1st Edition

Game Development for iOS with Unity3D

By Jeff W. Murray Copyright 2013
    280 Pages 101 B/W Illustrations
    by A K Peters/CRC Press

    280 Pages
    by A K Peters/CRC Press

    Demystifies the Processes of Game Development
    Game Development for iOS with Unity3D takes you through the complete process of Unity iOS game development. A game developer for over 12 years, the author presents production-proven techniques and valuable tips and tricks needed to plan, build, test, and launch games for the iPhone, iPod, and iPad. He walks you through all the necessary procedures, including how to publish your game to the App Store.

    Encompasses the Whole Range of iOS Game Development
    This practical book begins with advice on writing a game design document and getting Apple developer certification. It then covers the build processes of the Unity Remote application and explains how to use the Unity editor. After focusing on debugging and optimization, the author describes tips for designing and marketing a successful App Store page. The book also features two iOS-ready games to explore, adapt, and play. Source files for the game examples are available at www.crcpress.com.

    Guides You in Creating a Functional iOS Game
    Accessible to indie game developers and small- to medium-sized studios, this hands-on guide gives you the tools and knowledge needed to start building and launching iOS games. It helps you create games using Unity3D and publish them to the App Store.

    Designing Your Game
    It’s Not as Easy as It Looks!
    Play Testing
    iOS Platform-Specific Considerations
    Clear Out Your Clutter
    Stay Grounded in Reality
    Preproduction
    Mind Mapping
    Scripting and Storyboarding
    Gantt Charts
    Task List Management
    Software for Word Processing and Writing
    Writing Game Design Documents
    Why Project Manage?
    Project Management for Guerillas
    Set Work Time and Stick to It
    Tasks Lists
    Stay Healthy
    Keep Communication Going
    When Good Games Go Bad
    Testing and Quality Assurance
    What Bug Reports Should Include

    Getting Set Up for iOS Development
    Which Version of Unity Do You Need?
    The Apple Developer Program Subscription
    Choosing the Right Developer Program Subscription
    A Summary of the iOS Developer Setup Process
    Developer Tools
    Basics of the Apple Developer Center
    Overview of the Apple Developer Center Areas
    Setting Up the Certificates You Need for Development
    Setting Up iOS Devices to Use for Development and Testing
    Setup and Download Provisioning Profiles

    Setting Up Unity and Your Mac for iOS Development
    Introduction to Unity
    Setting Up Unity to Work with Your Apple Developer Profile
    Downloading and Installing Apple Developer Certificates
    What Is the Unity Remote?
    Installing Unity Remote onto the Device
    Naming Profiles Properly

    Basics of the Unity Editor
    What Makes a Unity Project?
    Finding Your Way Around
    Navigating the Game Scene
    Finding Objects in a Scene Quickly
    Unity Physics: PhysX

    Building a Game in Unity iOS: The Roll-a-Ball Game
    Game Overview
    Controls
    Making the Game
    Building and Testing the Game on Your iOS Device
    There’s Always Room for Improvement

    Making a Kart-Racing Game
    Game Overview
    Controls
    Making the Game
    Choosing Random Textures for the Cars
    Drawing the In-Game User Interface
    Sound Effects
    Making the Game Even Better

    Debugging and Script Optimization
    Introduction to the Debugger
    Strategies for Wiping Out Bugs
    Console Debugging
    Retrieving PlayerPrefs and Application-Specific Files from an iOS Device
    Script Optimization
    An Introduction to the Profiler (Pro-Only Feature)

    Optimizing for File Size and Performance
    Texture Import Settings
    Why Compression Is Important
    Quality versus Quantity: What’s Available and What’s It About?
    Scale and Why It’s Important
    Why Audio Can Make or Break Your Game
    Draw Call Batching
    Occlusion Culling (Pro Feature)

    Publishing to the iTunes Store
    The Approval Process
    What You Need to Submit to Apple
    An Introduction to iTunes Connect
    How to Upload Your Game to Apple for Review
    What Happens Once Apple Approves Your Game for Sale?
    iOS Marketing
    Promotion Tips and Tricks

    Thinking Outside the Box
    The Democratization of Game Development: Anyone Can Make Games!
    Tweaks to the Compiled Project Code in Xcode
    In-App Purchases
    Other Uses for Unity iOS and Available Plug-Ins to Expand Its Functionality
    Tips and Questions to Ask for Porting to Other Platforms
    Using TestFlight to Get Builds to Your Testers
    Mantis
    The Unity Online Community

    Glossary

    Index

    Biography

    Jeff W. Murray runs PsychicParrot Games, which develops iOS, Android, downloadable, and browser-based games and explores experimental game technologies such as brainwave readers and robotics. He has programmed and designed games as a hobby for nearly 30 years and has worked in game development and browser-based entertainment for over 12 years, working with companies such as Microsoft, RealNetworks, and Sony.