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Why you pushed all the 2D stuff to Development 'again'?

Discussion in '2D' started by xCyborg, Feb 9, 2016.

  1. xCyborg

    xCyborg

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    If I may ask?
     
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  2. movra

    movra

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  3. ColossalPaul

    ColossalPaul

    Unity Technologies

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    Hi,

    Thanks for asking, I was afraid no one would. There are 2 main reasons.

    1. We have a new Product Manager and UX designer on board. So we will need to do more UX work on most of these features (especially TileMap and SmartSprite).

    2. We are expanding the scope of Atlas manager based on feedbacks we gathered here: http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/of...t-fail-to-satisfy-your-hd-sd-use-case.375716/

    When the Product Manager is fully onboarded, these features will be put back to the right milestones.
    Rest assured that we are ever more invested in 2D.

    Feel free to ask anything.
     
    bluefoxicy likes this.
  4. xCyborg

    xCyborg

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    I hope you would still consider a 5.5 release, and also get the new guys going on other 2D features still in research area like 2D character animation.
    We didn't have a new alpha in ages, it seems 2D moves as slowly as it gets. But I don't mind UX improvments and somehow streamlining the many 2D components in the SpriteRenderer, and streamlining the 2D assets in one 2D atlas/sprite manager.
     
    Palmylab likes this.
  5. der_r

    der_r

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    Personally, I don't think the UI has to be perfect. It's more important to get these features out and into the hands of the users and work on the UI iteratively after that. I'm pretty disappointed with the decision to take these features out of the upcoming releases.
     
  6. Palmylab

    Palmylab

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    Sorry to say guys but I think you are really underestimating how many people do not care about fancy advanced 3D effects and just need a working 1980/90 aged 2D tilemap editor.

    Also number of 2D games expecially for mobile are far more frequent than 3D ones.

    Priority setting is quite critical in project management.
    Hope to see this features coming in 5.5.
     
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  7. ColossalPaul

    ColossalPaul

    Unity Technologies

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    Yes we have it. We are rebooting the '2D Alpha Preview' builds (still need a bit more time to work out the release process). So you guys can at least see it before we surprise you with features that doesn't work on the ground.
     
    der_r likes this.
  8. M0rph3v5

    M0rph3v5

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    @ColossalPaul can you give some kind of eta when we can expect a new build? I don't necessarily want any new features but I'd like the current stuff to be updated with all other latest unity changes... The last alpha is based on 5.2.0 from back in september..
     
  9. Rilem

    Rilem

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    Just posting to show that I'm also waiting for this.

    I'm working on a project where the smart sprites are a part of the core gameplay. You mention a 'reboot' so I'm hoping my current smart sprites won't completely break when these 2d features get updated. Can you let us know if my worries are justified? :)
     
  10. der_r

    der_r

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    Also, does "reboot" mean the original 2D team who put up the demo videos disbanded?
     
  11. Xelnath

    Xelnath

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    Is there an ETA on the next alpha build? Not shipping anytime soon, but would like to let my artists play around with the tools in 5.3 or later build.
     
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  12. ashley

    ashley

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    Yeah some kind of timeline would be great, although I imagine we won't get one yet :(
     
  13. ForceZa

    ForceZa

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    This is really upsetting. I really thought these 2D features would be implemented into the new build coming out in June. I mean seriously, even Unreal has a basic 2D tilemap editor.
     
  14. xCyborg

    xCyborg

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    The Bitbucket repository is officially dead, at least for now, that I can tell ya.
     
  15. Lars-Steenhoff

    Lars-Steenhoff

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    I'm wishing for unity to focus now on performance and features for 2d games.
    3D Is already at a really nice high level.
     
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  16. ashley

    ashley

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    I know the roadmap is fairly new, but I'm newer... Does it get updated when a new version is released or just around that time.

    Just wondering if we'd, maybe, find out any more details in June (presuming 5.4 is on track) if we don't hear anything before hand.
     
  17. der_r

    der_r

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    You can subscribe to the roadmap rss feed and get notified when they change things around. Basically changes happen between versions too, when features get moved around or their risk gets changed.
     
    ashley likes this.
  18. ashley

    ashley

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    Didn't know that, thanks! :)
     
  19. TurtleBlaze

    TurtleBlaze

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    It's kind of scary silent though, we had to release on early access with b803 since when we started development it was planned for march :/
     
  20. der_r

    der_r

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    Any update on the reboot?
     
  21. Johaness_Reuben

    Johaness_Reuben

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    In regards to the 2D Preview build reboot, we are working on a new release very soon! As part of the reboot, we are also preparing a few other things. We want to provide a better channel, for information from us, updates and also feedback. We are also preparing some getting started materials to help introduce the new and experimental features.
     
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  22. ashley

    ashley

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    Thanks for the update, looking forward to what is in store!
     
  23. Jonathan-Westfall-8Bits

    Jonathan-Westfall-8Bits

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    Since unity has decided to make 5.4 beta public will you be giving access to the alpha to the non pro members. If not is there anyway a non-pro member could get access to the alpha by special means by contacting the team personally.
     
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  24. RemDust

    RemDust

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    Hey guys, what about Smart Sprite ?!
    I think it's on track since half 2015 (and the preview was already looking pretty functional), any informations about it ?
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2016
  25. Stevepunk

    Stevepunk

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    I updated to 5.4 but the 2D features have been removed? How do I get them back???
     
  26. jc-drile77

    jc-drile77

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    You can´t: https://unity3d.com/es/unity/roadmap
    The 2D team is working on a 2D alpha release tho
     
  27. Massiano

    Massiano

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    @Johaness_Reuben what we desperately need is proper support for building pixel art based games.

    All these advanced features seems pretty particular to me when the basics are lacking.
     
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  28. boxhallowed

    boxhallowed

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    If I could also interject.

    - Parallax scrolling in ortho without resorting to screwy scripts, messing about with Z, or a perspective camera.

    - FRAME INFORMATION - Getting what frame an animation is on and setting it.

    - Getting and setting sprite width/height based on pixels or Unity units.
     
  29. Johaness_Reuben

    Johaness_Reuben

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    @RemDust: While the initial preview of SmartSprite demonstrated awesome potential, it is currently going through a refactoring based on internal improvements and community feedback. Although not slated for the next Preview, it will definitely be coming back with much improvements.

    @cecilcruxis: We are working on making the Preview available to Non-Pro members.

    @Massiano.@The Britain: We are very focused on providing solutions to core issues faced in developing 2D games, which is one of the main reasons some of the new features have been shifted on the roadmap.

    :)
     
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  30. Sylmerria

    Sylmerria

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    So Can I hope isometric support with next features ? :D
     
  31. der_r

    der_r

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    What are you lacking in terms of pixel-art games? That particular area has been pretty figured out now. Here's something I'm working on for example that features pixel-perfect rendering: https://twitter.com/rendelmann/status/710983278174543872
     
  32. bluefoxicy

    bluefoxicy

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    As a project manager myself (okay, so I have my CAPM and can't get people to stop looking at me as a sysadmin instead of a project manager), I find this both annoying and reassuring.

    Trying to get a project finished on an unrealistic deadline is a good way to damage quality; a good product manager will rearrange some priorities and move some deadlines based on what is important and what is realistically achievable. Too often, we see people promising five things when they've procured a team of three, and then the promising demos turn into worthless, half-finished, horribly-built behemoths because nobody could stand up and admit that we've been shown too many things at once and simply can't build them all in three months's time.

    I look forward to updates on TileMap in particular. TileMap makes things like Super Mario Maker comparatively simple, since it provides a back-end for instructing the placement of collidable tiles into a level editor. We've seen recent trends of editors for old 2D games such as Super Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario World; it seems as if players want to create and play new challenges for old games. Starcraft and Battle for Wesnoth have had level editors since their inception. Doom and Duke Nukem player-generated levels were staples of their time. The modern VVVVVV has player levels as a built-in, highly-popular feature. I believe player-end game world editors are going to become a significant part of future gaming, and 2D games built on tile maps are at an advantage in that frame.
     
  33. IsaiahKelly

    IsaiahKelly

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    That's nothing. GameMaker has had a tile map editor since at least 1999! :p

    GameMaker's workflow is also far more intuitive for 2D games, especially "old school" pixel-perfect ones. If Unity could do this it could strike a huge blow to GameMaker, since they're basically trying to be "Unity2D" now.
     
  34. jc-drile77

    jc-drile77

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    Indeed it has a better 2D workflow, but nothing out of this world, it´s lacking too many features and some times it feels really clumsy to use it.
    Even the demo that Unity´s 2D team released was far more advanced than Gamemaker´s, thats why it was really unexpected for me that they pushed it back to development again.
    This update (2Dwise) and GameMaker 2.0 are two things im really looking forward to.
     
  35. IsaiahKelly

    IsaiahKelly

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    Yeah. I started using GM years ago and it's greatest strength has always been how intuitive it is for non-programmers or beginners, but that's about it. Unity is a complete beast by comparison, but that also means it takes a lot more know how. Also, you do realize GameMaker 2.0 was released like fifteen years ago, right? :p
     
  36. boxhallowed

    boxhallowed

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    If unity would add access to a tile-mapper and animation frame getters/setters, it would be the most powerful 2D engine to-date.
     
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  37. jc-drile77

    jc-drile77

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    I meant Gamemaker Studio 2.0 :p
     
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  38. TurtleBlaze

    TurtleBlaze

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    Sooo... any idea when?
     
  39. Xelnath

    Xelnath

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    yes, any update? I want to use the latest 5.4 with the 2d demo to start prototyping my levels again...
     
  40. piggybank1974

    piggybank1974

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    I just created my tile mapper, M L E (Multi Level Editor) in .Net myself, figured that was easier, I think Unity is more geared to 3D, as I'm assuming that's where is started, you can tell this by the method names OnTrigger, VS OnTrigger2D why not use OnTrigger3D nobody would get confused then, but OnTrigger was first for 3D so that's why I'm assuming.
     
  41. der_r

    der_r

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    It's being worked on still. The release should be soon according to a recent post on BitBucket (Issues section). Some recent videos:







    This looks super cool and I'm willing to wait until the devs are happy with the new release. :)
     
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  42. xCyborg

    xCyborg

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    Very cool, glad to see some 2D liquids in there.
     
  43. Xelnath

    Xelnath

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    Any updates yet??
     
  44. movra

    movra

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  45. gmaaz

    gmaaz

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    I'll send you a picture of my cat if you release it soon.
     
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  46. mgear

    mgear

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  47. der_r

    der_r

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    Time for cat pictures.
     
  48. jc-drile77

    jc-drile77

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  49. rosdi

    rosdi

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    My nose bleeds watching those videos...
     
  50. Gamingbir

    Gamingbir

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    still not out the smart sprite and cool features shown on 2015 for 2D lol. 2 years not come out. they really need to fix priorities
     
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