Blips Blog

JetBrains releases a free version of Rider

JetBrains Rider, a cross-platform integrated development environment (IDE), now offers a new free licensing plan. For those unfamiliar, Rider is part of a family of programming IDEs from JetBrains, initially designed for .NET development with a focus on languages such as C#, F#, and VB.NET. Like many JetBrains IDEs, it is well-regarded and designed to enhance the experience of developers working with these languages.

Published: 28. Oct. 2024

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Unity 6 has been released

Unity 6 is finally here, a release that has been highly anticipated due to the significant changes it promised. One of these changes is the return to the previous version numbering system, which was discontinued after Unity 5 in 2017. Another notable change was the introduction of a controversial runtime fee, which sparked widespread debate. We provided an explanation of this fee in our previous article Unity 6 launched in preview under the pricing section. However, due to significant community backlash, the fee has since been canceled.

Published: 21. Oct. 2024

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The O3DE game engine has received a major update (24.09)

O3DE (Open 3D Engine) recently received a major update, described as "game-changing," marking a significant milestone for this free and open-source game engine. For those unfamiliar, O3DE is the direct successor to Amazon Lumberyard, which was originally built upon CryEngine. While it retains some features from its predecessors, O3DE is largely a new, modular engine designed for creating high-fidelity games, robotic simulations, and immersive 3D worlds.

Published: 14. Oct. 2024

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Axis - A new Unity tool designed to accelerate prototyping

Axis is a new tool for the Unity game engine that allows users to build common game mechanics quickly using a no-code approach. Recently published on the Unity Asset Store, it was originally developed to assist the author with their own game projects. The asset was designed to be a reliable tool for easy prototyping, making full use of Unity's built-in features. The creator's main goal is to give users a faster, more efficient way to test and refine their ideas within Unity.

Published: 7. Oct. 2024

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SteamNetGodot - A new steam networking solution for Godot

SteamNetGodot is a new networking solution for the Godot game engine, developed by Overfort Games for their upcoming game, Taverna. The studio has released SteamNetGodot, which powers their game, for free under the MIT open-source license, similar to Godot itself. The framework includes key multiplayer functionalities such as VoIP, matchmaking, and moderation tools. Written in C#, it offers high performance and ease of use while leveraging libraries such as Facepunch.Steamworks and LiteNetLib. The code is organized into a base layer and gameplay components for easier maintenance.

Published: 30. Sep. 2024

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Lazy Animation - A new animation add-on for Blender

Lazy Animation is a new add-on developed by artist and Blender tools creator MeiU, designed to simplify animation creation within Blender. It was created to help both beginners and professionals quickly set up keyframes for moving selected objects, allowing users to animate them along custom curve paths. In Lazy Animation, this process is seamless, with keyframes generated in just one click, eliminating the need for tedious setup steps.

Published: 23. Sep. 2024

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Maxon Fall Release introduces ZBrush for iPad

The Maxon Fall Release brings updates to Maxon One and introduces ZBrush for iPad. ZBrush is a powerful tool renowned for creating highly detailed 3D models and is widely used in fields such as film and animation, video games, and concept art. According to Maxon, ZBrush for iPad delivers the full power of the popular 3D sculpting and painting software on the go, without sacrificing functionality. It features a fully reimagined interface and an advanced brush system. It also takes full advantage of the Apple Pencil capabilities, allowing users to sculpt, paint, and create in real time from anywhere.

Published: 16. Sep. 2024

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TerraBrush – A user-friendly terrain editor updated for Godot 4.3

TerraBrush is a free, open-source terrain editor built in C# for the Godot game engine. Although described by the developer as a "minimal" heightmap terrain editor, it offers a wide range of features, making it a valuable tool for a wide range of projects. Initially created for the developer's own game Volunteers (available to wishlist on Steam), the developer realized it could benefit other game creators and decided to release it as open source. The plugin is under active development and was recently updated to version 0.8 Alpha, adding support for Godot 4.3.

Published: 9. Sep. 2024

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ICity - A procedural city generator add-on for Blender

ICity is a recently released Blender add-on that enables users to effortlessly create detailed 3D cityscapes. Developed by technical artist Hothifa Smair, the add-on features procedural generation and includes a vast asset library, streamlining city creation workflows by facilitating quick prototyping and final delivery. It can be particularly useful for architects, game developers, and city-building enthusiasts.

Published: 2. Sep. 2024

General

The new music features in Godot 4.3 explained

Godot 4.3 brings exciting new features that make it easier to incorporate adaptive music into your games. In this article, I'll go over the new additions, explaining their functionality and how you can use them in your projects. The adaptive music capabilities come from three new audio stream types: AudioStreamInteractive, AudioStreamPlaylist, and AudioStreamSynchronized. These can be combined to create complex musical behaviors, offering functionality typically reserved for audio middleware solutions like Wwise, FMOD, or CRI ADX2.

Published: 26. Aug. 2024

News

Godot has been updated to version 4.3

Godot 4.3 has been released, thanks to the efforts of more than 500 contributors over the past nine months since the 4.2 release. Project manager Rémi Verschelde noted that this release surpassed the original development plans, resulting in a substantial update. Verschelde highlighted that the user experience is now more stable and polished, with fewer obscure bugs that could disrupt games or workflows. Additionally, the feature set has been expanded with numerous highly anticipated improvements across all areas of the engine.

Published: 19. Aug. 2024

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Game UI Database 2.0 - A useful resource for designing better game UIs

The Game UI Database is a free online resource designed specifically for game UI/UX designers, but it can be equally useful for anyone looking to create better UIs for their games. Created by Edd Coates, a Lead UI/UX Designer at Radical Forge, it serves as a valuable tool for finding inspiration and quickly searching for reference materials. The database is one of the top resources in its field, featuring over a thousand games and more than 55,000 screenshots and videos. It offers references for various UI elements, including title screens, system menus, stage and level selection, stats, inventory, maps, controls, and more. Users can explore the catalog by game genre, theme, aesthetic, and camera perspective.

Published: 12. Aug. 2024

News

RapidPipeline - A new tool for streamlining 3D workflows

RapidPipeline is a new 3D data preparation tool designed to simplify common, time-consuming tasks for all 3D creators. It functions as a batch processing tool for 3D models, offering an automated pipeline with customizable workflows. Users can adjust file formats, optimization methods, and target resolutions. Additional tasks include baking normal maps, compressing geometry and textures, generating LODs (Levels of Detail), and more. This flexibility ensures that 3D assets can be prepared quickly and efficiently for use in various applications and target devices.

Published: 5. Aug. 2024