Mastering Unity 2D Game Development - Second Edition

Ashley Godbold, Simon Jackson

• Publisher: Packt Publishing
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781786462336
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Programming Games
• Index: Computer Science

Master everything you need to build a 2D game using Unity 5 by developing a complete RPG game framework!About This Book• Explore the new features of Unity 5 and recognize obsolete code and elements.• Develop and build a complete 2D retro RPG with a conversation system, inventory, random map battles, full game menus, and sound.• This book demonstrates how to use the new Unity UI system effectively through detailed C# scripts with full explanations.Who This Book Is ForThis book is for anyone looking to get started developing 2D games with Unity 5. If you're already accomplished in Unity 2D and wish to expand or supplement your current Unity knowledge, or are working in 2D in Unity 4 and looking to upgrade Unity 5, this book is for you. A basic understanding of programming logic is needed to begin learning with this book, but intermediate and advanced programming topic are explained thoroughly so that coders of any level can follow along. Previous programming experience in C# is not required.What You Will Learn• Create a 2D game in Unity 5 by developing a complete retro 2D RPG framework.• Effectively manipulate and utilize 2D sprites.• Create 2D sprite animations and trigger them effectively with code.• Write beginning to advanced-level C# code using MonoDevelop.• Implement the new UI system effectively and beautifully.• Use state machines to trigger events within your game.In DetailThe Unity engine has revolutionized the gaming industry, by making it easier than ever for indie game developers to create quality games on a budget. Hobbyists and students can use this powerful engine to build 2D and 3D games, to play, distribute, and even sell for free!This book will help you master the 2D features available in Unity 5, by walking you through the development of a 2D RPG framework. With fully explained and detailed C# scripts, this book will show you how to create and program animations, a NPC conversation system, an inventory system, random RPG map battles, and full game menus. After your core game is complete, you'll learn how to add finishing touches like sound and music, monetization strategies, and splash screens. You'll then be guided through the process of publishing and sharing your game on multiple platforms. After completing this book, you will have the necessary knowledge to develop, build, and deploy 2D games of any genre!Style and approachThis book takes a step-by-step practical tutorial style approach. The steps are accompanied by examples, and all the intermediate steps will be clearly explained. The focus of this book will obviously be on the advanced topics so that the game looks and performs efficiently.

Mastering Unity 2D Game Development - Second Edition

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Mastering Unity 2D Game Development - Second Edition

Copyright © 2016 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the authors, nor Packt Publishing, and its dealers and distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

First published: August 2014

Second edition: October 2016

Production reference: 1071016

Published by Packt Publishing Ltd.

Livery Place

35 Livery Street

Birmingham

B3 2PB, UK.

ISBN 978-1-78646-345-6

www.packtpub.com

Credits

Authors Ashley Godbold Simon Jackson	Copy Editor Sameen Siddiqui
Reviewer Claudio Scolastici	Project Coordinator Ulhas Kambali
Commissioning Editor Amarabha Banerjee	Proofreader Safis Editing
Acquisition Editor Smeet Thakkar	Indexer Rekha Nair
Content Development Editor Prashanth G	Graphics Kirk D'Penha
Technical Editor Sushant S Nadkar	Production Coordinator Aparna Bhagat

About the Authors

Dr. Ashley Godbold is a programmer, game designer, artist, mathematician, and teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, a Master of Science in Mathematics, a Bachelor of Science in Game Art and Design, and a Doctor of Computer Science in Emerging Media, where her dissertation research focused on educational video game design. She works full-time as a game developer and also runs a small indie/passion studio. She teaches college courses in Unity, 3ds Max, Adobe Flash, game design, and mathematics.

I would like to thank my husband, Kyle, and my daughter, Claire, for supporting me after I made the crazy decision to write a book and a dissertation at the same time. I would also like to thank my good friend, Danny Rich, for being the person with whom I initially set out to learn Unity and for helping me with character art in this book.

I'd also like to thank everyone at Packt Publishing for helping me through this process, particularly Smeet Thakkar, Prashanth G Rao, and Sushant Nadkar for all of their help through this process.

Simon Jackson has been a tinkerer, engineer, problem solver, and solution gatherer ever since his early years. In short, he loves to break things apart, figure out how they work, and then put them back together; usually better than before.

He started way back when with his first computer, the Commodore Vic20. It was simple, used a tape deck, and forced you to write programs in Basic or assembly language; those were fun times. From there, he progressed through the ZX Spectrum +2 and the joyous days of modern graphics, but still with the 30-minute load times from a trusty tape deck. Games were his passion even then, which led to many requests for another gaming machine, but Santa brought him an Amstrad 1640, his first PC. From there, his tinkering and building exploded, and that machine ended up being a huge monstrosity with so many add-ons and tweaked fixes. He was Frankenstein, and this PC became his own personal monster crafted from so many parts. Good times.

This passion led him down many paths, and he learned to help educate others on the tips and tricks he learned along the way; these skills have equipped him well for the future.

Today, he would class himself as a game development generalist. He works with many different frameworks, each time digging down and ripping them apart, and then showing whoever would listen through his blog, videos, and speaking events how to build awesome frameworks and titles. This has been throughout many generations of C++, MDX, XNA (what a breath of fresh air that was), MonoGame, Unity3D, The Sunburn Gaming Engine, HTML, and a bunch of other proprietary frameworks—he did them all. This gives him a very balanced view of how to build and manage many different types of multiplatform titles.

He didn't stop there as he regularly contributed to the MonoGame project, adding new features and samples, and publishing on NuGet. He also has several of his own open source projects and actively seeks any new and interesting ones to help with.

By day, he is a lowly lead technical architect working in the healthcare industry, seeking to improve patients' health and care through better software (a challenge to be sure). By night, he truly soars! Building, tinkering, and educating while trying to push game titles of his own. One day they will pay the bills, but until then, he still leads a double life.

I would like to thank my family above all, my wife, Caroline and my four amazing children (Alexander, Caitlin, Jessica, and Nathan), for putting up with me and giving me the space to write this title as well as my other extravagances—they truly lift me up and keep me sane. They are my rock, my shore, my world.

I would also...