What Most Artists Want

Unity Learn
1

Let’s face it. Many artists are NEVER going to become programmers just to use the Unity engine. Not even if it is free to use. As an artist, myself, I can tell you that my mind can stand exactly 15 minutes of looking at any form of “code” before it shuts down entirely and tells me I need to take a nap.

It doesn’t matter what “language” options you give it - my mind does not allow me to think in those terms.

But, what, really, does an artist want with Unity, anyway? I think we want only the simplest of things. Now, just to preempt any “you should” threads - I’ve already purchased Will Goldstone’s package, (both the ebook and the actual, printed book), and read and studied the “3rd Person” game tutorial and the beginning “Scripting” tutorial on the Unity site.

So, what is it that we artists want to do or demonstrate with the Unity3D game engine? I could state my own goals here, but I think it would be more important and valuable for other artists to list the kinds of functions they would like the Unity3D engine to perform for them - so that they could realize their own 3D, interactive dreams.

And that’s just it. Mostly, I think, what most 3D artists really would like Unity to do is allow them to make both, their lush 3D environments and their totally unique and “living” 3D characters behave and interact with a user’s input, (mouse, keyboard, controller and fingers), and, to other objects and characters in the environments that they create. Kind of like “hide and seek”, or “travel and discover” kinds of interactivity.

I don’t think 3D artists are particularly interested in “game competition” kinds of activities - where scores are tallied and winners are listed. Really, I think they are more inclined toward the “explore and discover and solve” kinds of activities in any kind of “game” scenario.

So, please, artists - won’t you participate and give your lists of desired “things to do” with the Unity engine so that those “in the know” will respond with simple methods that let us do “just those things”?

Wouldn’t it be much nicer if we could all “cut to the chase” and obtain simple instructions to perform the very specific and even “unique” things that we, as a “class” of Unity users want to do? I’m not trying to “pidgeonhole” any of you with this query.

Thanks,

Psmith

2

The problem with this is that everyone wants something different and everything depends on the specifics of given application/game. And ultimately, every kind of activity will require at least some scripting, theres no running from it. Sure, its possible to implement a rudimentary visual logic editor ( incidentally, someone is already on to it, http://forum.unity3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=31132 ), but my understanding is that would be too limiting to you.

3

im sorry but no. part of the reason i love unity is that not only can i just model and plug it in to the game. but i can also use one of the myriads scripting languages real time to affect how my model interacts with the world. i can hit play with my script editor running tweak and go. unity is absolutly top notch for me.

if you dont like learning how to script then maybe you should put a team to gether or join one. honestly if your going to work on a game by yourself your going to be scripting.

scripting gives the artist so much more then just modeling and moveing on. it lets you bring your creations to life. that is why i love unity.

4

I think you have to grow new bits of brain, some new synapses or something to switch from the Art Side to scripting.

However I really want to be able to get things to work the way I want them to so I’m going to persevere although it’s terribly frustrating.

Although I struggle with scripting like a goldfish trying to understand a tax return only with a greater tendency to panic, you have to be able to talk to the machine in enough detail to be able to cover a myriad of circumstances and that means learning a language it understands.

It can’t be worse than learning a human language, probably easier I keep telling myself.
You can do an immense amount of stuff in Unity pretty much plug and play without scripting. You can also find scripts on the forum and Wiki.

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If you don’t want to do any coding at all, the best thing to do is team up with a programmer. It doesn’t matter whether you want to do exploration stuff or competition stuff, it’s all exactly the same in the sense that it’s stuff you just code.

–Eric

6

RHD:

This is precisely the point of my post. What are the methods that exist that exclude custom programming the most? It’s not that Javascript is incredibly difficult, it’s that specific examples, as well as “pre-made” code components and applications are missing from all the documentation and 3rd party support that I have seen.

Not that developers are supposed to “anticipate” all of our, (the artists), requirements. But, given the tutorial and sample scripts that are available, it is absolutely impossible for an inexperienced artist to compile the very basic set of scripts that would be required for even the most basic types of game behaviours.

So, if artist post the types of behaviours they require, it will be much easier for those inclined to do so, to provide said artists with the scripts and plug-ins they need.

For the record. 3D tools are on the evolutionary path to extinction, as far as being able to receive revenue for their development. At this point in history, tools for novices are scarce. But, in the not too distant future, tools will range from being inexpensive all the way to being totally free. What will still be lacking, at that point in history, will be quality concepts, and content produced with those available tools.

As of today, you can go to Home Depot, or some other corporate store, and buy a hammer and some nails and a screwdriver and some screws for less than a high quality meal. The same set of circumstances will soon exist for the cost of a basic set of 3D, game creation tools. Mark my words.

Unity, and all other game tool creators should take notice of this obvious trend in 3D tool development - focusing on providing specific, game behaviour “prefabs”, and find a way to capitalize on ideas and content, rather than trying to teach non-programmers how to program, as they do.

Thanks,
Psmith

7

I agree wholeheartedly that more example scripts for like, opening a door, revolving an object, fading a light etc would be a dream come true.

There are a few on the Wiki, many of which are very useful, but otherwise it’s scour the website and hope you happen across something helpful.

I keep meaning to put some of the ones I’ve found around on the Wiki but as I didn’t write them I wasn’t sure if that was OK.

8

I’m in it for the art, the music, and the game overall, but there’s no way to get there without programming, at this time. If you don’t want to learn, you’re not going to learn. Pigeonholing people into one area of game creation offends me, especially if it’s yourself. I’ve done it before, to myself, and it hindered my growth.

9

hmm the whole of Unity is a huge amount of code which allows you to do extremely complicated things without having to code them. Literally hundreds of thousands of lines of complicated code, free. On top of that there’s a bunch of prefabs and scripts in the examples, forums and wiki. More complex things like pathing, and semi-procedural locomotion.

You can set up a full outdoor 3D environment and wander round it without spending any money or writing a single line of code. But your compiled build represents many man-years of coding done for you.

On the other hand, art wise we get some free trees and grass :wink:

10

The easiest way for an artist to get programming done is to entice a programmer into doing the work.

Make a good portfolio and convince somebody you won’t flake on them, and you’re halfway there. A lot of programmers will flake on you though, so it’s kind of a crap shoot.

Easier than learning to program though :slight_smile:

11

A simple game of 3D tic tac toe would suffice. Even the platforming tutorial is a bit overwhelming with its massive dump of prefab code.

12

I somewhat disagree. Although Unity tries to be an artist tool, its not the artist that gives the game life, its the programmer. As such, the programmer is in many aspects at the very least just as important (and arguably more) important than almost anyone else. As such, I care more about it being programmer friendly than artist friendly. Programming is something that is hard to learn for a lot of people, and if you have a hard time learning it, no matter how many scripts you memorize, it won’t help you. Programming is about learning the basic math behind the language, and learning to apply it (often times without much help) to virtually anything. Its not about getting more scripts to memorize.

What I don’t want to see is Unity taking out programming elements. For example, I would hate to see Unity use a purely GUI system of programming. It would take away a lot of speed that I can achieve when programming, and a lot of power that you have in programming (at least imo).

Unity is ultimately for people who give life to the game (the programmers), and programming often times isn’t artist friendly. Not much that I can see that can improve that. Just my two cents.

13

Well we can put the scripts we find on the Wiki and maybe get a model library going with some models we make if there’s the storage space. I take the point about the trees and grass. I’ll trade models for code. As long as the value of the work is roughly equivalent in time it could work well.

14

so you want all the games made to look and feel the same? run the same just with assets name something differnt? i agree we need a repository for this stuff but leave unity the same. add code to the wiki please. but let me program from the ground up if i so choose to. i dont want another click and create game system. granted it was fun and easy to make stuff but come on this is big boy toys not toys for tots.