Dark color theme for Pro only! Seriously?!!!!

I spend a loooot of time in front of my monitors and white/light colors make me and my eyes get tired soon.
ALLLLL other software i am using have dark themes available in default or at worst as a second accessible free options except in Unity which is considered a luxury thing and is available only for money!
Come on this is a health issue you cant make your users pay you or get sick!!

There was another post related to this but it seems that it was ignored or hijacked and eventually locked.
https://forum.unity.com/threads/the-future-of-unity-feedback.633241/page-8

 

As will this one, because we had like 20+ of these threads already.

Iirc even some devs at Unity would like to give us the dark skin for free, but their hands are tied by decisions made by people higher up the chain. Don't forget who's steering such big ships and temper your expectations accordingly.

 

I'll never understand people who think they have the right to make demands although the tool is given to them for free.

Bottom line, if the tool matches your requirements, then use it.
Otherwise, don't use it.

 

Sure, but withholding an interface theme seems... petty at this point. I own a Pro license, the dark theme didn't a factor in my decision to get a Pro license.

In fact having it so high up (it's practically first) in the unique "core" features of Plus and Pro, feels even weirder to me.

I start reading this list and see Dark UI and I go "wait, we reached the bottom of the barrel already?"

 

Yeah It really doesn't worth! Nobody would actually get the Pro version just for Dark theme! it wont be a deciding feature.
Ive been using the pro version for almost 3 years (in my work) but my office decided not to extend now until 2-3 months later when we publish the project. We use the pro version for too much reasons but sure the dark theme is not one of them.

 

I agree that the dark theme is not a feature that deserves to be pro-only.

But i disagree with people who feel entitled to make demands on a product that is given to them for free.

Edit : grammar

 

Let me guess. @xald is going to move to Godot unless his entitlement is met!

 

mod edit: personal attacks are against the rules.

 

Personal attacks won't get you anywhere.

@Martin_H pretty much nailed it in his post. Your thread isn't the first one of its kind and it won't be the last one either. This whole "make the dark theme free" has been discussed to death before and it likely won't happen.

Or maybe it will? Unity's new Editor UI is pretty moddable...

 

I pay for unity, and the dark theme never factored into this decision.

I dont know a single developer who has factored the dark theme into their decision to pay/not pay for unity.

At this point, its mostly just a decision that annoys users of the free tier, which is silly because keeping those guys around is the only way to progress them from free > paying customers.

Everyone will tell you that it doesnt have any basis in science that it hurts your eyes, people have posted this before, unity know etc etc, but it doesnt change the fact that its crazy we are still having this conversation in 2020.

All of that said, attacking other users and being generally aggressive is not the way to take this issue up.

 

Here is something practical you can do right now: Adjust the settings on your monitor to cut down the blue light, contrast, and overall brightness.

 

Not feasible for people whose work is color-sensitive, like all of the artists. The same reason why f.lux isn't a solution for them (otherwise magnificent utility).

AFAIK every professional app nowadays comes with dark (at least heavily gray) backgrounds as default. There's an option for that in Windows, Android and countless websites. Obviously free of charge. Unity is the only app in the known part of the universe to charge for a dark mode - so bizarre and simply annoying

Such a weird thing might acceptable in the 30-day trial version of the software. Perhaps that's how UT perceives its free version of the engine

 

you missed my very important point.

"Something practical you can do right now"

You dont need to wait for unity to get their S*** together to save your eyeballs. You can do this right now. I do, and I'm an artist. Don't have to have the color settings dialed in constantly.

 

Still have 6 months left for a Dark Theme update (unless they counted it being in Student edition as the update?)

 

I have 2 displays, one has built-in blue light filter and one doesn't. Both screens are already set on low bright/contrast. When I get them even lower the scene/game view gets really dark. And as other guys mentioned things then doesn't look correct.

The dark UI is not something that Unity invited or is an exclusive feature of Unity engine so offering it for money just doesn't makes sense.

And I apologize for my behavior above but those 2 guys weren't constructive and I weren't in the mood

 

i'm not defending unity. I think its is stupid. But there is no reason to make your eyes suffer. there is five threads about this a week, complaining here is meaningless. Might as well help yourself in the meantime.

 

I want more free stuff too. Back to work Unity slaves.

 

I'm surprised nobody has released a mod or something for Unity that does this.

I mean that would be a top seller on the asset store... oh wait..

 

Since I started using Unity I have seen at least three mods to add a dark theme. It's just they ultimately end up being defeated due to changes in the API (most of the time they rely on undocumented APIs which are always in flux) or the developer no longer maintains them. Below is most recent one to my knowledge.

It has problems though which require reading through the remainder of the thread and applying a minor patch.

https://forum.unity.com/threads/editor-skinning-thread.711059/page-3#post-5778118

 

Unity should just open up their editor with a Mod API, I mean Ableton Live is great software, and there is a whole site dedicated to themes for it that can easily be applied. I think Unity needs to let go of their Dark Skin for Pro only! attitude and move into 2020.

 

Looks like the dark theme is just a bonus, some kind of gift to people who pay to use Unity; it's the only thing that make the paid plans different from the free one. If Unity Technologies were to allow it for the free version, they would have to find something else, another gift, to replace it...

 

There’s always the “it would be a shame if people knew you were using Unity” splash screen.

 

Unless you're making money.

 

Having the dark theme behind a paywall is a silly thing to do. Everybody knows that it's popular because it makes using Unity more comfortable, not because it adds bling to your editor.

I started using Unity 2019 as my main version a couple of months ago, and between the weak cursor highlighting (it looks as if someone sent out a mandate prohibiting RGB values less than 200) and the overall too-bright theme, it's been a bit of a burden on the eyes.

The way I see it, prompting users to pay by making the editor less comfortable to use sends entirely the wrong message, compared to locking a big feature such as realtime GI. When you pay for a feature, you understand that your money is making the difference to acquiring something useful and substantial. Paying to make the editor more comfortable to use comes across as if Unity were afraid to put a price on the things that make their engine really worthwhile, and so instead poke holes in the usability.

Imagine if a game came out with overblown bloom, and players had to pay to turn it down. There would be hell to pay and rightly so, and it would have nothing to do with what the game was worth.

 

Says the guy who's started an obnoxious/satirical "I want my dark theme in unity free, NOW" thread.

With a POLL, also.

 

Ah yes, I had forgotten that one.

Why should I be ashamed by the way?

 

Arent plus/pro users also getting free assets and great discounts in the Asset store as well? This is the only reason that'll get pro for. I wont be upset if Made With Unity logo appears in my apps/games even when I get the pro version.

 

Honestly I usually avoid threads like this because I just cringe so hard everytime I see someone defending the paywall for dark mode of all things. It makes me realize that people on the internet are just contrarian. No one has ever paid for Pro just to have dark mode. No one. "But Unity needs to get paid for their stuff!" Then why have a free tier at all? There is no point in arguing with these people, because they are just disagreeing for the sake of it. And at any rate, they have no say in the business decisions of Unity. It is the execs at Unity who have apparently chosen this as the hill they'll die on. Maybe a sound decision in 2006, not so much in 2020. I don't even care that much about dark mode, I'm more concerned that there is a living human being making a six- or seven-figure income after bonuses who unironically believes that "turn window dark grey" is a feature that is worth actual human dollars. Not the engine itself mind you, just making it "dark." That's the premium Unity experience. The fact that there are sycophants online who also defend bad decisions is kind of irrelevant. That's basically the Internet in a nutshell.

 

No, we're not!

 

I believe majority of them are not contrarian. Unfortunately It is just the same as when someone owns something and doesn't want others to have it or have the same of it. It is just greed, jealousy or similar things.

 

You don't have the Dark Skin in unity free so unity are greedy, jealous, or similar things? That's basically what you just revealed about yourself; you think unity not giving you access to the dark skin in unity free, is them being greedy, jealous, or other similar things. What if I told you it was you who was like that?

 

Calm down and read carefully. My last post and the post I replied to was not about Unity it was about people who defend and support them and object against change suggestions and demands. Like many people here in this thread.

 

This is a brilliant reply.

Thank you for proving me right about you.

 

I, too, am a big fan of this snippet.

Code (CSharp):

1. private void Awake()
2. {
3.     if (feelingBored)
4.     {
5.         Opinion opinion = GetOpinion(mood, amountOfCaffeineInBody);
6.  
7.         if (opinion.hasBeenDebatedMoreThanUnrealVsUnity)
8.         {
9.             ShareOnForums(opinion);
10.         }
11.         else
12.         {
13.             Work();
14.         }
15.     }
16. }
17.  
18. /// <summary>
19. /// Deprecated method.
20. /// </summary>
21. private void Work() { }
22.  

 

I love this.

Opinion wise, @xald doesn't want to hear other people's opinions. He wants to hear his opinion coming out of other people's mouths.

If we don't support his opinion then we are supporting unity with our greed, jealousy or some other similar behaviour, and, in his eyes, making unity even greedier.

 

Just speak on behalf of yourself and stop talking like the owner of Unity. I am asking for a basic thing to be offered for free but you and many others guys want Unity not to listen to us. I cant find an explanation for your behavior except the words I said in my previous post.

 

I'm out. This guy is living on another planet.

 

Wow, you couldn't be more wrong.

I have Plus subscription.
I don't make more than $100K out of Unity, I actually like to pay for my software. I guess it's a strange concept for you.
I do use only the light theme because my eyes are important to me.
I also think demanding things is menial.

And if it wouldn't be PR-suicide, Unity should have closed this thread already because it's against the rules. It is a duplicate of a duplicate of a duplicate...

 

This ^^^

My video game business has had just a few thousand in total revenue. Nowhere near what would require me to stop using Personal. I have Pro licenses for 4.x and 5.x and a Plus subscription, largely just to support the company. Dark mode is overrated, but nonetheless a nice little perk for the paying customers. Thousands of employees have to have their salaries come from somewhere.

 

WOW!!! PLUS USERS!!
I cant imagine what would've you done if you were pro or enterprise users! you would've stoned us? Letting forum users silencing people and insulting them when they ask for basic things is the real PR-Suicide

``I guess it's a strange concept for you.``
Despite the exchange rate in my country we've had unity pro version for almost 3 years despite we had very low margin rates and also despite not making any product in last years. Just to support and to pay back. But now we are really in tough days so we had to cancel it for a while.

 

Really? You accused us to be greedy and selfish and when we point out that you're dead wrong you are playing the victim? ROFL...

And? Do you go and stand in the front of your grocery store in person shouting and demand more things for free?
I guess not, what makes you think what you're doing here is okay?

 

Your logic is really hurting Unity, its PR and these forums. Just stop.

 

I'm not surprised. Based on every thread I've read about this subject it seems the majority of those most interested in having a dark theme in the free tier have no actual interest in being professional developers. Which is likely one of the reasons Unity just doesn't change. The ones most interested are the least likely to become pros and make them money.

 

lol. It's people like you who do that.

 

I use the dark theme, since I have a paid license. I personally think it looks a lot better, but I would never have paid for a license just to get the dark theme. That would have been too weird.

I honestly think Unity should modernize their licensing and give everybody the dark theme including free users. I don't say that because people are entitled to anything, though. I say that because I honestly think Unity looks better with the dark theme and companies should try to look their best in order to get maximum profits.

Other games engines don't give themselves a worse looking editor UI in the free tier. The whole point of the free tier is to get people buzzing about a product. Releasing a free version that does not look as good is counter productive for the business.

 

Back in the day, Unity had a rap for generally looking really bad, with the emergence of v3.x, lots of games submitted to Steam used the default terrain and grass textures, which made a lot of the games look the same, and so the Unity splash screen became synonymous with these games.

Then on the other hand we had Unreal Engine, which looked good out the box, so there was a clear distinction between the two engines 'default' look.

Ironically, if your game looks bad, it all really comes down to the artist, not the engine. But when you're a noob making your first WOW Killer MMO, one tends to miss these things...

 

Indeed Unreal Engine had the exact opposite approach to handling their logos. Unity forces the logo onto the free tier but the Unreal Engine logo is only usable if you have permission from Epic Games.

 

I know Unity has said that was probably a mistake in one of their live events. Jokingly saying maybe they should have required the Unity logo on just their Pro users instead