Your Unified Opinion?

Hello. First time poster! Wahoo!!!

I am new to Unity and hopefully I can get started on something soon after I learn some of the basics. I was wondering if anyone here has any insight to using Unity from a 3D artist's point of view (with minimal programming ability)? I am looking for actual user reaction and not from the Unity staff.. (sorry David . I can see there is a fair amount of scripting ability needed, but how "easy" would it be to make a game from the provided scripts with slight modifications? (not a specific game, but just think in general)...

Just looking for a general view of how you all perceive the environment and ease of use. Also, would you recommend it to other 3D artists who are looking into game creation?

Thanks

Carl Desmond

 

Be brutal guys

I'll close my eyes in the meantime.

d.

 

Well I'm an aritist and I bought it, but I'm mostly going to get programmers to write the scripts I need, I have a programmer of my own, and I can always trade graphics for scripts.

So if you need a script writen you can get lots of help here in the forums, and if you can't hack it I'm sure you can get someone to write it for you, usualy with no need to reward, but some graphics are great things for the programer people so its easy to trade.

Check out http://widgetmonkeys.com/ thats Dav's stuff and he isn't a programer, so I'm sure you will not be unhappy with this investment. Jeff

 

Ok... here is my limited opinion (only been using the Demo for 8 days or so)

Currently you can make some simple and fun games right away with the tools and scripts that are currently provided, however you will need to touch up on programing. Let me also say, the integrated system and interface makes the learning curve very short - and even fun. (Just do some research on the Torque Engine and you well see what I mean)

The thing that really interests me is the way Unity can handle scripts. Just drag a script on to an object and it works. The potential is huge for the beginners. What my hope is... as the community grows, people will upload scripts like they do with plug-ins for 3d programs. Imagine, a download section where people share object scripts:

Need a script for hovering vehicle - download hoverCraft.js.
Need a script for chatting over internet - download interChat.js
Need a script for saving high-scores - download scoreSave.js
ex, ex.....

As the Unity community grows, so will the ease of creating more complex system faster and better.

 

most likely you'll want to customize your scripts because you'll want to do something they don't. once you get it though, scripting isn't that hard *cough* and the rest of unity is super easy to use and just really cool. you can get a generic simple game together in no time using the "packaged" scripts. i agree with xacto - eventually scripts will be shared all over the forum. pdrummond for example has been graciously posting his vehicle scripts on his web pages. others certainly share too and the otee guys respond to questions fast. think more and more sharing will come. i will when i have something worthwhile to offer...

 

I have worked with two other major game engines (BlitzMax and Torque) and Unity is BY FAR the most artist friendly. Unity is also a Mac progam from the ground up, (and it shows) unlike the others (which are ports), so if you like the Mac way, you will like Unity.

Richard.

 

Well David, you can open your eyes so far.. maybe you should just peek for now. Sounds good all around so far.

Related Questions:
Are there any other stumbling blocks to development? For instance; should I stay away from adding quicktime movies to objects or just stay away from text objects or layered PSD files, 3ds files, textures... etc.? Are there any differences in the documentation that leave you scratching your head? (other than the typos)

Thanks

Carl Desmond

 

Carl, welcome to the Unity forums! I gave a very long answer to Scoo a while back that answers many of your questions ... it's in this thread here. And to answer the following specifically ...

The main "stumbling" block to creating a larger mid-high level game will be the ability to script. But as another poster pointed out, there are a large number of users here that are scripters/programmers before they are artists so it balances out and many generously donate their time and abilities in helping us left-brain types out. But getting into Unity, the workflow, how things get done, and simple games are easily within most Mac users grasp (even my seven year old can get himself around the UI and manage to figure many thigs out).

Even at the higher end, many of the Javascripts written by the better coders can be taken apart and studied/built on to get a grasp of how it all comes together.

I'd stay away from QT movies right now as they will be memory intensive but otherwise create what you need. I/we use PSD files, my modeler partner is a Studio Max guru and classically trained animator (I use Cheetah and some Cinema 4D/Maya), and we use SubEthaEdit for scripting. maya works best but .3ds files are fine too.

The documentation can be spotty and sometimes lacks examples. The OTEE guys are making a great effort for the upcoming 1.1 to significantly improve the manuals with much more full examples, better explanations, etc. So while there is still some head scratching involved, you can always just post your questions here and either Nicholas or David or Joe or Keli (freyr) will respond ... sometimes within minutes. The community here is anothe rpart of what makes Unity so special.

I am an artist first and foremost and have tried almost every "game creation tool" out there for the Mac since 1986. Unity stands far and above everything else out there. The Indie license is an excellent value for the money. You'll actually create stuff in it.

Feel free to post, PM or email me with any other questions. Welcome to Unity!