Presented at FITC Toronto 2014 on April 27-29 at the Hilton Toronto More info at www.fitc.ca There are many great tutorials on getting started with Unity, but few that approach it from the perspective of transitioning from a creative coding platform like Processing, openFrameworks and Cinder. For those making the transition, it’s often less a question of learning the typical Unity workflow of importing 3D models and applying game logic and physics to them, and more about gaining lower level access to procedural geometry, meshes and individual vertices, etc. With a little persistence it is possible to learn how to take advantage of Unity’s powerful visual environment coupled with C# development in MonoDevelop, and add new dimensions to the creative coding process. Tim Stutts Designer & Prototyper, timstutts.com Tim Stutts is a designer/ prototyper who strives to innovate in the space between content and code. His initial approach often involves hand-sketching and wireframing, before transitioning to creative coding platforms to push concepts further as prototype applications and experiences. Specific interests include next-generation user interfaces, creative technology, programmable design assets, data visualization, and audio-visual media. These efforts culminated in the creation of PushPopDesign, a consultancy that he founded in 2009, where clients included firms such as Motion Theory, IconMobile and Bestiario, companies IBM, Google, Microsoft, Honda and Oblong, and artists Electroland, Rachel Mayeri and Robert Hodgin. Prior to establishing this hybrid practice, he spent three years working as a sound designer for interactive media and another two years as an interaction designer for software applications. Tim currently works as a concept designer for IBM’s Watson Lab in Austin, Texas. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Technology from California Institute of the Arts (2003) and a Masters degree in Interactive Telecommunications (ITP) from New York University (2008).

1. The Affordances and Challenges of
Transitioning to Unity from a Creative
Coding Framework, such as
OpenFrameworks, and Dealing with
Procedural Geometry, Aesthetics, etc.
www.timstutts.com

2. This Talk…
• Is not an introduction to game development.
Instead we’ll focus on other applications of Unity,
as of some specifics that aren’t necessarily to
games.
• Does not go deeply into Unity from a computer
science stand-point. Some lower level things for
sure, but more to the end of design.

3. Okay, a tiny bit on gaming
I worked archiving Cory Arcangel’s “Super Mario
Clouds” at Eyebeam Gallery NYC in 2007 ;)

4. My Creative Coding
Work Prior to Unity

5. I Love…
• Anything digital that’s created non-destructively.
(Code, Max/MSP, MIDI) I Want to be able to
tweak, plus move back in time during creation.
• Permutation and leaving the computer to
generate different options for me to curate.
Never enjoyed painting in the analog. Get
impatient with Photoshop (strangely in love with Fireworks
though. R.I.P.)

6. My Tools
• openFrameworks (C++, OpenGL)
• Cinder (C++, OpenGL)
• Processing (Java, OpenGL)
• Three.js (JavaScript, WebGL)

7. My Work in openFrameworks

9. Unity over oF (or similar)*
• Closed source, pay to use, well maintained
• Easily exports to the many platforms
• C#, JavaScript or Boo work interchangeably
• Visual programming environment (not just code)
• Built-in physics, lighting, game objects, etc.
* = insert creative coding platform of choice from here on out

10. oF over Unity
• Free, open source!
• Low level graphics programming in OpenGL
• Less assuming. Maybe you don’t want to make
a game. (have something that creates 60 seconds to render or millions
of points inefficiently, but aesthetically pleasingly, programmed?—it doesn’t
care!)
• Built-in physics, lighting, game objects, etc.

11. Aesthetic differences
oF vs Unity

12. openFrameworks

13. • Developed largely by contemporary artists but for a
variety of end uses
• Predominantly procedural and generative geometry
• Community interest in data visualization for its
computational beauty and its ability to make
statement
• Plays at least somewhat well with most hardware
and micro-controllers thanks to vast Add-ons
openFrameworks

14. Unity3D

15. • Game is the assumed final output w/ all the popular
genres present.
• 3D Geometry is largely imported from Maya or similar.
• 2D graphics are usually made in Photoshop or
Similar.
• Physics, lighting, etc are easier to execute.
• Some Unity projects that don’t fit the typical mold
Unity3D

16. Procedural Unity
Programmers

17. Tom Betts
http://www.nullpointer.co.uk

18. Infinite Sightseeing

19. cubicsphere

20. Permutation Racer

21. Aaron Myers and team
http://fracture.io/

25. IBM Watson Labs

26. We are hiring! https://jobs3.netmedia1.com/cp/find.ibm.jobs/US/
Watson_3D_Game_Developer/SWG-0650632/job/

27. Resources

29. http://blog.nobel-joergensen.com/2010/12/25/procedural-generated-mesh-in-unity/
Procedural Mesh Generation in Unity

30. http://wiki.unity3d.com/index.php?title=TubeRenderer
TubeRender plus other helpful procedural geometry code

31. great book to start out with learning C#: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/product/
9781849696586-item.html?s_campaign=goo-PLATest&gclid=CI3_x6jdg74CFdBcMgod2kYAuw

32. Three Ways to Draw a Line (made by unknown. project included.)

33. Procedural Pie Wedge (made by Tim Stutts. Project included.)