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Tutorial Ideas

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by joshcamas, Mar 20, 2018.

  1. joshcamas

    joshcamas

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    Hello friends!

    I'm looking to make some tutorials, here are my current ideas:
    *Save System
    *Foliage System

    Is there anything that seems to be lacking in the tutorial department?
     
  2. Joe-Censored

    Joe-Censored

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    A few off the top of my head:

    * Networking for card or board games. Basically all Unity networking tutorials focus on moving and syncing a player character, but there's none for how to make a game where the point of the game isn't moving a character or firing a bullet. It is a frequent question in the networking forum, but the forum isn't a good place to get a thorough answer for something like this.

    * Using the LOD system

    * Using the new jobs system coming in 2018.1

    * Tips for using the particle system (There's several good tutorials on this one already, but they mostly touch the surface. There's room for tutorials on more advanced usage outside of just what the various parts of the particle system do)

    * Using the post processing stack

    * Async additive scene loading and unloading, such as in a large open world game

    * Why float accuracy becomes a problem when a GameObject's position is far from 0,0,0, and techniques for working around that problem in large open world games

    * Integrating the Steam SDK, and utilizing some of its features such as buying items and having them appear in game, adding Steam achievements, etc

    * Utilizing a PHP/MySQL webserver as a centralized database for your game

    * Alternatives to liberal use of gameobject "Find" methods and GetComponent calls in your Update loop

    * How to use CODE tags on the forum :p (ok this one is just a joke)
     
  3. joshcamas

    joshcamas

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    Aye thanks man! This is a super helpful list!!

    LMAOO
     
  4. theANMATOR2b

    theANMATOR2b

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    Quality mobile lighting setup - with real-time shadowing for skinned characters.
     
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  5. BIGTIMEMASTER

    BIGTIMEMASTER

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    overviews of common optimization techniques for open world/high graphics quality games.

    tutorial need not be comprehensive, but include links to resources for further study.
     
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  6. joshcamas

    joshcamas

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    I'm working on a "open world" (rather a small one, but it uses all the optimization tactics an open world must use), so these are perfect ideas.

    I think I will be doing a tutorial on world streaming, world data structure, etc could be good. Sadly my setup is quite complex so I can't really make a tutorial on it, however if I boil it down to simple concepts I might be able to get a good tutorial :)

    On a different note, I know 90% of tutorials are video, but what about text / image tutorials? I personally like those a lot more, what about you guys?
     
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  7. theANMATOR2b

    theANMATOR2b

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    I consume tutorials in every form available. Text and image format are better for archiving and returning to specific sections.
     
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  8. Joe-Censored

    Joe-Censored

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    I find text and image tutorials to be better for more advanced usage of a feature and code heavy tutorials, as code examples are clearly written instead of having to pause the video at specific points to read the code. Video is better for concept overviews and explaining a topic in a more conversational way. Video is also great for demonstrating how a change affects the output of the game, and should be the go to format for most graphics related tutorials.

    The Brackeys tutorials are a good example for what a video tutorial should be. Relatively short (about 10 minutes), where it introduces a lot of high level stuff but doesn't get too bogged down in the details, with an example built pretty much in real time to demonstrate the concepts. Text/Image tutorials can then take that further by diving into those details glossed over in videos. My opinion at least.
     
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  9. BIGTIMEMASTER

    BIGTIMEMASTER

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    bad tutorials -- overview of tools

    good tutorials -- defining a job that a person may want to do, and then showing how to use the tools to get the job done

    done the right way, I can watch a tutorial video once or twice and get it. Done the wrong way, I have to keep referring back to the video over and over. Very frustrating.

    I think making a good step-by-step video tutorial is very difficult because it takes more planning than most teachers are going to put into it. People think, "oh, i know how to do a thing, i'll show others," and then they jsut do what they normally do and narrate along the way.

    That's commendable, and certainly how the majority of my learning material is comprised, but every once in awhile you find some instructor who slowly explains what is going to be done, why it is going to be done, summarizes the general workflow and theories involved, and then as they start getting into the execution, they refer back to that outline so that when a new tool is introduced, I am able to understand what is happening now and what will happen next, rather than feeling like a dog drug around on a leash, having no idea where I am going until I get there.
     
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2018
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  10. theANMATOR2b

    theANMATOR2b

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    One pointer I can give is to provide the 'why' not just the 'how' when showing a technique or setup.

    One of the most overlooked things people do in tutorials (even those who are good at presenting tutorials) is to say something like "don't ever use this 'thing' use this instead" and then go on without giving a solid reason WHY someone shouldn't ever use that thing. Saying something like "just trust me" or "it's important just don't" doesn't share the knowledge to the viewers/learners. All they now know is not to do something because they 'heard' it from someone else - not to - but the really don't know the 'reason' why not to.

    Provide the 'why' and the people will gain knowledge while using the learning material, have that knowledge to apply it to other situations, and share with there friends how well the training material is delivered.
     
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  11. Kiwasi

    Kiwasi

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    Experience users love text. Beginner users love video.

    Ultimately there are far more beginner users of Unity then their are advanced users. This means its easier to get noticed and payed in video, although video and text pay rates for advertising are pretty low. Plus YouTube's recent monetisation changes mean that video tutorial monetisation is harder to qualify for.
     
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  12. joshcamas

    joshcamas

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    True! Luckily my main reason for wanting to do tutorials is honestly to get noticed, to push forward my game I've been working on. Plus I've just been wanting to make tutorials regardless. :) So the monetization isn't a factor for me.