The Unity engine is changing yet again. This is important for developers because your tools have changed. It is important for gamers because the engine that many of your games are on is evolving So today we are going to talk about what has happened and why it is important.
The Umbra 3 Addition to Unity
In developer terms Umbra 3 improves the overall occlusion of your game and improves the bake process. For the player this basically means that real-time lighting looks better, is more efficient and the developer can set it up faster. We take for granted ambient lighting that looks good but it’s an important part of any game. Kerbal Space Program, for example, is one game that uses this system. The video above is an older example but still a good description.
Improvements to the Engine
The “baking” process that lets you set up the lighting is faster than ever. Rendering and setting everything up is faster than ever. For gamers the new engine will save them system resources. With each incarnation you can expect future games to become more efficient for you.
The Unity Strategy
Another interesting note is that the core company is very interested in third parties integrating with their system. If you happen to work for a third party that does this then you should contact them. You may be able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement. Some have criticized this arrangement but it is becoming industry standard. You should come up with your own opinion about whether this is bad or good for the industry.
Try Unity Yourself
For those of you who are interested you can test download it here: http://unity3d.com/unity/download. It may be a bit much for hobby developers but it has led to many pro teams getting their game off the ground. As a developer you should decide whether a ready made engine is the right choice or if you want to program it yourself. Both ways have their advantages and drawbacks.
