Unity 2.0 game dev kit due this summer
updated 10:05 am EDT, Fri July 6, 2007
Unity 2.0 coming in summer
OTEE, the developers of the Unity game engine for the Mac, have announced that Unity 2.0 will be available later this summer. Unity is a comprehensive game development platform, incorporating not just graphics, physics and audio components, but also editing and networking layers, with the ability to import assets from programs such as Maya, Lightwave, Blender and more. Unity 2.0 will introduce some 50 new features, among them a new terrain engine, with the ability to render hundreds of thousands of trees, rocks and other scenic details at the same time. Lighting will support real-time dynamic shadows with self-shadowing, and video will be displayalbe in 2D or 3D.
Other planned features will include a multiplayer networking component, and a new Unity Web Player, which will allow games to start streaming in seconds while the rest of the content finishes downloading in the background. The pricing of Unity 2.0 has not been announced; Unity 1.6.2 costs $250 for the Indie version or $1,500 for Pro, however, and any purchase of Unity 1.x after May 16th is eligible for a free upgrade.
