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November 19, 2013

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Unity 3D for App and Game Development

Unity 3D Game Engine
For game and app development, Studio Pepwuper loves to use Unity 3D as our main software. If you’ve been thinking about getting into game or app development, or are a client looking for app development and are wondering what software to have your app/ game built with, here are our top 10 reasons why we choose Unity!

 

1. It’s FREE to Get Started with Unity
Unity3D comes with a Free version and a Pro version, but unlike most software with both payment options, Unity3D’s Free version is feature-complete. There are definite advantages to paying for the Pro version once you’ve progressed with the program (e.g.: audio filter, video playback and streaming, 3D texture support, custom splash screen and more) but in the meantime Unity allows gaming wannabes to create full games without the obstacle of price.

 

2. It’s Multi Platform
iOS, Android, Windows Phones, Macs, PCs, Steam, Playstation, Xbox, Wii U…etc. There are many platforms your game be published on, and Unity makes it easy to take your game from one platform to the rest. Porting a game to a different platform that utilizes a different set of technology used to involve massive effort — it was often times outsourced to another company and took up months of development time. With Unity, porting to a new platform is a lot simpler. You still want to take each platform’s unique features into consideration when building a game for it, but Unity makes it a lot easier to port.

 

3. The Thriving – and Supportive – Community

Seattle Unity 3D Group

Indie game development can get lonely sometimes, but with 2 million+ developers using the Unity software (a number that is growing every day), it’s great to have multiple online resources to share the love and frustrations of the program with. If you ever get stuck on a developing issue, want to chat with like-minded people, or are even looking for an artist or developer to collaborate with on your next big idea, there are tons of forums out there where eager Unity fans unite. And speaking of Unite, there’s the annual conference that Unity puts on (Unite), where you can meet your online Unity buddies in person in either Europe or North America each summer.

 

In addition, there are several Unity meetups all over the world that are not affiliated with Unity, but are acknowledged and supported by them. If you find yourself in Seattle, come and join us at the Seattle Unity Meetup, which I organize monthly for a presentation and network. At the time of writing, we have over 600 Unity 3D loving members!

 

4. The Asset Store 
The Unity Asset Store is a great place to a) find what you need for your game without making it from scratch (a character, a building etc) or b) a nice place to make a little extra revenue if you’re an artist, musician, or modeler.

 

There is a submission process you must go through in order to sell your assets in the Unity store, but once you’re approved, you’ll get 70% royalties on each purchase which can be a fantastic way to fund your next game!

 

5. Scripting Languages
You can script in Unity using Javascript or C#, two of the most popular languages and both of which are very easy to get started with.

 

6. The Ability to Create 2D Games 
Although Unity is great for 3D animation, there is of course still a place for 2D development. With the latest version Unity 4.3, there is a built-in 2D engine that allows you to create 2D games. It handles sprite animation, 2D physics, animation dope sheet…etc. and lots more goodies.

 

7. The Ability to Create Multiplayer Games
Some of the biggest multiplayer games on the web and mobile are built with Unity (Marvel Superhero Squad, Solstice Arena). Building a multiplayer game is a massive under-taking, and with the set of tools Unity provide and the support of the community, we are able to create our multiplayer game, My Giants, the way we wanted – a task that would have been impossible without it!

 

8. Online Tutorials/ Classes Make it Easy to Learn
The really beautiful thing about Unity is how easy it is to learn. Sure, there’s a bit of a learning curve in the beginning, but considering what you can do with the software, it’s incredibly easy. With several online courses and tutorials teaching the basics of Unity available, you can learn how to get started with it for a very low cost – and from the comfort of your own home.

 

I teach a 4-week online course through the educational site Skillshare that teaches you how to make your first game from scratch. There’s absolute no prior knowledge of development needed, and no coding. We’ve had men and women from all backgrounds take the class, and even some kids taking it with their parents! if you’re interested in joining me for the class, you can find out more details about it here: http://www.pepwuper.com/play-make-your-first-video-game-in-4-weeks-from-scratch-with-unity-no-coding-required/

 

9. Unite — the Unity Conference
Unite Conference
Unite used to be a yearly event where early adopters of Unity got together and talked to the guys at Unity about all things new and exciting in the world of Unity. Now with the rise of the Unity community, Unite happens multiple times a year all around the globe. It’s an amazing place to meet fellow Unity developers and learn the cool technology that’s about to come — one of my favorite gaming conferences for sure!

 

10. The Ease of Use
It’s very easy to get started with Unity, and you can instantly see the result of what you are working on in the editor without having to wait for the game to compile and build. This is huge! From the interface all the way down to the workflow and how art is imported, you can see the brilliant execution the Unity’s idea of “democratizing game development” in what we think is the best game software around today.



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