Some questions about using unity

Hello, I have several questions I am sure you guys can answer for me.

I am going to be working on some tabletop Game Modules for the Pathfinder RPG under the OGL and the biggest obstacle I am facing is in the commission of artwork. To have created what I need will probably cost 100 times more than I ever hope to make on drive Thru RPG and if I use my own artistic ability I will have pictures of stickmen holding swords- Which will not be good =P

Anyhow after much searching, I realize I can easily use unity to create some awesome custom scenes which I could then screenshot and use in my module- Giving me professional quality for relatively cheap and something I can do on my own. After watching a few videos I am thinking this solves my problem....

Can I do this? If I purchase some assets can I make a scene just to screenshot and use in my module? I know the intent of unity and assets is to make computer games but quite simply,I want to use it to make scenes to illustrate my module which I plan on selling. Is this permissible?

Also, If I buy a character asset to use for an NPC I would zoom in on his face and upper body and have the picture next to the NPC description- Is there an easy way( sliders perhaps?) to set a facial expression that I want or are the faces static?

Im a total noob to unity, game programming and everything you smart people are doing here- However, after seeing how easy it looks to make non interactive scenes I think this may solve my problem.I could custom create the illustration I need and screeenshot it-

Thanks

 

Hi. I'm not an expert on Unity, and I am just learning Game Development myself. However I will try to help you out the best I can by pointing you in what I think is the right direction.

Seeing as no one has yet answered your question, I am not sure your question belongs in General Discussion.

You might try shortening the question and asking on Unity Answers.

Or try the Game Design forum.

 

Unity isn't only for games. If you want to use it for machinima, sure. It sounds like you might be talking about still images, though, in which case that's still fine, but you'd be better off with an app that's actually intended for that, such as Blender.

Sorry, but neither of those are appropriate. Answers is for a single specific question that has a definite answer (not discussion) and the game design category is only for game design, as clearly laid out in the FAQ, not unrelated discussions or technical implementations. The bit about setting a facial expression is an example of what would be appropriate for Answers, but none of this has to do with game design.

--Eric

 

Unity can do this. Plenty of games have 'in engine' cut scenes for the minor scenes. However a purpose build 3D animation suite will be better for the big scenes.

 

@Eric5h5, my apologies for giving bad advice. Thank you for clearing that up, and for pointing out the appropriate use of forums.

 

That's OK, I just wanted to clarify things. There's a tendency for topics to get dumped in Game Design (and Teaching) that really shouldn't be there, so they have to be moved.

--Eric

 

Thanks guys.

I suppose I never thought about blender because it doesnt have an asset store (that im aware of) but with unity it seems like I can find everything right here for a few hundred dollars along with some free stuff which would give me a really nice start for creating some scenes.

I very much appreciate the advice. =)

 

You don't need a Blender asset store...just use Turbosquid, or any other place that sells 3D models.

--Eric