Unity3D Prototyping Tool Based on Machinations

Sharma Sahir, Supervisor: Haahr Mads

Background SOA Techniques for prototyping

Source Drain Converter Trader State-of-the-art Techniques for Game Prototyping
• Mechanics • Opposites of • Changes • Responsible
responsible Sources resource of a for transfer S.No Tool Name Graphics Physics Cross- License Prototyping
Adam’s for creating • They remove kind into of resources Platform
Theory resources resources another between
• 1 • Stencyl • 2D • Yes – Box2D • Yes • Proprietary • Not powerful
out of from the entities
nothing • 2 • GameMaker • 2D • Dedicated • Yes • Proprietary • Bad Debug Options
game
• 3 • Kodu • 3D • N/A • No • Open • Rule-Based
• 4 • Construct2 • 2D • Yes – Box2D • Yes • GPL • Drag and Drop
Background • 5 • Unity3D • 2D,3D • Dedicated • Yes • Proprietary • Complex but flexible
(with limits) prototyping
• 6 • Godot • 2D, 2.5D, 3D • Yes – Bullet • Yes • MIT • GDScript based, has a
Simulation Training Engine high learning curve
Games &
Machinations • 7 • Deig • 2D • N/A • Yes – • Creative • Text based
Games based
Framework through Commons prototyping, Can be
on Internal
Economies Unity transferred to Unity
• 8 • HaxeFlixel • 2D • Yes - Nape • Yes • GNU GPL • Only rapid
Prototyping

A simulation game is
one which attempts
to imitate different
Pools and
Resource
activities from real-
Activation Connections life-based scenarios in
the form of a game

Methodology
Modes
for various purposes.

Push and Analysis Prediction

Pull
Resources

Background
• The Machinations framework provides a rule-based and dynamic- Research Documenting
system perspective on games. It focuses on game-mechanics and • Machinations research & Thesis
the inter-relation of these mechanics to emerge a dynamic • Simulation progress
+ Adam’s Theory + GUI = Machinations gameplay. Game mechanics and their structural features are not
Documentation
Games
immediately visible in most games, but is the sole reason why Unity Software
Machination is used as a prototyping tool. Scene Unity Documentation
Simulation
Custom
Setup Game Case and Publish tool
Inspector
Study for
Literary Tool
mechanics
Survey Building

Justification Initiate Core Final

Testing platform for an
existing Simulation
Building different Custom Game
• To simplify the process of simulation and internal economy based games by Inspector windows for Unity, Implementing a Demo
providing a way to prototype and/or carry out a proof of concept. which support Machinations Game and Publishing
Unity – Software implementation. Toolkit
• To create a Unity3D based toolkit inspired from the concepts of Machinations Environment Final Thesis
Building a Game Manager for
Aim Framework. Zotero – Research Simulation Control through Documentation
Assistance Unity Custom Inspector
Research Tools – Academia, Wizard
Stella, Google Scholar,
ResearchGate

• There is a lack of an easy-to-use Game Prototyping Tool which is highly flexible, has
Physics incorporated and provides a high UX Game Logic Testing Environment.
• Simulation Game Developers find it really difficult to prototype their game due to
Impact
Motivation high complexity of economies and too many calculations.

• The existing prototyping tools (As illustrated in the section SOA), have some or the
other issues like lack of 2D support, poor Physics, cost issues etc.
• The only system which suits our need is Unity3D, due to it’s powerful & dedicated
Existing Physics, amazing UI and the ability of Custom Inspector Window development.
Systems

The penetration rate of not only Simulation games The major challenges which game developers
• Due to the problems in existing systems, our system would address certain but all the genres which are based on an internal face are directly or indirectly related to the
requirements like modular prototyping and real time testing. economy structure is quite high. This means our prototyping phase. Our framework would help
framework would ease the Game Development the game developers face these challenges by
• These functionalities would provide the developer with an overall idea of the community’s prototyping phase. providing a rapid, flexible and UI centric
game while developing, which would speed up the process to a whole new level. prototyping mechanism.
• The aim is to provide an interface through Unity3D custom inspector windows to
Requirements mimic the Machination framework in a way that instead of diagrams, there is a
mini game which provides the gist of the simulation
Conclusion and Future Works
Optimal
Unity Prototyping
Adam’s Machinations 3D Object
Custom Tool for
Theory Framework Handling
Inspector Simulation
M.Sc. in Computer Science Games

(Data Science) Our framework has a large scope associated to it when it comes to future works. This framework could be used to develop
simulation based games and could be used as an additional layer to Unity for making games. Other than production of
games, it could be used to perform prototyping of internal economy based software or simulation of financial algorithms.
The tool could also produce quick mini games using the rapid prototyping it provides and could contribute to e-Learning.

Contact Details
Sahir Sharma : sharmas5@tcd.ie Alberto Rojas-Salazar : rojassaa@tcd.ie
Mads Haahr : mads.haahr@tcd.ie