More awesome new features presented prior to the release of the new Unity version 3.0 – this time a presentation by me on the Cloth Physics features and a presentation by Samantha Kalman on the awesome new Beast powered lightmapping tools. Watch the videos below, then go share them around the web, this stuff rocks!
Yet another triumph for Unity development in the form of more official commercial releases, this time, a very awesome game for the new Rodriguez produced Predators.
A nice hack and slack game dynamic puts you in control of the Predators themselves, hunting the team that you’ve summoned to your home world. The game has already earned 8.5 out of 10 on IGN, so it must be doing something right! Take a look at the trailer below or go and buy it yourself at the App store.
Learn Unity 3D’s own Will Goldstone previews some more of the new features in Unity 3.0.
This time its audio, and you’ll get a sneak peek at the new Scene Audio Preview feature, Custom Rolloff Curves, Audio Reverb Zones, Audio Effects and Mod file support. Watch it embedded below or go video on vimeo here
A while back we showcased HelloEnjoy’s (Carlos Ulloa) Mini driving Unity showcase -
Now as predicted a commercial car manufacturer – Peugeot to be precise – has picked up on this and commissioned Carlos & co to make just such a thing for their new model, the RCZ. Take a look and take it for a spin here – http://www.peugeotrcz.be/
ps. if you’re unsure on the french, simply choose ‘Participez au concours’ from the menu you’re presented with, have fun!
CNN are using Unity to visual the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Allowing its readers to look at the surface or submerge to the seabed and look at what is happening, it is fascinating to see Unity being used in a non-gaming context.
Whilst this is certainly going to be great for Unity being picked up by other non-game institutions, I can’t help but notice that the CNN implementation runs a little poorly – is it my eye or are those models a little high poly? I may just be being a picky developer. Anyway, enough rant from me, go take a look -
http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2010/gulf.coast.oil.spill/interactive/oil.recovery.3d/?hpt=C2
Stumbled across this fantastic little platformer from SilverTree media. Clearly influenced by games like Little Big Planet, this is definitely one of the slickest Unity presentations I’ve seen on the web of late, great work!
Go have some fun here – http://www.cordythegame.com/
And check out SilverTree here – http://www.silvertreemedia.com/
Found some fantastic looking tutorials on painting textures for games by the very talented Sky at http://www.smileybones.com/, go take a look and enjoy the gorgeous artwork, and handy tutorials, cheers!
As part of the viral push for the new Tron game, they have released a remake of the game seen in the original Tron film – ‘Space Paranoids’ – an awesome Battlezone-esque tank based shooter made entirely in Unity – what more could you ask for? check it out here – http://www.spaceparanoidsonline.com/
The game is developed in partnership by Disney Interactive and 42 Entertainment and is part of a large scale viral campaign which has seen a fake press conference for fake software company ‘Encom’ – the apparent software overlords from the Tron universe, and a campaign to find Kevin Flynn – Jeff Bridge’s missing hero from the original – they are really going to town with some fun marketing and you’ve got to commend them for that!
DimeRocker is a Vancouver based Unity portal to help you launch your games on social networking sites. If you’re looking for an audience for your game, what better place to look than on social networks such as Facebook, which already has millions of active users already engaged in other games made in Unity and Flash. Even better than that, the guys at DimeRocker can help you use their API to integrate with Facebook and monetize your game content.
DimeRocker allows you to integrate with leaderboards, and links your content with the social nature of sites, allowing you to create an audience around your game that will play off against each other, discuss your game, and so on. They’ll also host the game, and scale hosting to the needs of the game as the audience grows, and let you track your progress in both monetization and simple statistics such as number of plays.
DimeRocker also has something they call the ‘Tune Up Program’ which is a service you can submit either prototypes or existing finished games and if they like your stuff, they’ll help you improve them to a point they can be included on Facebook and the like – in basic terms, if they find something they think can make you both money, they’ll help you get it in the right place, and tweak it to maximise the audience for the game – awesome!
Head on over to their site and take a look at some of their services, then have a listen to a recent TalkBack radio podcast with some of the guys from DimeRocker, hosted by Mani of InfiniteUnity3d.com.
Spotted this awesome project of remaking classic NES game Zelda II (the oft forgotten lesser sequel, i’m sure I’ll be reminded!) in 3D using Unity.
Produced with great passion and consideration by Michael Johnston, this is an awesome piece of work, and a joy to see made in Unity. Fine work Michael – look forward to seeing more from you, as a massive NES fan myself I applaud you! What you waiting for? Go Play!
