Unity 3D is a popular game development platform widely acknowledged by professional developers. Its outstanding features often make it a platform of choice when it comes to mobile game development.
Surely, every game development tool has a number of advantages and well as downsides. If you are trying to decide on your ultimate platform for creating mobile games, this article will help you understand the weak and the strong points of developing with Unity 3D.
The Pros Of Using Unity 3D For Mobile Game Development
Unity is a platform behind as much as 50% of mobile games! Clearly, game devs favor it because of its quite exclusive features. Below is the list of the most prominent ones.
1. 2D and 3D Support: with Unity 3D you can build both 2D and 3D games with exceptionally great-looking graphics. Moreover, it natively supports AR/ VR, although it also integrates with third-party tools and services for building AR/VR games.
2. Excellent design interface: the design UI is relatively simple. You can easily drag and drop design elements, and switch to code when necessary.
3. Powerful coding capabilities: Unity uses Microsoft Visual Studio as its default integrated development environment. The default coding languages are C# and UnityScript, which is a lot like JavaScript, but many insiders strongly recommend using C# for Unity 3D projects.
4. Extensive asset library: the platform offers a plethora of assets you can buy or add for free in Unity Asset Store.
5. Cross-platform development: Unity enables you to publish to most desktop and mobile platforms, which makes it pretty much universal, although you may have to tune it up a little to meet platform requirements. Enabling game distribution through a single hub, Unity will easily let you publish to multiple web stores. All in all, Unity supports over 25 different platforms, apart from Android and iOS.
6. Strong support community: Unity has a vast community of supporters across the web. Its popularity is also increasing exponentially, with Unity Developer being one of the Top 10 fastest growing jobs in the US according to LinkedIn. It also has great, fully functional tech support as well as tips, hands on manuals and overviews to help you get proficient in game development.
7. Great pricing policy: its core functionality is free. It does request payment for some extra features, though. For mobile game developers, Unity also offers some exclusive monetization solutions.
The Cons of Using Unity 3D to Build Mobile Games
Experienced developers may find Unity limiting, while, if you are making your first steps into game development, you may find it intimidating and complex. Unity 3D does require time and expertise to uncover its full potential.
1. Complex interface: Unity is loaded with features, and a quick look at its interface can make you feel overwhelmed. Its power, though, makes up for the complexity. For instance, you can use 3D graphics in your 2D project, for a sleek and modern look. Creating basic 3D objects is also quite easy, as well as combining them into more complex ones.
2. Coding skills: those looking for a simple drag and drop tool may be disappointed. You’ll need to attach a code to some objects to make them function, and, surely, you’ll need good working knowledge of C# to build something truly impressive with Unity 3D.
3. Visual Studio issues: Microsoft Visual Studio usually work well, but may sometimes request to log in and confirm your registration in the middle of the development process. This may hinder the development and often feels frustrating.
4. Undocumented features: Unity 3D has some excellent features for mobile game development, but the documentation for them is either outdated or nonexistent. You will have to search the web or ask the community of Unity supporters for tips and advice.
Bottomline: all in all, Unity 3D pros outnumber the cons, so we would highly recommend it for professional mobile game development. If you are proficient in programming and are willing to devote some time to figuring out its complicated interface, Unity 3D could be your #1 platform of choice for building mobile games.
Generally speaking, Unity 3D is a mid-level tool, and if you want to create AAA games, you may probably have to look at other professional platforms. Yet, many blockbuster games like Warlords of Aternum, Arena of Valor and Last Day On Earth were created using Unity. It also remains one of the top platforms for mobile game development. As of today, top Android games built with Unity 3D include: Alto’s Adventure, Shadow Fight 3, Monument Valley, Pako Car Chase Simulator, Orbit, Angry Birds 2 and more.
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