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Official Blog Post Series - Games Focus

Discussion in 'Announcements' started by UnityJuju, Sep 13, 2022.

  1. UnityJuju

    UnityJuju

    Unity Technologies

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    Blog-Header-3_1.jpg

    Hi everyone,

    We're excited to share our latest blog post series called Games Focus which will show what Unity is doing for all game developers – now, next year, and in the future.

    Games Focus: What's Next
    Games Focus: Rendering that scales with your needs
    Games Focus: Profiling and performance optimization
    Games Focus: Reach more players over multiple platforms and form factors
    Games Focus: Extending your reality with XR
    Games Focus: How your feedback drives product development
    Games Focus: Empowering teams with DevOps and graph-based tools
    Games Focus: Creating and operating connected games with multiplayer networking
    Games Focus: Expanded scale for ambitious games
    Games Focus: 2022 in review
    Questions, comments, and suggestions are all welcome.
    We're looking forward to hearing from you!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 8, 2022
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  2. DragonCoder

    DragonCoder

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    Very interesting blog!

    What kind of properties and content are we talking about here? And does that include URP vs HDRP as it's mentioned right above?
    I mean do for example refer to materials that work without a converter on both URP and HDRP?
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2022
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  3. laurentlavigne

    laurentlavigne

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    No mention of ergonomics which has taken a hit recently. Since we spend countless hours in the editor I think it's important. Will there be a blog to address that?
     
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  4. TreyK-47

    TreyK-47

    Unity Technologies

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    Hey @DragonCoder! So, we're going to be publishing a blog in the coming days with more details. More specifically, it'll focus on SRP. Keep an eye out for that one!
     
  5. BenjiM_Unity

    BenjiM_Unity

    Administrator

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    Hey @laurentlavigne!

    I've shared your message with the team and they are aware and are looking into the situation. We also wanted to extend a big 'Thank You' for all your dedication in helping us make Unity a better product!
     
  6. petey

    petey

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    Could you do an update focused on character animation in Unity?
     
    ftejada likes this.
  7. LaireonGames

    LaireonGames

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    Similar vein to the previous question but I still find it pretty embarrassing how many projects Unity either half starts or instead of tackling either points towards online examples or seems happy for the asset store to plug the gaps.

    The biggest one that comes to mind for me is GPU based animations. There are plenty of asset store tools tackling this yet no word about anything official covering a pretty fundamental bit of tech in bigger games.

    What about something similar to Nanite?

    What about shadow improvements? Last I spoke to someone at Unity about this a quoted problem was a lack of shadows research in the industry. Considering how many millions Unity spends on acquiring companies surely it would be prudent for it to have a small department based on shadows research considering how core it is to games tech.

    How is realtime occlusion culling coming along? I saw something on the roadmap for it almost a year ago and not heard about it since (can see its still in progress and that is all).

    Considering the string of acquisitions made over the years coupled with the sorry state of graphics in Unity (mainly the SRP mess we are in whilst they are still trying to reach feature parity with built in) I feel like Unitys focus has been massively diverted from games for too long.

    So whilst I appreciate seeing an attempt to show that Unity still takes games seriously, frankly it should never have been in question in the first place. Unity is supposed to be a games engine first and yet it feels like it is still playing catchup on years of technical debt to even reach last generations graphics out of the box.
     
  8. UnityJuju

    UnityJuju

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    Hi @petey! I'll pass your request on to our internal team, as I'm not sure if we're covering animation as well in this series! Thank you for bringing this up :)


    We want to highlight here that Unity never moved away from games.

    We'll have a blog post about SRP very soon, and more to come covering the status of the core products and what improvements we're prioritizing next!

    I'll make sure to pass your feedback along to the team! Thank you so much!
     
  9. LaireonGames

    LaireonGames

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    If this was true then this blog series would be called "What's next with Unity" and it wouldn't need to specify games at all :)

    Before Unity went public, there wouldn't have been any need to specify this.
     
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  10. DragonCoder

    DragonCoder

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    In the end they expanded their fields. Hence how many more employees they have now. Is that still "moving away from games" if the percentage within the company shrank, but the absolute number increased? Hard to tell.
     
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  11. LaireonGames

    LaireonGames

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    Exactly except when you look at the high level decisions made its easy to see the focus/priorities.

    How many of those high profile acquisitions where games related?

    Hey what happened to that promising games project they started to help dog food the engine...

    How many games studios have been bought to compensate....
     
    ftejada likes this.
  12. Kamyker

    Kamyker

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    I find these e-book format guides a bit weird. I'd rather have most of them and their information being put to Unity docs that are a lot easier to navigate (and are searchable with Google).

    Can you make a poll if users prefer e-books or more detailed docs?

    I guess large amount of info will be tough to updated but user contributions could help similar to Microsoft docs. For ex. go here https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/introduction-to-aspnet-core and click top-right pen button to see it in action. Have Unity ever considered it?
     
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  13. pahe

    pahe

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    Nice, wish there had been an info about merging URP and Hybrid Renderer, but maybe it's for the next update.
     
  14. Jamesgf_4322hn

    Jamesgf_4322hn

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    They must have time to make a profit on the old scheme, and only then introduce a new one
     
  15. Flow-Fire-Games

    Flow-Fire-Games

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    Appreciate the posts, hopefully more to come. Lately we've struggled with figuring out what the direction of certain Unity features/packages is.
     
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  16. thomas_jacobsen_unity

    thomas_jacobsen_unity

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    Hey Kamyker. Thanks for the feedback. I'm also a fan of the MSFT documentation. We have many different types of creators using Unity and different ways of learning the technology and we are trying to make something for everyone. Some prefer videos, some demos and code samples, blogs, documentation, talks, ebooks etc. However, the information which lives in one place is not meant to be exclusive to just one format and is also not the plan for the ebooks either. The content in the ebooks will become available in multiple other formats as well - including online formats so it's easily searchable. We are also planning to create some video tutorials for the more advanced topics covered in the ebooks. The formats obviously all have different pros and cons. With the "ultimate guide" approach we did for these ebooks, the intent was to consolidate information that is normally scattered around multiple talks, blog posts, docs etc. in one easily readable format. Something based on feedback from a lot of users. However, the plan has always been and still is to make it available in an online and searchable format too, and it's already in the works.

    I can't speak on behalf of all the ebooks we create at Unity, but my team and I worked on several of the new technical ebooks mentioned in the blog posts by Ralph, Ali, and the teams. This includes the Introduction to the Universal Render Pipeline for advanced Unity creators and while it as an ebook has a different format and style of content from traditional documentation, our docs team is actually working on making updating the URP section on docs too and we have a close partnership in terms of how we can complement each other and what formats they focus on vs what we focus on. Another example is our new C# style guide, our performance optimization guides (mobile, PC/console and profiling) which provides content that, which is not available in the documentation and is a different format in that we are sharing best practices from our Accelerate solutions teams who help some of the biggest Unity studios. So a more opinionated approach on how to solve certain game development challenges where we interviewed some of our internal (and external experts) on what advice they would share with the community.

    But yes I hear you on doing a better job at making the content we create easier to find, and in my team, we are working on that and we also are working on making the new e-books available in a more centralized way, including making them available from the documentation. For now, check out https://resources.unity.com/games for a list of all the ebooks. There are also a lot of cool case studies of games made with Unity. The technical guides will soon be linked from documentation too. I know we also have talented teammates who are always looking into improving the user experience of the website and helping make things a little easier to find across all the formats and resources available. I'll share your feedback with them too. Hope this help answer your question and hope that you find the content in the ebooks useful.
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2022
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  17. Falondrian

    Falondrian

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    Are there any plans on fully integrating Odin? It supercharges the editor. The separate purchase and potential subscription needed is kind of detrimental to the goal of developer empowerment.
     
  18. PanthenEye

    PanthenEye

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    Odin serializer does not work in nested prefabs, it's a non-starter. Also, Unity don't own Odin.
     
  19. Falondrian

    Falondrian

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    Oh I don't mean the serializer, I'm talking about the attributes/drawer - editor only mode. Interesting though - I would have thought Unity does own Sirenix or at least there is a very close partnership, looking at the Unity Pro + Odin bundle sold by Unity.
     
  20. PanthenEye

    PanthenEye

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    Unity often partner with the top asset store developers, they even run ads for them on Facebook and elsewhere to increase asset store sales but it's just that - a collab. I haven't seen a Unity Pro + Odin deal, do you per chance have a link?
     
  21. Falondrian

    Falondrian

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    https://store.unity.com/configure-plan/odin-enterprise
     
  22. PanthenEye

    PanthenEye

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    Falondrian likes this.
  23. AlanMattano

    AlanMattano

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    OpenGL 1 was so much faster than the latest versions and Direct X! for mobile, and simple games or UI can be useful. I wonder if we can choose OpenGL 1in the Scriptable Render Pipelines.
     
  24. Recon03

    Recon03

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    it seems your going in a better direction, I hope... by looking at the blog.... But for the love of god, why aren't you guys making a game.... Anyone who has worked for studio, and been part of game engine development knows, you need to use the engine. it will help you guys see the flaws, and better the engine...

    So you guys started a sample game and then canceled it.. I really hoped you guys would learn after the years I been here, but I have yet to see this happen.. Now I would like Unity to do well, other wise I wouldn't bother saying anything, i use Unreal every single day , for my job before and currently, I have used Unigine , Flax and many others.... So Unity is still my top 3 engines I like to use.. Top 1-2 when using mobile games, so I like you guys to improve it and I just can't believe, that Unity still has not listen to this yet.....

    But I still will never use Unity for many other type of games I'm working on right now.. .

    a sample game would of been a good start.... So why not finish that game? This will help you guy see the many issues, we have to deal with and then you can implement, them as you build your game, we do this when I had worked at the studio, Epic does this and the engine is better for it.

    So this should be on that list.....

    But I did like seeing multi-player, Open world tools , and so forth.... Good start there.. but we heard this before, it should of been done by now.... So, lets hope you add this stuff this time.


    Please add proper streaming tools... we been hearing for years, that you are going to, Epic is on its second iteration.... We shouldn't have to buy assets for this, and/or build our own for this type of work.. So I really hope you guys are for real this time.

    Multi -Player, aspects, I was glad to see that you added cloud, P2P, Backend, and other stuff/.. That was great for Unity and even more so for mobile users.. but I hope you guys don't ditch it like you did the last few... So I hope this one lasts this time...



    Unity needs to understand, not everyone is a hobbyist, Unity should be backing developers that are releasing games, you seem to pick and choice known asset devs, who are, but ignore most everyone else, Epic has backed alot of its users....and support..

    Unity you need to DO better in this area of support to your developers who are releasing games more on Steam Google Play, Apple, etc ...... As it is, your support does not exist for many people ..Which is a turn off, to many developers, I personally over the years, seen investors, companies, not want me to use Unity, due to this.. I have heard this from co-workers and others I have worked with and been friends with as well... So you need to do better here...

    Support is everything, and one of the things Epic does well..... Grants, better support, marketing and more.... You need to do the same and do better in this area, it needs major improvements....
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2022
  25. Recon03

    Recon03

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    I agree Odin for Editor should of been added a long time ago for Asset devs.... I use it for my own custom scripts, UI tool kit, is terrible, web dev, ick.. No thanks.. and ONGUI, is so old..... and dated... writing Editor GUI, is horrible....

    Using Odin is a life saver for sure... They talked about adding this or working with Odin at one point, but then like everything Unity does, it stops..... So who knows...
     
  26. petey

    petey

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    Why do these ebooks have to be hidden behind some annoying email register system!? Can’t they just be links?
     
  27. Tomasz_Pasterski

    Tomasz_Pasterski

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    What about improving local avoidance in Navmesh Agenta? Cause now they are only usefull on some not much complex scenarios, nice if they start to be helpfull in RTS development.
     
  28. thomas_jacobsen_unity

    thomas_jacobsen_unity

    Unity Technologies

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    All the ebooks should be available to download without registering your email. Let me know which ebook is prompting you to register and I can help check with the team.
     
  29. adnanabbas99j

    adnanabbas99j

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    This is great effort.. Really appreciated Thanks for sharing such an interesting series thread.
     
  30. evakosog

    evakosog

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    Waiting for the next update,
     
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  31. Noisecrime

    Noisecrime

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    From the latest post - blog-series-games-focus-how-your-feedback-drives-product-development

    Why is this limited again to URP and HDRP? I understand Unity not wanting to invest in BiRP, but what has come up time after time is the friction to updating from BiRP to the new SRP. Unity have started to address that somewhat, though the end result is unknown at this point, but adding new features like this and not including BiRP just puts more roadblocks in the way.

    I fully see a day where Unity drops BiRP and we lose a whole host of products, games, assets, as the cost benefit for developers to try and update them from BiRP to a new SRP is just to great to bother.

    Its short sighted of Unity and as the new Material Variants, Block Shaders etc shows is still a problem for Unity that non-one seems to be on top of. Simply ignoring BiRP isn't going to get more devs to switch over to URP or HDRP, providing meaningful and simple upgrade paths from BiRP to SRP and between URP and HDRP are whats needed.
     
  32. Noisecrime

    Noisecrime

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    I really like the e-books Unity are producing, whilst I agree they should not replace or substitute other resources ( and thus should be readable in html browser,) they do have a place and have read/browsed a few on mobile when I had limited online access.

    However there are a few problems.

    1. Appears to be no central resource that lists and provides links to download all the e-books.
    2. Frequently come across e-books and constantly asked to provide my email address to access
    I hate this, and frankly Unity should not be doing it! But what is worse is that it appears to;
    • ignore the fact I've already provided my email address previously.
    • ignore the fact I'm logged in with a Unity ID ( and hence already has my email address )
    • sometimes doesn't even support being logged in via Unity ID!
    e.g. https://resources.unity.com/games/sable-case-study

    Requests email, has no Unity ID sign-in support on the page, and I cannot even find where this page lives - none of the menus/sub-menus reference 'resources'. It also has the 'pre-register' link for UI toolkit e-book, which again asks for email address!

    I don't want to keep giving my email address as I no longer have much faith in Unity to not simply be adding it to a mailing list without double checking that it doesn't already exist, nor that I can remember which email address I've used in the past ( which is why it should be using Unity ID sign-in instead! ) so I really don't want to get a dozen of the same emails from Unity every time a new ebook or resource is released!

    It pains me to think that the hard work of Unity developers to author these ebooks is being squandered through predatory email collection practices and lack of discoverability, where it seems most books I discover by chance of being in a forum sub-channel like this.

    Whilst I'd like to see a dedicated e-book section in the learning, support or community menu of Unity.com, the fact that I've had to list 3 places they could possibly reside illustrates the poor organisation structure Unity has. So much so that I'd almost rather they were listed in my services dashboard instead, as at least then i'd know 100% where to look for them.
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2022
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  33. John3D

    John3D

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    Really cool blog posts!
    So many interesting things are coming. I love the roadmaps.
    Thanks for sharing!
     
  34. thomas_jacobsen_unity

    thomas_jacobsen_unity

    Unity Technologies

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    Hey everyone. We have now added a section with links to the ebooks on our documentation pages (latest version but we will also add on the 2020 LTS and forward): https://docs.unity3d.com/2023.1/Documentation/Manual/best-practice-guides.html to help make them easier to find. As mentioned in above we are also working closely with the documentation and Learn team to adopt some of the content into their formats and we are also made the "how to pages" available here: https://unity.com/how-to. Hope this helps makes the content easier to find :)
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2022
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  35. Arachnopod

    Arachnopod

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    When will Unity Hub's Projects listing support more than 40 projects? People have been requesting this be extended for years. If it won't be made to be unlimited, at least make it something more like 250! Thnx!
     
  36. pahe

    pahe

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    Don't request too many new features for the Hub please. Else it will increase it's size by another 500 MB ;) </sarcasm>
     
    florianBrn likes this.
  37. impheris

    impheris

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    Lol i did not knew that, it has to be unlimited.
    What a weird limitation!