What it is
Unity is a real-time engine for games and interactive 2D and 3D content, made by Unity Technologies. It is known for wide platform support: the same project can be built for iOS, Android, desktop, web, consoles and VR headsets. That reach made it a common choice for mobile games and small studios.
Projects are built in the Unity Editor from scenes and game objects, with behaviour written in C#. The Asset Store sells ready-made models, tools and scripts. Beyond games, Unity is used for training simulations, product configurators, architecture walkthroughs and augmented reality apps. A free personal tier made it a common starting point for new developers.
How I use it
- Part of the 3D and real-time engines in the design group on my stack.
- Sits alongside Maya and Unreal Engine from my game art and animation training.
- An option for the interactive pieces I build, where it fits the device and the job.
Unity is the right tool when an interactive piece has to run on phones and many other devices from one project, and when a lighter engine suits the job better than Unreal. I keep it in the toolkit beside Unreal because my game art training covered the full pipeline, and the engine should fit the job rather than the other way round.
Questions
Unity or Unreal Engine?
Unity is often lighter and is a common choice for mobile and cross-platform projects. Unreal is often chosen for high-fidelity 3D. The right one depends on the device and the look the job needs.
Can you build an interactive app that is not a form?
Yes. I build the fun pieces too, and have since sales showrooms ran on Flash kiosks. The tool is picked to suit where the piece will run.