GUI optimization question

Unity Engine
1

We have the potential to have a lot of GUI elements in our game–(buttons, etc.) Probably 80% of the time these will not be in use–but just believe for a minute we need a lot–and they are important.

Of course it would be nice to fade the windows in and out-- which I have done as follows below…

For all the numerous buttons in a window (which are parented to the main window, I have broadcast a message–

However-- I have noticed that even if all these guiTextures are disabled–there existence in the game causes a significant decrease in performance-- Iff a script is attached to them (for instance an onMouseUp function–and the functions I call in the fade script). There are no “if” calls, or “updates” on these scripts, and once the guiTextures are disabled I (wrongly?) expected the functions which are simply waiting to be called not to affect performance.

Artist turned coder would appreciate some direction, as I’ve clearly gone about this the wrong way… :?

For reference-- I can have about 1000 guiTextures, all with a script attached that only disables them, with almost no performance decrease… Once I add OnMouseUp(), and the two functions listed at the bottom, my framerate dies(even while they are still all disabled).

guiTexture.enabled = false;
var duration = 2.0;
var t = 0.0;
private var recieveinput = 1;

function Start () {
//for (var child : GUITexture in guiTexture) {
///child.color.a = 1;
///}
}

function Update () {
	if (Input.GetAxis ("Inventory") == 1  recieveinput == 1){
		if (guiTexture.enabled == false){
			recieveinput = 0;
			t = 0.0;
			BroadcastMessage ("inventory");
			//inventory();
			return;
	}
	if (guiTexture.enabled == true){
			recieveinput = 0;
			t = 0.0;
			BroadcastMessage ("closer");
			//closer();
	}
}	
//end function
}



function inventory () {
	guiTexture.color.a = 0;
	guiTexture.enabled = true;

	while (t < duration){
		t += Time.deltaTime;
    	guiTexture.color.a = Mathf.Lerp (0, 1, t/duration); 
    	yield;
	  }
	  //end of loop-function resumes
	 guiTexture.color.a = 1.0;
	 recieveinput = 1;

//end
}

function closer () {
	guiTexture.color.a = 1;

	while (t < duration){
		t += Time.deltaTime;
    	guiTexture.color.a = Mathf.Lerp (1, 0, t/duration); 
    	yield;
	  }
	  //end of loop-function resumes
	 guiTexture.color.a = 0.0;
	 recieveinput = 1;
	 guiTexture.enabled = false;

//end
}
2

I’m thinking GetComponentInChildren
and then disable all the attached scripts as well.

3

In the 'Brain Games I do dialogBox.gameObject.SetActiveRecursively(false); I think that should work.

I also had speed problems with the GUI, but even when only one dialog box was active. Never figured it out.

-Jon

4

That’s the function i was looking for–

thanks–It’s a little difficult to quantify performance benefits in Unity, but at least I feel like it should improve performance.