Unity (game engine)

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Unity


Developer:	OverTheEdge
Latest release:	1.6 / November 28, 2006
OS:	Mac OS X (creation and deployment), Microsoft Windows (deployment)
Use:	Game engine
License:	Proprietary
Website:	unity3d.com

Unity is a video game development environment released in 2005 by Over The Edge I/S, for producing Mac and Windows games using Mac OS X.

It features support for the AGEIA's physics engine, OpenGL and OpenAL, and allows deployment as a Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X executable, a Web page (via the Unity plugin) under Mac OS X or Windows, or a Dashboard widget under OS X. It is also possible to adapt Unity content as a Mac OS X screen saver.

Unity has a hierarchical, visual editing environment with detailed property inspectors. Assets are created using various 3D modeling, graphics, and audio software, and then assembled into a game using Unity. Scripting is based on Mono, the open source implementation of the .NET Framework, and programmers are free to use JavaScript, C#, or Boo (Python-inspired) syntax.

Unity is aimed at small developers and studios but has been used by some of the larger studios too. It is known for its rapid development process and rapid prototyping ability, as well as advanced ready-to-use physics and graphical effects, which can leverage modern GPU hardware but can automatically fall back to lower quality levels when run on older GPUs.

Unity was a runner-up in the Best OS X Graphics category in the 2006 Apple Design Awards.

[edit] Major Features

Integrated development environment supporting in-game previews.
Advanced graphical features, such as Bumpmapping, Reflection mapping and Parallax mapping.
The ShaderLab language for custom graphical effects, supporting shaders written in Cg. Render-to-texture and full-screen post processing effects are also supported in the Pro version.
Support for the PhysX physics engine.
Scripting via Mono.
Automatic asset importing - assets load directly into Unity without the need to manually export them in a compatible format and are re-imported automatically when the asset file is updated.

[edit] External links

Unity Website Official Web site
Unify Unofficial Unity collaboration community and Wiki
GooBall A commercial game created with Unity
WidgetMonkeys Unity-created 3D Dashboard widgets
Serious Games Interactive OTEE's sister company
Open Fire A freeware game created with Unity
Graveck Interactive Creators of OverWhelmed Arena and other titles in development using Unity
Big Bang Brain Games A bundle of puzzle games created with Unity by Graveck Interactive and published by Freeverse