I have this built and rigged where i can export it from an easily editable XML file, which controls the rollover action of each button (which thumbnail is loaded on the bottom) has the key to which Mesh file to load into the application but anyway, thats sort of besides the point
My question is, is the UI system flexible enough to create a complex tree or tab system?
I don’t see anything in that video that Unity GUI can’t do. Loading the XML into a useable data format would be the hardest thing to code but given some familiarity with Mono’s XML-reading functions even that should be a cinch.
awesome. great to know. I have a few other problems, but the whole UI issue has been one of my largest problems with my current middleware, so I’m looking into new areas
Playing with the demo now on a friends laptop. the whole needing a Mac issue is probably my biggest hurdle currently, otherwise the tech looks great.
as said on IRC I am currently looking into Unity, too. I am taking notes (from a Virtools user perspective) - if you are interested, I can blog about it.
I think Matthew once wanted to do something like that too, but I think he never did.
Those stacked Menu-Buttons from your Video are probably quite easily done using GUI.SelectionGrid inside a OnGUI function. Unfortunately the mouse-over effect is kinda broken (offsetted). It seems also that not-preselecting a button-choice via -1 is throwing an out-of-bounds exception in the console (but seems still to work).
@Dave
I wrote something like this GUI a while back, but i never ended up posting it because I broke the struct and never got around to fixing it.
Anyway - in my GUI Skin package, there’s a little demo of a compound control that enumerates an struct with interactive listitems. All you need to do is change the listitem control to a ‘branch and leaf’ control (which is easily setup as property in an array).
The GUISkin demo is in the Custom Skins section. I’m going to build this control anyway - so if you don’t have a tight schedule, you’ll see it on the forum pretty soon.
@Dom
I’m also a Virtools user, but I can tell you, as of Unity 2, it’s getting pretty hard to compare. Virtools is still superior in the sheer capability of its BB’s, (the AI and Grid functionality is something Unity badly needs) but given the number of other ‘difficult’ points like publishing, stability on Mac and Dassault’s seemingly anti-gaming direction, it’s a bit of a worry. However, it’s still a good way to learn realtime 3D development and can produce good results in a short time - but for bigger projects I prefer Unity.
There are a couple of ex-Virtoolers who have switched to Unity in the forums, but they are much less forgiving than I am Would like to see your blog if you could share.
Unfortunately I had to pause my evaluation of Unity - I currently have a lot of work to do. So I probably won’t have time to dive into the pro features before the eval version stops - wanted to try out writing custom plugins etc, but well…
As requested I will post about Unity thoughts/experiences on my blog, maybe starting this week end but i am not sure.
Shaun,
of course I recognized the names from some of you
I totally aggree with you with all the points you mention.
Btw. my blog is reachable via the www buttons
It’s www.boutin.info
is virtools a better choice for ed sims? what about the student edition? it’s hard for me to defend our purchase against dassaults marketing to the educational community
I’m a heavy user and supporter of both Unity and Virtools - and quite frankly each is good for a certain purpose.
For VR, sims, training and limited distribution/specialist applications I think Virtools has some advantages - the built in functionality is hard to beat in terms of getting things up an running quickly. Virtools has always been struggling with whether they should get more heavily into the gaming industry when most of their revenue comes from corporates who do VR and serious apps. With the Dassault takeover, and integration of Virtools into the PLM silo, the dream of Virtools making a strong move to focus on game devs is getting slim. Having said that, the product code named MP, a new ‘evolution’ of Virtools, will be out next year - which could be interesting - as it’s supposedly focused on PS3, Xbox360 and high end PC’s, but they’ve been talking about it since 2005, so who knows (apparently Q1 2008, but I’d take that with a pinch of salt). Heres the official word: http://www.theswapmeet-forum.com/viewtopic.php?p=34375
Unity on the other hand is great to work with, has an amazing asset pipeline and Mono was the best choice they could have made. It’s still missing some big chunks of functionality that app developers want (it’s a bit too focused on casual game devs IMHO) - but its joyful to use, if you have patience I believe Unity will be hard to beat in future. I think the effort UT puts into testing and platform compatibility is hard to beat - compared to Virtools, Unity just works.
Virtools has about 40 people working on the product, and Unity has under 10 AFAIK- however if you compare the forum activity and comany to customer interaction, Unity is pretty special.
What would be good for Unity to give us is a technology roadmap. Most companies do that for their flagship product, and I don’t see Unity as being any different. It would help those in decision making positions a great deal.
One of my recent Unity contracts was to make an interactive medical simulation for training medical students the correct steps when taking a specific type of blood saqmple. No game there just thoughrougly good visual education content.
Another was helping present content to be used in a court case.
in february, the campus wants to have an animation/simulation workshop and invite folks from Pixar, LucasLearn and others. I plan to wrangle an invitation for Tom Higgins. I understand he makes the trip from SF to Davis in under thirty minutes, depending how low he flies to the ground :]
RJ - Sorry to hear your presentation got its thunder stolen - If it was me, I’d choose beer any day
I would actually be interested to know more about that presentation - if you could get the details, I’d appreciate it.
If I can help you with any further info, please let me know.
I used to have similar issues doing corporate work with Director (think 1994).
There’s nothing you can do about an alliance of Adobe, Microsoft, et al in terms of “mindshare” except still be around when their initiative founders in a year or two
I haven’t seen any real complex/dynamic ui stuff on the forums that I can find.
