New Input System and Unity Remote 5

I've been around Unity iOS since Unity 1.5. Remote has worked since then, until now. It's not just indies. This kills me because Input System is fantastic for dealing with new and arbitrary peripherals as needed, but for mobile dev it the lack of Remote support completely fractured my development processes.

 

---Daily Bump 2 (albeit late)---
Please see quoted text detailing this bump.

 

--Undaily Bump 3---

Wont be able to keep up with daily bumps due to my first kid coming into the world, but I'll keep this up as much as possible. If someone else wants to also do a bump on days I don't, I'd appreciate it. Either way... *points up*

 

How to burn a day or two! Just tripped over this wonderful time sink. Oh well, back to the old

 

---Bump 4 ----

 

I've had the same problems, the thing is i did manage to get it working ... once ... then whatever I did next I broke it and everything's busted now ...can't even remember what worked!

 

-- Colorful Pastel Easter Bump --

 

-- Bumpity Bump Bump --

 

Adding myself to this. Unity Remote is THE tool you use for debugging touch inputs, it's insane that the Input system wouldn't support it.

 

As a developer with no (recent) apple device to work with, it is crucial that I am able to test my app without the loop of checking my changes in and waiting for the unity cloud service to build my app, then wait for it to land in testflight after that, and hope that I see the notification when it's ready. This entire loop is more than an hour for my app!!!

So I either deal with >1 hour build times between being able to see how things feel or I need to spend >$1000 on a new macbook because apple has forced me out of being able to use xcode on my old machine so they can push me towards their new gear.

It is very important to express how useful the unity remote is to testing highly iterative features without waiting on various build servers, processes, stores, and deployment systems to complete. I've lost faith that I can make my touch movement production ready with this kind of workflow in front of me.

I adore the new input system. Please fix this

 

Its worth mentioning here that the path of least resistance here is to pick up a USB-C Touch Monitor and use that to debug.... ugh I know, and limitations especially with camera-related apps...but if it fills the niche for $250-300 that's not a terrible stop-gap...................

 

But we shouldn't be pigeonholed into purchasing a piece of equipment to remedy a broken product that A) was developed by a publicly traded software company and B) has been known to be broken for AT LEAST 8 months.

But because they are focused on being adopted by larger, nearer to AAA companies to appease shareholders, us small indie devs are left carrying the bags.

 

-- Sunday Bumpday --

 

Eh, its not 100% fair to call it "Broken" as the old InputManager based stuff works just fine with Unity Remote. Not saying this isn't a completely pathetic state of affairs, but there is a functional path that doesn't require new hardware.

 

I guess... but its like your city opens a new road that takes you straight to work without any traffic, only to have them find out a couple weeks in that the contractors accidentally left steel rebar sticking out of the concrete, then go silent for a year saying "Well, you can still go your old way". Extremely disheartening

 

It puts you in such a frustrating position, either use the system that is not the way out (maybe) and probably not going to have any more work done on it or, move forward with a new system that is incomplete and a bit scary
Over the last year I've been moving my UI stuff over to the new system, only to find there's now a new New system available. This seems to be case with so many parts of Unity. I kinda hope at some point they just work on improving things rather than rewriting everything.

Anyway the new Input system has a lot of good points and that's great hopefully they can give us a heads up on the future plans.

Just wondering, @Fenrisul, how do you actually set up the touch screen? Do you have to run a dual monitor and then just drag the game view over? Also I wonder if there's a way to use an iPad in sidecar mode or something.

 

At least on Windows, the touch screen just behaves correctly. You'll get touch events through the standard Windows multitouch interface, which the new InputSystem does process correctly. I keep my game view on that monitor and treat it as a single display(USB-C single cable power and data).

In my case, I do (did - screw you Covid19) a lot of kiosk-development and have some 60" TV multitouch displays, but DANG would I prefer to migrate my mobile development over to the new stuff properly instead of having compiler directives everywhere.

I haven't actually used this one (one of the latest Asus USB-C Touch Monitors), but have owned one of just about every generation prior of this line and they work great even as USB-C displays/inputs *for your mobile device* when giving presentations, etc. This one in particular actually has a significant battery in it so it wont drain your device.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08129R9JS/ref=dp_cr_wdg_tit_rfb

 

Hey thanks for the heads up. That would probably be way more accurate (and faster) than the old remote was. Good to know it’s an option.

 

It's an option heh, I'm not going to call it more accurate than the Unity Remote app as its a completely different stack of drivers and has different quirks. IE: modern iOS devices can refresh touch at upwards of 120hz, palm rejection is totally different, IMU and Screen Orientation is different or non-existent, etc.

 

-- Y.A.B.P --

 

-- Bumping Again --

 

Wish I had seen this thread about 3 hours ago... if there's no fix anytime soon, how about adding a warning to Unity Remote "Does not work with the new input system." to save people time and frustration.

 

Yeah sorry I hadn't bumped in a while. I wouldn't hold your breath for any sort of help from staff. The last time they commented on this thread was in October.

 

On that note I hope @Rene-Damm is doin alright - haven't heard from him in quite a bit.

 

Looks like he was last on the forums April 21st. So probably just super busy since Unity went public.

 

I will just leave a note here that I am also desperately waiting for UnityRemote to work with the new Input System.

 

-- A Bumping Haiku --

Oh, Unity Devs
Your tools are great, yet you spurn
Notice me Senpai

 

I randomly ran into this thread while trying to figure out why I could view my game with Unity Remote but the inputs wasn't working... This is typical Unity. Unity is fixing more pressing concerns and don't have the time to fix elemental integrations for the things they already added. The company don't actually have the resources to add all the stuff they are trying to add. It could take years for Unity to fix this. Maybe the new Input System will be deprecated before they get around to it.

Unity is heavily used for mobile games. Fix functionality for mobile games instead of pushing in resources in 1000 other areas like HDRP seems like a smart move to me. Trying to be a jack of all trades can easily end up in being a jackass of all trades.

 

-- Bump --

Would reaaaaaalllly like some sort of unity rep response to this. Maybe if we all stand in a circle and start chanting we can summon one?

 

Today I discovered that the input system doesn't work with unity remote, after trying out the new "Starter Assets" that have UI joysticks for mobile.
The natural thing to test is the "feel" of the controls using Unity Remote at first, without having to do a build.

Everything works fine with the build. So to keep using Input System, I'll iterate through builds, but this is definitely an important feature for early iteration.

Thanks, and good luck to the team to update Unity Remote.

 

I'm the first one to call shenanigans on this whole Unity Remote failure of understanding from Unity-team... its unbelievably critical in a ton of mobile app development cycles... But for what its worth, its relatively cheap to buy a USB-C Touch monitor to continue developing without having to push builds... It wont have IMU data or proximity or anything like that... but its better than zero. Sucks big time for UX reasons (Screen size...device weight / ergonomics... etc... can't be tested *at all* without building...).

 

Yeah... just read through that issue. I think I might camp here as well and join the army

 

Joining the thread. I need unity remote to get readouts from accelerometer sensors.

 

So, any updates on this or is Unity Remote 5 like... abandoned?

 

I've came across this issue just right now. Unity representatives notice us please.

 

My guess is either...

A) The people at Unity just dont care. They're too focused on profits now that they're public and unity remote with the new input system is simply not worth the time or the cost.

B) The new input system was written without unity remote in mind and thus would require a complete rewrite of the input system or unity remote...which is not worth the time or the cost.

I think we're SOL everyone.

 

A is just incorrect, they are actively working on this for sure - its just a very specific tool path and involves multiple teams, but I really think they didn't understand how critical it is in most of our uses.

B is definitely incorrect - InputSystem has a Remote Debug option built into which actually does work just fine from Mobile <--> PC, but cannot shuttle Video over which makes it a glorified Wacom-touch tablet with no screen.

 

What a beautiful travel through time that was. Still pissed that I spent several days futilely attempting to fix a bug that I never caused. Would sincerely appreciate some progress, or an update at the least, on this issue. Thanks Unity and thanks to everyone keeping this going.

 

At this point maybe I'll just write one - sounds like I'd make a killing lol

 

I started a new project a few days ago and figured I'd spend time learning the new input system... all works fine using the mouse and then I try to use touch in Unity Remote - and it doesn't work? Gotta be kidding me Unity, that's a huge oversight.

 

It's been one thing after another since 2019.3, incompatibilities galore, use the Lightweight RP ok now it's the URP so seems it's still being developed so stick with normal 3D until it's fully fleshed out, ok so no shader graph or visual effects graph then? nope!, do the standard assets work...nope!----> New starter assets great, does it fully work with mobile testing...nope! Come on! It seems all the priorities are small things and one of the MAJOR things Unity is good for is MOBILE, yet they didn't know the Remote was being used that much? Come on Mobile Development over Unreal is a highlight how could they not realise this and the testing is done on the remote? The Unity Remote should have been a top priority, I do mobile and 3D and both recently have been a pain to work with in Unity, I might jump ship and return once they sort all this out and have everything compatible and working to create decent 3D mobile games.

 

It's also frustrating because staff at Unity are fully aware of this issue and have been for at least TWO YEARS the last response from a staff member almost a year ago basically saying "Yeah, we're working on it", then nothing. No communication. No warning on the app or unity itself. Just deafening silence. If they had any line of communication out there, even a "Yeah, we're still working on it" post, I'd feel a little better.

 

Attached solution for touch inputs. I might add gyro n' friends at some point.

@Rene-Damm

 

Love the comments and licensing.

 

Thanks Let me know if it works on your end! I was able to test it pretty thoroughly with UnityRemote 5.

 

Hi...
How you misjudged how much remote IS being used? that has no sense for me... how many downloads, maybe?
it is obvious that the app is very common in indie devs. I do not trying to be a bad guy but, You think we are compiling everytime we want to test something? xd
Is there any update for unity remote? any alternative maybe?

 

See my post above, I attached a working temp-solution to use Unity Remote with Touch support in the new InputSystem.

https://forum.unity.com/threads/new-input-system-and-unity-remote-5.735968/page-2#post-7409885

 

On that note, @Rene-Damm is there any reason a workaround like this couldn't be placed into a compiler directive somewhere in the InputSystem preview?

 

Going to try it but for now i like the "Written by Mitch because he was upset at people being upset" XD

 

@Fenrisul Ok yeah you are a hero... Thaaaaanks...