Unity Forces Cloud ☁️, AI Backlash Risks 🤖, Crafty-Buildy Genre 🛠️
🎮 Unreal Engine Innovations
Predicted Movement V2: Advanced Multiplayer Movement for Unreal Engine
Jared Taylor’s Predicted Movement plugin enhances Unreal Engine’s character movement with full multiplayer compatibility and Blueprint support. The newly released V2 introduces stackable movement modifiers like Boost and Snare, a partial client location authority system, and a ready-to-use character Blueprint featuring stamina, prone ability, and multiple gait modes. Actively maintained and well-documented, this plugin offers developers a powerful tool to build dynamic, networked player movement with ease.
Recreating Baldur’s Gate 3’s Iconic See-Through Walls Effect in Unreal Engine
Mojang’s Senior Technical Artist Brendan “Sully” Sullivan recreated Baldur’s Gate 3’s clever see-through-walls occlusion effect in Unreal Engine and shared a detailed breakdown on X/Twitter. The technique uses sphere tracing and alpha masking to hide geometry while still allowing mouse clicks to pass through for pathfinding—a UX feature that makes gameplay seamless. Sullivan notes this approach is adaptable to Unity and Godot, making it a valuable insight for technical artists and developers across engines.
🛠️ Game Development Challenges
Unity Hub Forces Cloud Projects: What You Need to Know and Workarounds
Unity’s latest Hub update now requires all new projects to be created as cloud projects, removing the non-cloud option. While projects can be disconnected from the cloud later, they remain listed in the Unity Cloud dashboard, with deletion options coming soon. To address concerns over performance and cloud integration, Unity Hub Native offers a lightweight local alternative. This change aims to give developers more control over data but has introduced new workflow considerations.
When Generative AI Backlash Dominates: Risks and Realities for Game Developers
Generative AI is reshaping game development, but its rising adoption has ignited a public backlash fueled by distrust and quality concerns. Games like The Alters and Jurassic World Evolution 3 faced criticism over undisclosed AI assets, highlighting the importance of transparency. While AI tools can streamline production, studios must carefully balance innovation with player expectations, or risk long-term reputational damage and loss of sales in an increasingly scrutinous gaming market.
📈 Strategies for Success
Making Playable Ads Work for Casual Games: Strategies and Success Stories
Playable ads are proving to be a powerful tool for casual game user acquisition, delivering higher ROI and retention than traditional video ads when tailored to specific game genres. Extended interactive playtests, integrated narratives, and rewarding feedback keep players engaged and capture high-intent users. Frequent ad updates and segmented approaches, like those used by Magic Jigsaw Puzzles, further boost installs and value. Whether you’re in puzzle, merge, or coloring games, strategic playable ads are reshaping casual game marketing.
Master Steam’s Crafty-Buildy Genre: An Indie Dev’s Essential Game Guide
This deep dive unpacks the unique “crafty-buildy-strategy-simulationy” meta-genre that dominates the PC platform and offers a budget-friendly Steam Summer Sale buyers guide. Indie devs get a roadmap to understand Steam’s culture by playing genre-defining titles across crafting, building, strategy, and simulation. Whether you’re refining your next game or exploring new mechanics, this guide highlights affordable must-plays that will reshape your approach to PC gaming success.