it was to have taken part in the production of the movie, Pacific Rim, and watching it onscreen for the first time, was simply mind-blowing.

With how varied Animation is, you can even choose a specialization. Visual Effects, Character Animation and 3D Modeling Courses are available here at MAGES Institute of Excellence, for those who wish to further refine their skillsets into something more specialized. For example, specializing in 3D Modeling Courses will of course open up more markets for you. Besides the traditional roles of in films and gaming, 3d Modelers are also needed in interior design, architecture, the medical industry and for stage/set design. Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Want to find out more? Leave a question in the comments or drop us a mail-enquiry@mages.edu.sg