Really would like to know some things about the new GUI system.

News & General Discussion
1

Right now I am starting to code things for a project that needs some more advanced UI stuff than what is ideal to do with OnGUI.

My project is still 4 months out for the deadline and so I am really just dying to know, what is coming in the new GUI system and how can I best spend my time right now to take into account any advents in the new GUI system.

The first thing I’d like to know is about any new vector rendering capabilities. I am looking at doing an implementation of this:
alice.loria.fr/publications/papers/2005/VTM/vtm.pdf
But is that even going to be useful after the new GUI system? Will the new GUI system come with it any robust vector rendering implementation?

The next thing I’d like to know is, will the new GUI system be based on event handlers? Much more how C# GUI programming works in Visual Studio for actual windows applications. Because if so I’ll start programming my application around event handlers right now.

Will the new GUI have any capabiltiies of doing 3D animations? Like say a page of a book flipping? Will you be able to place 3D models on the UI in screenspace?

Will the new UI be able to handle button shapes more complex than a square?

Will the new UI do it all in 1 drawcall? Or very very few drawcalls?

And further than that, is the 3.5 release date actually going to hold for fall? Will I even get my hands on this stuff before next year?

2

I’ve been in the same position for monthes. I guess we will have some concrete infos very soon :o

3

I really hope this new GUI system is nuts because looking at all the new flash stage3d stuff:
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplayer/stage3d.html

I doubt that the current flash 3D engines are as refined or have as good a workflow as Unity at this point in time. But they will get there in not too long, and when they do, they will not just be a 3D engine, they will be a 3D engine + the entire 2D UI capabilities of flash. Really, what Unity comes up with needs to be comparable to flash if it is going to remain competitive.

4

You got a really fair point :slight_smile:
That said, Scaleform is coming to Unity. But most of us indies won’t really need such high end engine if new UI gives proper animation/transform/font/interaction tools, on top of reducing to 1 draw call. Vector graphics would be awesome, but I don’t think it will happen, for the sake of Scaleform incoming business.

5

Would be awesome if Unity staff say something about their new GUI system. I don’t need to see how it is but at least know if the new GUI system will be available for 3.5 or later?

6

I’ve just heard that they are optimizing it and thats all.

I want to see more customization because to be honest i am sick of seeing people making unity3D games with the built in unity GUI and saying that its finished.

7

@MrDuskling,
Really, i wanna hear it from their mouth, currently is a planned feature but i dont really know if the new GUI system will make it or not for 3.5.

8

The 3.5 roadmap said there would be a visual designer.

9

I really hope that I do not have to purchase 3.5 :L

And I heard that every x. update you need to pay. I didn’t pay for unity 3 :L

10

Its a free update for all those owning 3.0 - 3.4 already

And if it is going to be in 3.5 is a thing you will know when 3.5 is there, I doubt they can say it for sure now as nobody can predict 3 months of time accurately enough to give a definite yes or no as anything can happen including unforseen problems

11

You have to pay for every major version, so you pay once for all 3.x updates, then when 4 comes along you will have to pay again then.

12

Do you have Unity Pro?

13

No I have unity indie.
But if I purchase unity pro will I get all the updates free?

14

You will until Unity 4 is released