John P. Doran

Overcome challenges head-on in Unity 6 shader creation with the help of expert tips, practical solutions, and cutting-edge techniques from best-selling author John Doran Key Features Explore Shader Graph to develop expertise in post-processing and advanced shading Unlock shortcuts to achieve AAA shader quality without complex algorithms Become proficient in Unity's latest tools, including VFX Graph and Unity Muse Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook Book DescriptionShaders enable game developers to craft visually stunning experiences, but their complexity and mathematical and technical challenges make it hard to achieve the desired level of realism. Written by a top-selling author with extensive hands-on expertise in game development, this latest edition is your indispensable guide to mastering the art of shaders within this evolving landscape. Through meticulously curated recipes, this book takes a practical approach to equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to elevate your game visuals to unmatched sophistication. In this updated edition, you’ll gain invaluable insights into leveraging Unity’s latest tools, including Unity Muse for advanced AI-powered texture creation. From fully grasping Shader Graph to harnessing the power of vectors and textures, this Unity cookbook covers all the aspects of shader development without the need for elaborate mathematical calculations. You'll also discover practical techniques for achieving stunning visual effects with ease when creating 2D or 3D elements.What you will learn Understand the principles of shaders, along with how to work in Shader Graph Harness URP and HDRP packages for efficient shader creation Enhance game visuals with modern shader techniques Optimize shaders for performance and aesthetics Master the math and algorithms behind the commonly used lighting models Transform your game's atmosphere with the Post Processing Stack Develop sophisticated shader effects by leveraging fragment shaders and grab-pass techniques Who this book is forThis book is for game developers looking to elevate their shader expertise and enhance game visuals using Unity 6. Game programmers, technical artists, and aspiring game developers eager to master shader creation with Shader Graph will find this book very useful. A solid understanding of Unity is required to get the most out of this book.

Get started with mobile game development with this practical, illustrated guide on how to use Unity 2022 and C# to build cross-platform mobile games and add augmented reality features to your projects Key Features Create, deploy, and monetize immersive mobile games on Android and iOS with Unity 2022 Integrate augmented reality in your mobile projects to add real-world elements to your games Explore step-by-step instructions and a demo game project to kickstart your game development journey Book DescriptionUnity is a well-established player in the mobile game development sphere, and its new release, Unity 2022, is packed with new, exciting features. In Unity 2022 Mobile Game Development, Third Edition, you'll get to grips with the Unity game engine by building a mobile game and publishing it on the most popular mobile app stores as well as exploring the all-new features. This book provides a comprehensive and practical approach to mobile game development, helping you build an endless runner game. Starting with setting up a simple Unity project for mobile development, you’ll delve into various essential aspects needed to successfully create and publish your game. You’ll acquire a range of skills, such as incorporating touch gestures, monetizing your game with Unity Ads and in-app purchases, designing an intuitive UI, and seamlessly integrating social media functionalities. Additionally, you’ll gain valuable insights into player preferences and behavior using Unity's analytics tools. You’ll also explore features of augmented reality in Unity 2022, enhancing your game's appeal. By the end of this book, you’ll be well-equipped to reap the power of Unity 2022 to build, optimize, and publish robust cross-platform mobile games with C#, as well as widening your skill set and enhancing your credentials as a game developer.What you will learn Design responsive UIs for your mobile games Detect collisions, receive user input, and create player movements Create interesting gameplay elements using mobile device input Add custom icons and presentation options Keep players engaged by using Unity s mobile notification package Integrate social media into your projects Add augmented reality features to your game for real-world appeal Make your games juicy with post-processing and particle effects Who this book is forIf you are a game developer or mobile developer looking to learn Unity and employ it to build mobile games for iOS and Android, then this Unity book is for you. Prior knowledge of C# and Unity will be beneficial but isn’t mandatory.

Overcome the challenges and complexities involved in creating your own shaders with high-level realism using practical solutions, best practices, and the latest features of Unity 2021 Key Features Discover practical recipes for mastering post-processing effects and advanced shading techniques Learn the secrets of creating AAA quality shaders without writing long algorithms Create visually stunning effects for your games using Unity's VFX Graph Book DescriptionShaders enable you to create powerful visuals for your game projects. However, creating shaders for your games can be notoriously challenging with various factors such as complex mathematics standing in the way of attaining the level of realism you crave for your shaders. The Unity 2021 Shaders and Effects Cookbook helps you overcome that with a recipe-based approach to creating shaders using Unity. This fourth edition is updated and enhanced using Unity 2021 features and tools covering Unity's new way of creating particle effects with the VFX Graph. You'll learn how to use VFX Graph for advanced shader development. The book also features updated recipes for using Shader Graph to create 2D and 3D elements. You'll cover everything you need to know about vectors, how they can be used to construct lighting, and how to use textures to create complex effects without the heavy math. You'll also understand how to use the visual-based Shader Graph for creating shaders without any code. By the end of this Unity book, you'll have developed a set of shaders that you can use in your Unity 3D games and be able to accomplish new effects and address the performance needs of your Unity game development projects. So, let's get started!What you will learn Use physically based rendering to fit the aesthetic of your game Create spectacular effects for your games by testing the limits of what shaders can do Explore advanced shader techniques for your games with AAA quality Use Shader Graph to create 2D and 3D elements for your games without writing code Master the math and algorithms behind the commonly used lighting models Get to grips with the Post-Processing Stack to tweak the appearance of your game Who this book is forThis book is for game developers who want to start creating their first shaders in Unity 2021 and take their game to a whole new level by adding professional post-processing effects. The book assumes intermediate-level knowledge of Unity.

A practical guide on how to use Unity for building cross-platform mobile games and Augmented Reality apps using the latest Unity 2020 toolsetKey FeaturesCreate, deploy, and monetize captivating and immersive games on Android and iOS platformsTake your games into the real world by adding augmented reality features to your mobile projectsKick-start your mobile game development journey with step-by-step instructions and a demo game projectBook DescriptionUnity 2020 brings a lot of new features that can be harnessed for building powerful games for popular mobile platforms. This updated second edition delves into Unity development, covering the new features of Unity, modern development practices, and augmented reality (AR) for creating an immersive mobile experience. The book takes a step-by-step approach to building an endless runner game using Unity to help you learn the concepts of mobile game development. This new edition also covers AR features and explains how to implement them using ARCore and ARKit with Unity. The book explores the new mobile notification package and helps you add notifications for your games. You’ll learn how to add touch gestures and design UI elements that can be used in both landscape and portrait modes at different resolutions. The book then covers the best ways to monetize your games using Unity Ads and in-app purchases before you learn how to integrate your game with various social networks. Next, using Unity’s analytics tools, you’ll enhance your game by gaining insights into how players like and use your game. Finally, you’ll take your games into the real world by implementing AR capabilities and publishing them on both Android and iOS app stores. By the end of this book, you will have learned Unity tools and techniques and be able to use them to build robust cross-platform mobile games.What you will learnDesign responsive user interfaces for your mobile gamesDetect collisions, receive user input, and create player movements for your mobile gamesCreate interesting gameplay elements using inputs from your mobile deviceExplore the mobile notification package in Unity game engine to keep players engagedCreate interactive and visually appealing content for Android and iOS devicesMonetize your game projects using Unity Ads and in-app purchasesWho this book is forIf you are a game developer or mobile developer who wants to learn Unity and use it to build mobile games for iOS and Android, then this Unity book is for you. Prior knowledge of C# and Unity will be beneficial but is not mandatory.

Build optimized, efficient, and real-time applications that are production-ready using Unreal Engine s Material Editor Key Features Create stunning visual effects for 3D games and high-quality graphics Design efficient Shaders for mobile platforms without sacrificing their realism Discover what goes into the structure of Shaders and why lighting works the way it does Book DescriptionUnreal Engine 4 is a powerful game engine, one which has seen a recent boost in widespread adoption thanks to its ease of use and the powerful rendering pipeline that it packs. Seeing as how it's relatively easy to create stunning presentations and visuals, Unreal has quickly become a strong contender in industries where this kind of software had been previously denied entry. With that in mind, this book aims to help you get the most out of Unreal Engine 4 - from creating awe-inspiring graphics to delivering optimized experiences to your users. This is possible thanks to a mixture of hands-on experience with real materials and the theory behind them. You will immediately know how to create that material that you want to display, and you'll also end up with the knowledge that will let you know how to control it. All of this will be done without losing sight of two key components of any real-time application - optimization, and efficiency. The materials that you create will be light and efficient, and they will vary depending on your target platform. You'll know which techniques can be used in any kind of device and which ones should be kept to high-end machines, giving you the confidence to tackle any material-related task that you can imagine. Hop onboard and discover how!What you will learn Master Unreal Engine s rendering pipeline for developing real-time graphics Use physically based rendering (PBR) for building materials and lighting solutions Build optimized materials for games targeting multiple platforms Understand Unreal Engine s node and functions for creating desirable effects Design and build production-ready shaders Explore Unreal Engine s Material Editor for building complex materials and textures Who this book is forThis book is for developers who want to create their first Shaders in Unreal Engine 4 or wish to take their game to a whole new level by adding professional post-processing effects. A solid understanding of Unreal is required to get the most from this book.

Write efficient, reusable scripts to build custom characters, game environments, and control enemy AI Key FeaturesBuild captivating multiplayer games using Unreal Engine and C++Incorporate existing C++ libraries into your game to add extra functionality such as hardware integrationPractical solutions for memory management, error handling, inputs, and collision for your game codebaseBook DescriptionUnreal Engine 4 (UE4) is a popular and award-winning game engine that powers some of the most popular games. A truly powerful tool for game development, there has never been a better time to use it for both commercial and independent projects. With more than 100 recipes, this book shows how to unleash the power of C++ while developing games with Unreal Engine.This book takes you on a journey to jumpstart your C++ and UE4 development skills. You will start off by setting up UE4 for C++ development and learn how to work with Visual Studio, a popular code editor. You will learn how to create C++ classes and structs the Unreal way. This will be followed by exploring memory management, smart pointers, and debugging your code. You will then learn how to make your own Actors and Components through code and how to handle input and collision events. You will also get exposure to many elements of game development including creating user interfaces, artificial intelligence, and writing code with networked play in mind. You will also learn how to add on to the Unreal Editor itself. With a range of task-oriented recipes, this book provides actionable information about writing code for games with UE4 using C++. By the end of the book, you will be empowered to become a top-notch developer with UE4 using C++ as your scripting language!What you will learnCreate C++ classes and structs that integrate well with UE4 and the Blueprints editorDiscover how to work with various APIs that Unreal Engine already containsUtilize advanced concepts such as events, delegates, and interfaces in your UE4 projectsBuild user interfaces using Canvas and UMG through C++Extend the Unreal Editor by creating custom windows and editorsImplement AI tasks and services using C++, Blackboard, and Behavior TreesWrite C++ code with networking in mind and replicate properties and functionsWho this book is forIf you are really passionate game developer looking for solutions to common scripting problems, then this is the book for you. Understanding of the fundamentals of game design and C++ is expected to get the most from this book.

Bring realism to your games by mastering post-processing effects and advanced shading techniques in Unity 2018Key FeaturesLearn the secrets of creating AAA quality shaders without writing long algorithmsMaster shader programming through easy-to-follow examplesCreate stunning visual effects that can be used in 3D gamesBook DescriptionSince their introduction to Unity, shaders have been seen as notoriously difficult to understand and implement in games. Complex mathematics has always stood in the way of creating your own shaders and attaining the level of realism you crave.Unity 2018 Shaders and Effects Cookbook changes that by giving you a recipe-based guide to creating shaders using Unity. It will show you everything you need to know about vectors, how lighting is constructed with them, and how textures are used to create complex effects without the heavy math.This book starts by teaching you how to use shaders without writing code with the post-processing stack. Then, you’ll learn how to write shaders from scratch, build up essential lighting, and finish by creating stunning screen effects just like those in high-quality 3D and mobile games. You'll discover techniques, such as normal mapping, image-based lighting, and animating your models inside a shader. We'll explore how to use physically based rendering to treat light the way it behaves in the real world. At the end, we’ll even look at Unity 2018’s new Shader Graph system.With this book, what seems like a dark art today will be second nature by tomorrow.What you will learnUnderstand physically based rendering to fit the aesthetic of your gameWrite shaders from scratch in ShaderLab and HLSL/CgCombine shader programming with interactive scripts to add life to your materialsDesign efficient shaders for mobile platforms without sacrificing their realismUse state-of-the-art techniques, such as volumetric explosions and fur shadingMaster the math and algorithms behind the most used lighting modelsUnderstand how shader models have evolved and how you can create your ownWho this book is forUnity Shaders and Effects Cookbook is for developers who want to create their first shaders in Unity 2018 or wish to take their game to a whole new level by adding professional post-processing effects. A solid understanding of Unity is required to get the most from this book.

Learn to create, publish and monetize your mobile games with the latest Unity 2017 tool-set easily for Android and iOS About This Book • One-stop solution to becoming proficient in mobile game development using Unity 2017 • Port your Unity games to popular platforms such as iOS and Android • Unleash the power of C# scripting to create realistic gameplay and animations in Unity 2017. Who This Book Is For If you are a game developer and want to build mobile games for iOS and Android, then this is the book for you. Previous knowledge of C# and Unity is helpful, but not required. What You Will Learn • Use Unity to build an endless runner game • Set up and deploy a project to a mobile device • Create interesting gameplay elements using inputs from your mobile device • Monetize your game projects with Unity ads and in-app purchases • Design UI elements that can be used well in Landscape and Portrait mode at different resolutions, supporting phones, tablets, and PCs. • How to submit your game to the iOS and Android app stores In Detail Unity has established itself as an overpowering force for developing mobile games. If you love mobile games and want to learn how to make them but have no idea where to begin, then this book is just what you need. This book takes a clear, step-by-step approach to building an endless runner game using Unity with plenty of examples on how to create a game that is uniquely your own. Starting from scratch, you will build, set up, and deploy a simple game to a mobile device. You will learn to add touch gestures and design UI elements that can be used in both landscape and portrait mode at different resolutions. You will explore the best ways to monetize your game projects using Unity Ads and in-app purchases before you share your game information on social networks. Next, using Unity's analytics tools you will be able to make your game better by gaining insights into how players like and use your game. Finally, you'll learn how to publish your game on the iOS and Android App Stores for the world to see and play along. Style and approach This book takes a clear, step-by-step approach for Unity game developers to explore everything needed to develop mobile games with Unity.

Utilize proven solutions to solve common problems in game development About This Book • Untangle your game development workflow, make cleaner code, and create structurally solid games • Implement key programming patterns that will enable you to make efficient AI and remove duplication • Optimize your game using memory management techniques Who This Book Is For If you are a game developer who wants to solve commonly-encountered issues or have some way to communicate to other developers in a standardized format, then this book is for you. Knowledge of basic game programming principles and C++ programming is assumed. What You Will Learn • Learn what design patterns are and why you would want to use them • Reduce the maintenance burden with well-tested, cleaner code • Employ the singleton pattern effectively to reduce your compiler workload • Use the factory pattern to help you create different objects with the same creation logic and reduce coding time • Improve game performance with Object Pools • Allow game play to interact with physics or graphics in an abstract way • Refractor your code to remove common code smells In Detail You've learned how to program, and you've probably created some simple games at some point, but now you want to build larger projects and find out how to resolve your problems. So instead of a coder, you might now want to think like a game developer or software engineer. To organize your code well, you need certain tools to do so, and that's what this book is all about. You will learn techniques to code quickly and correctly, while ensuring your code is modular and easily understandable. To begin, we will start with the core game programming patterns, but not the usual way. We will take the use case strategy with this book. We will take an AAA standard game and show you the hurdles at multiple stages of development. Similarly, various use cases are used to showcase other patterns such as the adapter pattern, prototype pattern, flyweight pattern, and observer pattern. Lastly, we'll go over some tips and tricks on how to refactor your code to remove common code smells and make it easier for others to work with you. By the end of the book you will be proficient in using the most popular and frequently used patterns with the best practices. Style and approach This book takes a step-by-step real-life case studies approach. Every pattern is first explained using a bottleneck. We will show you a problem in your everyday workflow, and then introduce you to the pattern, and show you how the pattern will resolve the situation.

Create a high-quality first person shooter game using the Unity game engine and the popular UFPS and Probuilder frameworks About This Book • Learn how to use Unity in conjunction with UFPS and ProBuilder to create a high-quality game quickly • Create both interior and exterior environments • A step-by step guide to building a project with clear examples and instructions to create a number of interesting scenarios Who This Book Is For This book is for those who want to create an FPS game in Unity and gain knowledge on how to customize it to be their very own. If you are familiar with the basics of Unity, you will have an easier time, but it should make it possible for someone with no prior experience to learn Unity at an accelerated pace. What You Will Learn • Use UFPS to build custom weapons with custom meshes and behaviors • Explore level design as you prototype levels, making use of Prototype to build levels out quickly • Build environments that are realistic as possible while keeping peak performance and repetitiveness down • Review tips and tricks on how to create environments using both terrain for outdoor areas and a modular workflow for interiors • Develop a number of different encounters that your players can fight against, from a simple turret enemy to complex AI characters from Shooter AI • Discover how to create unique objects such as exploding barrels and objects you can interact with • Create a custom GUI to help your game stand out from the crowd • Package your game for release, create an installer, and get your game out into the world In Detail Unity, available in free and pro versions, is one of the most popular third-party game engines available. It is a cross-platform game engine, making it easy to write your game once and then port it to PC, consoles, and even the web, making it a great choice for both indie and AAA developers. Building an FPS Game in Unity takes readers on an exploration of how to use Unity to create a 3D first person shooter (FPS) title, leveraging the powerful UFPS framework by VisionPunk and Prototype/ProBuilder 2.0 by ProCore3D. After some setting up, you will start by learning how to create custom weapons, prototype levels, create exterior and interior environments, and breathe life into our levels. We will then add polish to the levels. Finally, we will create a custom GUI and menus for our title to create a complete package. Style and approach An easy-to-follow guide with each project containing step-by-step explanations, diagrams, screenshots, and downloadable material. Concepts in Unity and C# are explained as they are used and for the more inquisitive, there are more details on the concepts used with additional external resources to learn from.

Over 40 recipes to accelerate the process of learning game design and solving development problems using Unreal Engine About This Book • Explore the quickest way to tackle common challenges faced in Unreal Engine • Create your own content, levels, light scenes, and materials, and work with Blueprints and C++ scripting • An intermediate, fast-paced Unreal Engine guide with targeted recipes to design games within its framework Who This Book Is For This book is for those who are relatively experienced with Unreal Engine 4 and have knowledge of its fundamentals. Working knowledge of C++ is required. What You Will Learn • Discover editor functionalities for an in-depth insight into game design • Develop environments using terrain for outdoor areas and a workflow for interiors as well using brushes • Design various kinds of materials with unique features, such as mirrors and glows • Explore the various ways that lighting can be used in the engine • Build various level effects using Blueprints, Unreal's visual scripting system • Set up a development environment and develop custom functionality with C++ for your games • Create healthbars and main menus with animations using Slate, Unreal's UI solution, through the UMG Editor • Package and create an installer to get your project out into the world In Detail Unreal Engine is powerful tool with rich functionalities to create games. It equips you with the skills to easily build mobile and desktop games from scratch without worrying about which platform they will run on. You can focus on the individual complexities of game development such as animation and rendering. This book takes you on a journey to jumpstart your game design efforts. You will learn various aspects of the Unreal engine commonly encountered with practical examples of how it can be used, with numerous references for further study. You will start by getting acquainted with Unreal Engine 4 and building out levels for your game. This will be followed by recipes to help you create environments, place meshes, and implement your characters. You will then learn to work with lights, camera, and shadows to include special effects in your game. Moving on, you'll learn Blueprint scripting and C++ programming to enable you to achieve trigger effects and add simple functionalities. By the end of the book, you will see how to create a healthbar and main menu, and then get your game ready to be deployed and published. Style and approach This book offers detailed, easy-to-follow recipes that will help you master a wide range of Unreal Engine 4's features. Every recipe provides step-by-step instructions, with explanations of how these features work, and alternative approaches and research materials so you can learn even more.

If you want to build enticing projects with Unity, this book is for you. Readers who are familiar with the basics of how to create simple projects in Unity will have an easier time.