Due to its limited 2D possibilities, Unity3D isn’t the most intuitive, yet a very fast, way to create 2D game prototypes. Unity seems to be aware of this though, as the company keeps adding features to cater to the needs of 2D development. We take a quick look at some of the latest improvements.
Technology
Dynamic Music in Unity3D
Dynamic Music in Unity3D
Character creation isn’t always the most thrilling part of a videogame. For the strategic card game Incarnate we wanted to put a unique spin on it by adding a dynamic soundtrack that adapts on the fly when you select different components to assemble your character.
Would a 4K Resolution Oculus Rift be Possible?
Would a 4K Resolution Oculus Rift be Possible?
Oculus Rift has a lot going for it, but currently screen resolution isn’t one of those things. Incited by the remark of a client, we set out on a mathematical journey to find out whether Oculus theoretically could develop a 4K resolution headset considering present technological boundaries.
Indoor Positioning: Recreating a Smartphone’s 3D Path
Indoor Positioning: Recreating a Smartphone’s 3D Path
We tried to figure out if it’s possible to reconstruct a smartphone’s three-dimensional path using only accelerometer and gyroscope data. This could be used for instance to draw a race track in a room by walking around, while waving your phone as a brush to draw the track.
Technology Research 2013
Technology Research 2013
For PreviewLabs, keeping up with new technologies is of the utmost importance. Balancing the actual prototyping with doing research isn’t always easy, so we put our intern Peter on the job. Here are some topics he will look into so we can build better prototypes for a wider array of platforms.
Using Iggy for Flash Animation in Unity3D
Using Iggy for Flash Animation in Unity3D
Recently, we have been looking into technologies that allow integration of Flash animations in Unity3D prototypes and games. This seems to be very useful to create complex 2D animations in Flash, and play them in Unity.
Unity 4 Announced
Unity 4 Announced
Announcements about updates of Unity3D, our primary working tool, are always a big thing. We’ve taken a quick look at the additions the company is planning to make and although most big changes are targeted at studios who make full quality games, there are some elements that can be of interest to us as well.
ActiveCollab 3.0 Timer Issue: Resolved
ActiveCollab 3.0 Timer Issue: Resolved
To monitor the exact time we spend on a project we use a system called ActiveCollab 3.0. A planning tool with a broken timer however is no good at all, so we’ve looked into a solution to solve a cumbersome timer issue generated by an automatic update of the software.
Augmented Reality: Our Findings
Augmented Reality: Our Findings
It’s impossible to estimate how useful a certain technology will be to us without first exploring the technological boundaries. We spent the last few weeks stretching augmented reality to its limit in order to assess the possibilities the tech offers. Here’s some things we found out.
Dartboard AR Prototype Video
Dartboard AR Prototype Video
What to do when you want to play a quick game of darts but there’s no dartboard in sight? You whip out your smartphone and use the digital dartboard prototype that’s brought to you by the combined power of PreviewLabs and augmented reality of course. Video inside!
Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality
A recent trend in game development is augmented reality. In AR games, the real world is blended with a virtual world. This certainly is something that sounds very cool and triggers imagination. However, until now there hasn’t been a breakthrough, as the first mainstream AR game still needs to be developed.
2D Game Development in Unity3D: Overview
2D Game Development in Unity3D: Overview
To conclude our series on 2D Game Development in Unity3D, we’ve made a nifty overview of the different methods and when you should or shouldn’t use them. If you haven’t checked out the previous posts, we highly recommend you read those first.
2D Game Prototyping in Unity3D: Orthographic Projection
2D Game Prototyping in Unity3D: Orthographic Projection
Continuing our series on 2D Game Development in Unity3D we’ll take a look at the final method we’ve utilized so far. When the use of a GUI Class or Sprite Manager System doesn’t cut it, you might want to look at the game through another camera angle, thus using ortographic projection.
GDC Europe and gamescom 2011: Day 3
GDC Europe and gamescom 2011: Day 3
It’s the final day of GDC Europe (and the first of gamescom) which means we hardly can’t feel our feet anymore. Our tongue works fine though, so we chat up one of the lead developers of Game Maker and walk away with some intriguing intel we can use in the future.
2D Game Prototyping in Unity3D: Sprite Manager Systems
2D Game Prototyping in Unity3D: Sprite Manager Systems
The simplest way to create 2D games in Unity3D might not always be the best way. In this post we take a look at the possibilities and drawbacks of Sprite Manager Systems and compare them to simply using the GUI Class.