John Grden

I wrote a little tutorial on the Beast Lightmapping Engine now in Unity3D over on the Infrared5.com blog. It discusses more of what you can do to get quick and dirty bakes and how to essentially use the tool – nothing terribly indepth, but plenty of nice pictures .

So, essentially, Unity has entered the Flash 3D world.  While 3D api’s (Away3D is doing an excellent job, btw) might provide a way to bring 3D to life via Molehill, Unity brings a kick-ass IDE with it.

And considering that they’re going to support AS3 right out of the bag (which they practically already do with UnityScript) as well as the other languages you can already use (I’ve become a c# fan myself), I’m hoping the resulting project from Unity will allow for maximum integration with flash projects.  I have no idea what output they intend to target (swf or project to yet be compiled by flash), but I do hope they output a project we can work with on the FlashBuilder or Flash IDE side of things.

There have been quite a few discussions about this move, and as usual, there’s 2 camps – the yay’s and nay’s.  I see it as a positive for Unity overall – they’re in the business of making tools, and they do that extremely well, and without a doubt, their developer base will broaden drastically if the resulting Flash is what people expect and need to get their work done (reference Adobe’s output for iPhone compared to Unity’s – case closed).  Case in point, I’d created a Papervision3D component for the Flash IDE a while back – it was downloaded over 450,000 times).  That tells me that people want visual solutions to 3D problems and that there’s a huge potential user base for a good Flash3D IDE.  Bringing Flash3D to the lower common denominators in the development food chain is a “good” thing.

But without a doubt, Adobe is the massive winner here.  IMO, they are walking away with much more of a win.  The one thing I’d complained about early on was that Molehill left 3D to the egg-heads who loved being the only ones who could use it.  As I’ve said before – until you bring it to a state of usability by the masses, it’s pointless and will largely be fruitless.  In other words, I felt that if the new 3D capabilities weren’t put in the hands of us lesser-folk through a common interface and language, it wasn’t going to go anywhere except for demoscene reels on YouTube.

Enter in Unity, and you just fixed all of that.  All of what I was saying and telling them they needed to achieve, they received from Unity3D (Merry Christmas Adobe).   I do wonder how Unity’s physics, Beast Light mapping and shaders will translate, but I’m guessing those are the fruits they intend to dangle in front of even the most hardened Flash 3D developer

Check out the official release statement:
blogs.unity3d.com/2011/02/27/unity-flash-3d-on-the-web/

If you’re using Unity on a Mac, you’ve undoubtedly had to import Fonts for use within your application.  Normally, you would design in Fireworks/Photoshop first, then translated that design to Unity.  After I’ve settled on what fonts I want to use, I open up Font Book and locate the fonts location on my HDD.  Of course, there are plenty of fonts that are stored in a “Font Suitcase” type of container, and as you’ve seen – Unity can’t use them.

The nice thing is, there is a tool to extract (probably several tools) the TTF files stored in Font Suitcases.  This particular one is called Fondu.

1. Once you’ve downloaded it, extract it.
2. Open terminal
3. Change directory to the dir that you extracted fondu in
4. type: ./configure
5. type: make
6. type: make install

This will install fondu and configure it to run.

To get your TTF, use terminal and type:

fondu [pathToYourFontSuitcaseFile]

Example:
fondu /Users/NeoRiley\ 1/Documents/RockonFlash/iPhone/Bombs\ Away/production/fonts/Eurostile

Ding. Done.  Now you have whatever TTF files you need for Unity (or whatever use you might have for them)

Have a Bandit day!

Well, as you can guess from the previous post, I’d been waiting for an app to clear review with the app store – that time has FINALLY come!

Shell Shock is now a +Plus application – you can install and play it on iTouch, iPhone, iPad (iPad, iPhone 3Gs/4, iTouch 3rd Gen only)!  Same price, multiple devices!

Shell Shock now supports retina display as well and the controls have been reconfigured to match across all devices.  The Angle and Power handles have been made larger for easier control as well.

Enjoy!

I know I know, Keith’s probably shaking his head right now (because I continue to make apps for the Apple products) and right now I’m beyond pissed off.

I submitted the update to Shell Shock (paid, then free version – in that order) to the review queue on Nov 17th. The FREE version, which was submitted AFTER the paid version, was reviewed in 30 minutes and approved. The Paid version FINALLY went into review last Wednesday ( 2weeks later ) and has been there ever since… IN REVIEW.

Then I received a notice that apple needed more time to review my app. I asked “why?” – and got the customary form letter back. I asked “Why?” again, and again, I got a form letter back.

So I’ve written another email today (another rant) and am now asking for a phone number or someone I can actually “talk” to at Apple. I doubt they’ll pony up that information btw.

Seems crazy that I’m giving them 30% and bending over backwards to cater to “their” ideals when it comes to creating the software, but when it comes to *my* ideals (you know, crazy stuff like approvals in a reasonable amount of time and IN ORDER that they were submitted), they’re ignoring me (duh, what else is new)

So, is there anyone out there with a phone number or email contact that I don’t already know about that I can call and complain? I would LOVE to get someone on the phone

Thanks!

PS> the new version of Shell Shock is now a plus app and has retina display support!

Here are many different ways of doing singletons in Unity3D – 1) the usual way, 2) the “self contained” way and 3) the quick and dirty way 4) for you c# folks, the accessor way.

1. The Usual Way

The usual way is to have a static “GetInstance()” method on the class  that’s attached to a GameObject in the IDE, and check for an instance.  If it exists, pass it back.  If it doesn’t, return a Debug.LogWarning error about how they need to have a GameObject with the class attached to it.

public class MyClass
{
	private static MyClass instance;
	public static MyClass GetInstance()
	{
		if (!instance)
		{
			instance = GameObject.FindObjectOfType(typeof(MyClass));
			if (!instance)
				Debug.LogError("There needs to be one active MyClass script on a GameObject in your scene.");
		}

		return instance;
	}
}

2. The “self contained” way

At one point in the Trench Run game, I realized my scene was filled with quite a few GameObjects JUST for my classes. So, I developed the “self contained” singleton.  If it doesn’t find an instance, it creates its own GameObject, attaches the class instance to it via AddComponent() bingo, no need to create a GameObject in the IDE and clutter up your scene at design time.

public class Logger : MonoBehaviour
{
	private static Logger instance;
	private static GameObject container;
	public static Logger GetInstance()
	{
		if( !instance )
		{
			container = new GameObject();
			container.name = "Logger";
			instance = container.AddComponent(typeof(Logger)) as Logger;
		}
		return instance;
	}
}

3) The quick and dirty way

The quick and dirty way is simply that – setup a public static property for the instance, initialize in the Awake() method, attach to a GameObject at design time, done. In code, it’s a little more direct now with:

MyClass.instance.DoSomething();

The setup:

public class MyClass
{
	public static MyClass instance;
	public void Awake()
	{
		MyClass.instance = this;
	}
}

It’s been noted in ActionScript that accessing another method outside of the class you’re in is slower than accessing a property.  I have no idea if this is the case with Unity ( I seriously doubt it ), but with my optimization nightmares in Flash over the years, I’m usually doing #3.  Some habits just never go away (or paranoia for that matter)

Enjoy!

[**** UPDATED ****]

4. Accessor

The #1 and #2 examples above could benefit from using an accessor rather than a method – Thanks to Cliff Owen for the tip on this

public class MyClass
{
	private static MyClass _instance;
	public static MyClass Instance
	{
		get
		{
			if (!_instance)
			{
				_instance = GameObject.FindObjectOfType(typeof(MyClass));
				if (!_instance)
				{
					GameObject container = new GameObject();
					container.name = "MyClassContainer";
					_instance = container.AddComponent(typeof(MyClass)) as MyClass;
				}
			}

			return _instance;
		}
	}
}

Then, you’d just as simply as the quick and dirty way access it with:

MyClass.Instance.DoSomething();

After writing iFly and Star Wars: Trench Run in UnityScript, I became painfully aware of the shortcomings associated with UnityScript.  Mainly that it has no decent event / delegate system to leverage.  Sure, you have event handler methods that exist in GameObject etc, but that’s a complete throw back to AS2/1 days.  I tried porting an old AS2 event dispatcher class to UnityScript (which I did successfully) but had pointed out to me by someone at Unity that it would be painfully slow.  He then suggested I consider c# and get involved with delegates.  He was right.

So, for a while now, I’ve been doing c# and loving it.  There were, however, some things that obviously caused me some discomfort and that’s why I’m writing this post.  I’ll be adding to it when ever I find new topics that apply.

First, here is a link that provides the majority of the “differences” between UnityScript and c# – I recommend this one as it really covers the basics very well.  I’ll be covering the not-so-obvious ones that made me scratch my head

answers.unity3d.com/questions/5507/what-are-the-syntax-differences-in-c-and-javascript

Alright then, here’s the first thing to look out for:

Number = float

Coming from AS3, you’re used to Number, int, uint and for the most part, you get what they do.  When coming over to c#, there is no “Number” type.  Instead, use float.  Just think of it in the most simple terms:  ”f”loat for “fraction”.  Meaning, if you know you’re number will be fractional (like 3.16) then give it a type of float:

float myScale = .5f;

Note the “f” at the end of the declaration (.5f) – that’s how you cast it as a float.  If you don’t, Unity compiler will give you an error.  Same goes for passing floats as arguments, make sure you include the “f” cast:

Vector3 pos = new Vector3(.1f, .05f, 2);  // you can add the "f" cast after a whole number if you like, but it's not necessary

If you’re doing some division or scaling math and you know the outcome *could* be fractional, both sides of the equation need to be floats or you’ll get a whole value in return.  Simple enough you might think, but I’ll bet you scratch your head at least one time on this one where you can’t figure out *WHY* it’s not calculating a remainder for you:

float i = 15f;
float j = 10f;
float value = i / j; // 1.5f

If you want to parse a string into a float or int:

int value = int.Parse(stringValue);
float value = float.Parse(stringValue);

If you want a whole number and an int from a float, use FloorToInt() – I mention this one simply because of how AS3 just doesn’t give a crap, but c# does:

int value = Mathf.FloorToInt(float n);

Event Dispatching

In AS3, everything extends EventDispatcher practically.   Everything can dispatch events, have listeners and everyone’s happy in their little event driven world.  Then you come over to Unity and realize, we’ve taken a step back into AS1/2 land. There are event handlers on GameObjects and if you declare them, then they will receive the calls – very very onEnterFrame type of stuff here.

So, given my history and experience with AS2, I naturally dusted off an old EventDispatcher class that we used to use back in the day.  Like I said above, I converted it, it worked, but was made to realize that in a performance setting, it’d be a pretty substantial bottle neck.  Still, if you’d like to see how it’s done, here you go ( now at least, I won’t feel like the time I spent on it was wasted )

EventDispatcher.js
ListenerObject.js

But now, the real deal in c# for creating an event and dispatching goes something like this:

Declare a delegate for the event. Note that I’ve created it outside the class declaration – this is so it’s available to any class:

public delegate void LoadComplete(float value);
public class MyClass
{
    //...
}

Now, create the event in MyClass:

public delegate void LoadComplete(float value);
public class MyClass
{
public event LoadComplete LoadCompleteEvent;
}

To add a listener, you add a new delegate instance with the handler to the LoadCompleteEvent event:

public delegate void LoadComplete(float value);
public class MyClass
{
public event LoadComplete LoadCompleteEvent;
    public void Start()
    {
        LoadCompleteEvent += new LoadComplete(HandleLoadComplete);
    }

    // note how the argument signature matches the delegate declaration
    private void HandleLoadComplete(float someValue)
    {
        // event handled here
    }
}

To send out the event, first check to make sure the event is not null (has listeners), then call it like a method:

public void DoSomething()
{
    if( LoadCompleteEvent != null ) LoadCompleteEvent(1.0f);
}

To remove a listener, just remove the handler from the event:

LoadCompleteEvent -= HandleLoadComplete;

Coroutines (replacement for setTimout, setInterval, Timer object)

In AS3, we’re used to setTimeout() or the Timer object to deal with waiting and looping stuff.  In the old days, we used onEnterFrame and I can still remember the arguments over which was better – setInterval or onEnterFrame.  It was a ridiculous argument, because in reality, it just depended on *what* you were doing when that even fired.  Please don’t leave comments regarding this tired and exhausted discussion which has zero relevance these days

In UnityScript, you’ll be introduced to WaitForSeconds() which is really nice when coming from AS3.  In c#, however, you get a bit of a rude awakening. You begin to realize how much UnityScript lets you get away with.  Its insane.

So, here are the basics.

If you want to loop or wait a certain amount of time, you have to call a method that returns IEnumerator:

public IEnumerator DoMyBidding() {...};

Then, you have to have some sort of yield/return statement in this method or the compiler with barf all over your keyboard:

public IEnumerator DoMyBidding()
{
    yield return WaitForSeconds(1.5f);
    if( myConditionNotMet ) yield return null;  // this is how you just simply return out if you no longer wish to continue.
}

If you want to loop something:

public IEnumerator MonitorMe()
{
    while ( conditionNotMet )
    {
        // do something
        yield return WaitForSeconds(.025f);
    }
}

To call these methods, you have to use StartCoroutine():

public void Start()
{
    StartCoroutine( MonitorMe() );
}

Well, for now, that’ll get you started, and as I remember/think of things, I’ll come back and update this post with more tid-bits.  Enjoy!

40+ minutes of my brother-in-law Jim (fantastic guitar player) and I goin’ at it on Saturday evening.  We get together maybe once a year and whenever we do, he and I go and play for a bit.  For him to hear his guitar, I had to hit record on my mac using Soundbooth (long story, don’t ask), so I didn’t pay attention to the levels cause I wasn’t thinking of keeping it (hence being slightly distorted).  It’s at least interesting, and some parts I really dig, so in the interest of posting something “rock”… err, here you go:

The 40 Minute Jam
( just let it play in the background

I hadn’t been able to find a Unity3D mailing list and since the Beta group was such a good resource, I went ahead and created a Unity3D Developers mailing list.  Please pass it along

groups.google.com/group/unity3d-developers

John