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Unity Essentials Books Giveaway

Together with Packt Publishing, we’re giving away a couple of books on Unity3D!

Six of our readers will get either Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials or Unity iOS Essentials.

Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials seems to be aimed at users new to Unity3D and gives quite a complete tour of the game engine – covering beginner’s topics like 3D game development basics and user interfaces, but also more advanced topics as ray-casting and optimization.

One of the main differences when developing for iOS, compared to PC or Mac, is that you have to be more careful when it comes to performance. The author of the other book, Unity iOS Essentials, is clearly aware of this, as the readers already get their hands dirty in the the second chapter called iOS Performance Guide.

All you have to do to make a chance to win one of the books is to add a comment to this post, letting us know which one of the two books you’d like to win, and what topics you’d like to read more about in it.

An overview of the topics covered in the books can be found here and here (under the ‘Table of Contents’ tab).

Winners will be selected at random. Winners from the U.S. and Europe can either choose to receive a physical copy of the book or the eBook. Winners from other locales are limited to the eBook only. The contest will close on the 14th of February, and the winners will be contacted by email the day after – so be sure to use your real email address when you comment!

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60 thoughts on “Unity Essentials Books Giveaway”

  1. Fede says:

    Great initiative! I’d like the Unity iOS Essentials

    Thanks!!

  2. I’d love to get my hands on that Unity iOS Essentials!

    I’m currently at the stage of being about to release my own iOS title (made in Unity). But any new stuff and performance/optimisation I can learn is welcome.
    Besides that I already own the other one (written by will goldstone), and just generally love having physical books to read when not around a computer (which happens to me often, as the battery in my macbook is currently slowly dying)!

    – Dennis

  3. Awesome!! This book is amazing!

  4. Sune Wolff says:

    Nice. Would like to get the “Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials” to read more about the GUI and HUD stuff. Alos it is always nice to have more game examples explained.

  5. Sjoerd Nutma says:

    Would love to get the “Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials”. Being a 3d artist, I would be mostly interested in learning more about scripting and GUI. Thanks for organizing this little give-away, great stuff!

  6. Akos Makovics says:

    I would like to get a copy of Unity iOS Essentials!
    I am creating my first game for iOS/Android. I am interested in performance optimization, and how to deal with different device resolutions in an effective way.
    Thanks:
    Akos

  7. Great idea! I loved Will’s previous edition, but I would be interested in the latest one for the C# examples.

  8. Henry Trujillo says:

    As an iPhone developer trying to learn new engines, I would be really excited to get the Unity iOS Essentials book. Thanks for having this give-away!

  9. Jaimi McEntire says:

    Great idea! Would really love to win the Unity Game Development Essentials book, but would like the IOS book too!!

    What I would like to read about in this book:

    Creating the environment, player interactions, inventory (etc). Rigid bodies, physics, the animation editor (Really looking forward to this one), performance tweaks and optimzations.

    Looks like a great book!

  10. Adeno Games says:

    Dear Bernard François,

    My choice of book (physical copy) is Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials by Will Goldstone. The reason for this is that I am a game developer primarily for the PC, as I still can’t afford to buy an iPhone and the license in Unity to make games for it. Having a physical copy of the book would also be great because it will allow me to bring it anywhere, and I’ll be able to read it even while doing laundry. Just like a lot of people in today’s world, I’m part of those who suffered financially these recent years where even $20 mean 2 week’s worth of grocery food already.

    As to what I’m looking forward to reading in the book by Will Goldstone,I’m interested in educating myself in everything it has to offer, from the conceptualization phase, how to break down game ideas and convert them into code, and then how to utilize the Unity engine into making my game ideas into something that people all over the internet can have fun with and enjoy! One of the primary things that also attracts me towards this book is the fact that instead of just focusing on using one language, it actually uses both C# and Unity/Javascript! As a C# guy, I see this as a chance to also see the differences between the two and it would enable me to make use of Javascript oriented Unity tutorials around the net and convert it into C# by myself because I would’ve developed a good understanding of it by then.

    Another reason as to why I want to have a copy of Will Goldstone’s book is because it will help me fulfill my childhood dream of creating wonderful games for people to play! The Unity engine is already there, available for all of us for free. All that one needs is a good understanding of how to make use of its full potential in order to realize the great game ideas in one’s mind, and this book has what it takes to do just that.

    Learning is a continuous process especially in the field of technology. Each book is valuable because it embodies what the author has learned so far and the author shares the vital knowledge through the book. As a person who has a strong desire to become the next successful independent game developer whose games will be loved by millions around the world, I can appreciate the importance of the Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials book by Will Goldstone.

    Thank you in advance and please check out my site for more info 😀

  11. Gary says:

    Of the two books I’d probably rather read “Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials”. I’ve never used unity before, so it’s hard to say which topic I’d want to read more on, perhaps an overview of extending the base engine through plugins wouldn’t go amiss, nothing too in-depth but enough to cover the basics and provide a foundation for further research.

  12. Unity is great!
    I co-worked on web unity game and it was a nice experience.
    I would like to dig more into phone games so I would like to read Unity iOS Essentials.
    Thanks.

  13. Xezzy says:

    Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials. I’d like to try C# in game programming — be cause practice makes perfect.

  14. baz says:

    Followed your indiegamer forum link. I’m about to start learning Unity, so I’ll need some books to get started 🙂

  15. Olek says:

    Seems two great books. We’re working on games for iOS, so I think Unity iOS Essentials book will be more interesting for me:)

  16. Scott says:

    I’d love to read the Unity iOS Essentials book. I have experience working with Unity Pro already, and would love a bit more of a primer before I take the plunge and buy the iOS license.

  17. Triomferus says:

    I’d like to win a copy of Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials as a reference/refresher.

  18. zul says:

    I’d love Unity 3 Game Dev Essentials! I’ve heard very good things about it. I’m a creative person with a general background in old-school game mods – but now I want to make my own games. However I have been struggling with scripting…

  19. Dries says:

    I’d love the book Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials. This because I’m learning how to create games on my own, and this book could help me reach this goal and expand my knowledge on how games work.

  20. Jason says:

    I would really like to get my hands on the Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials, I have been trying to get to grips with Unity for a while and any resource to help the process would be a welcome addition! I am specifically interested in the creation of shaders!

    Many Thanks

    Jason

  21. Tim says:

    I’ve read some sample pages of the eBook version of Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials and it looks like a very good book. I would love to have a hard-copy to read when without a computer and as a reference while developing. I hope to bring my Unity skills a step higher with better scripting techniques.

  22. Tomasz says:

    Unity iOS Essentials is really nice – would be great to have it in my library ;).

  23. Kyle says:

    I would like a copy of the “Unity iOS Essentials” book. I want to know the iOS ropes for a game I am developing. Thanks.

  24. Jose says:

    I´d prefer “Unity iOS Essentials”, basically because you have more strict constraints when programming in iOS and it´s always useful to know more about doing things the efficient way. I´ve been programming games for several years and once you know the basics I find it easy to throw all kinds of effects in your game… only to see it crawl at 10 frames per second when tested on older hardware (if it runs at all…). So yay for iOS Essentials!!

  25. Andrew Coyle says:

    I would absolutely love the “Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials” book. I’m reading one book at the moment, as I am a games dev and Unity noob. I have an idea that just keeps festering in my mind, but I haven’t got the skills to put it down into a playable game of any kind. This book would be fabulous is helping me achieve my goal of finally creating a game.

    Yes, this has been a dream of mine for 30 years, and now I am definately committed to the cause. I just need guidence.

  26. Brian says:

    I’d love a physical copy of Unity 3.x Game Development Essential. I’d love a hard copy reference as a sort of desk manual, plus I could tighten up my scripting and get a better hang of handling HUDs.

    Also, the ray casting section should be pretty interesting, I’ve not tried to do that yet.

  27. James says:

    I’d be interested in ‘Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials’. Learning more about scripting languages and tools is always useful 🙂

  28. Robin Marx says:

    The iOS book would be a great help, especially concerning using the device specific input (touch, accelerometer, etc.) and about how to deal with the device constraints (especially memory).

  29. Mike says:

    Both books look really interesting! …and I’d like to get Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials, if I win!

  30. MrPhil says:

    I’d like hear more about 2D development, how to roll your own GUI system and the raw DrawMeshNow approach (like AI Wars) in Unity3D.

    Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials please.

  31. Albert says:

    Yeah! Would like also to get the “Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials” to get some HUD tips. I think that could be an useful book.

  32. CL says:

    I would like to get a copy of Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials… looks like my kind of book!

  33. Dewayne says:

    This is pretty cool deal would love to have these added to my tool kit aka bookshelf. As a student in game design at Fullsail University I am always trying to find and learn something new about game development and teach my self.

  34. Julius says:

    I am very interested in “Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials” especially Chapter 2: Prototyping and Scripting Basics. I work on a farm so during the winter my funds are rather limited, and during the summer even more so. So for me having a chance to win a book i have been wanting is great. I would like to win a hardbound and digital version. However that may be to much to ask. This book does seem to provide me with a little of everything which is what i need being a new developer with no training in programing or digital art. So i have many books which i need to read and many programs to learn. I do hope to own this book one day.

  35. Ash says:

    After spending years working in the industry on the PR and Community side of games, with the occasional delving into developing my own stuff. I would like to get my hands on the Game Development Essentials, to hopefully learn a bit more and gain a better understanding of the development process, which in turn should help me in my current field of PR and Marketing.

  36. Austin Schaeffer says:

    I’d like the Game Development essentials to learn about culling and sharpen my skills so I can make a great game! I’m taking a game design at my school. That’s a joke! I study game development on my free time and this book would help ever so much <3

  37. Edgar says:

    I’d like this too, mainly for the scripting. Not really interested in iOS one as I don’t own neither mac nor iphone.

  38. Tyler Williams says:

    I am personally very interested in the “Unity iOS essentials” and in there, chapter two looks extremely intriguing. I am new to the scripting world and I think that this chapter is exactly what I need to get started (though I am fairly good at graphical design(2d art)). I feel that I could really do with a good copy of this book 🙂

  39. Joris Hermans says:

    Hmmm, seems to be nice! I hope I win!

  40. Wouter Hermans says:

    Looks great, I’m interested in making games.
    The first one is a great book because it’s for several
    people, I mean, for beginners and advanced people. So if I win
    I can use this book very well. We are now in an era of making
    games, And I want to be a part of it!
    About the second, I don’t have experience about writing in iOS,
    so I can’t say very much about it. But making games or app’s
    for apple looks to be nice, It’s an upcomming company, especially in computers and mobilephones!
    Generally, I prefer the first one.

    greetz,
    Wouter Hermans

  41. Hi.

    I’m an aspiring game designer, currently working out of a bedroom making a retro-styled old-school PC game called Retro Dungeon.
    I could very much fancy a copy of Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials.

  42. Alex says:

    The Unity Essentials book would be really cool as I’m teaching Unity from time to time. Would be interested to see how the book is structured in terms of covering the various topics. Also it’s really cool to have a book teaching more advanced topics than just the Unity Quick Start guide.

    I’d actually be interested in the topic of general GAME CREATION. What makes games tick and what makes a fun game fun and an awesome game awesome – preferrably covered by a unity book.
    Something like an approach to iterative game design and how to approach a topic like that. Level layouts for fun games – that kind of things. That’ covered way to seldom 🙂

  43. Christian says:

    Hey, great promotion. I would realy like the first book as I am developing for Windows/Mac and not interested in IOS development. Realy glad I found this today as I normaly find such promotions way to late.

  44. Iain says:

    They look great, I’d prefer Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials if I win!

  45. John Akerson says:

    These books seem like an amazing resource — always helpful to have more info!

  46. Dan Jenkins says:

    Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials
    I’m currently developing a PC platform space adventure and nearing completion but I’m really struggling with performance optimization of the instantiation and rendering of very large asteroid fields. Reading about Optimizing performance, advanced particle system stuff and anything I can find on billboarding could be a huge help.

  47. Arkadesh says:

    My choice would be Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials. Hard to say what topics would I like to see discussed more, as I haven’t read it yet, but surely as much as possible on the actual programming/scripting.

  48. Stropp says:

    I would like a copy of the Unity iOS Essentials. I have some experience with Unity itself, but not with iOS development. iOS Essentials looks like it will fill in some of the gaps in my knowledge and will find a prominent place in my library.

    Something I’d like to find out more about, which I’m not sure is covered in the book, is about implementing multiplayer capabilities in iOS games. Cheers.

  49. Kristoffer says:

    not having worked much with Unity before I would like “Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials”. As for topics, optimization and UI design priciples are what is most interesting to me.

  50. I would love to have the “Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials”. It would be great to have for myself and my team to learn more around the uses for Unity, especially for my artists and modellers who haven’t played around with it so much.

  51. James Howard says:

    Hi. I am a game design student and I am interested in the Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials book for the contest. I’m currently using UDK for my projects but I know of several peers that are interested in learning more about Unity. If I win the book I would donate it to the game design program at my university. Thanks for the contest.

  52. The 14th of February is now officially over in all parts of the world; the giveaway is now closed!

  53. Sorry – that was an hour too early. Contest will be closed within one hour, as the 14th hasn’t ended yet in Honolulu and French Polynesia!

  54. Time’s up. The 6 lucky winners will be announced soon!

  55. The following bash script decided the who’ll get a book:

    $ for i in {0..5} ; do echo $(($RANDOM%50)) ; done | sort -g
    13
    18
    21
    28
    32
    42

    These are: 13. baz, 18. Dries, 21. Tomasz, 28. Mike, 32. Dewayne, and 42.Christian

    Congratulations!

  56. Rolandd says:

    Thanks for the kind offer. I would like a copy of “Unity 3.x Game Development Essentials”.

  57. baz says:

    Lucky number 13 o/ Thanks guys.

  58. basil says:

    how can i get that book?

  59. basil says:

    Unity3d essentials

  60. hi Basil, I’m assuming you’re the same guy as ‘baz’ who posted the 14th comment… It’s actually the 13th who won a copy of the book (among five other commenters), so I guess you miscounted.

    The book itself can be purchased here.

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