Light Studio 9 💡, C# Benchmarking 📊, AI in Voice Acting 🎙️
📰 Latest in Tech and Gaming News
Lightmap HDR Light Studio 9 Unveils Lumi-Curve for Dynamic Lighting Effects
Lightmap’s HDR Light Studio 9 introduces Lumi-Curve, a powerful new tool that lets artists shape continuous light curves for stunning effects like dynamic light trails and smooth background glows. By converting multiple lights into one fluid form, Lumi-Curve enhances creative control and realism in lighting scenes. Alongside workflow improvements and upgraded OCIO support, this release empowers digital artists to push the boundaries of 3D lighting design.
Highland Keep: Custom Animation and Large-Scale Systems Power Medieval Survival RTS
Highland Keep, an upcoming medieval survival strategy game, is showcasing impressive technical feats by its developer Kacper Szwajka. To overcome Unity’s animation limits, Kacper built a custom GPU-based animator supporting up to 256-bone rigs and millions of interactable objects. Although the demo runs at around 50 FPS with CPU animation sampling as the main bottleneck, optimizations are underway. This blend of third-person combat and RTS-style castle-building promises a unique and scalable gameplay experience.
🔧 Development and Tools
Maximize C# Performance: A Guide to Benchmarking with Benchmarkdotnet
Learn how to harness the power of benchmark.net to isolate and optimize C# code for performance and memory management. This video explores tools and techniques to uncover hidden costs in everyday operations, providing insights that can lead to more efficient and robust applications.
AI's Double-Edged Sword: Transforming the Voice Acting Landscape in Games
Voice acting in video games faces unprecedented challenges due to generative AI, highlights British-Canadian actor Jane Perry at Develop:Brighton 2025. While generative AI offers efficiencies, Perry warns of its potential to undermine livelihoods and creative roles in various industries, including video game acting. However, she sees AI as an opportunity to reaffirm the irreplaceable human touch in gaming narratives.
🎮 Mastering Game Development
Essential Tips for Successful Game Developer-Publisher Partnerships
Building strong partnerships with publishers can make or break a game studio's success. This blog post highlights the importance of clear communication, transparent contracts, and staying vigilant to avoid common pitfalls. Learn how to identify red flags and protect your intellectual property in publisher relationships.
Capture the Retro: Applying VHS Effects in Unity
Transport your game back to the 80s with Alexey Merzlikin's VHS effect shader for Unity, which expertly applies visual elements like scanlines, noise, and chromatic aberration. This detailed breakdown includes each shader property and function, allowing you to evoke an analog nostalgia that sets the perfect retro tone.
💡 Indie Game Success Stories
Indie Game Insights: Strategies for Viral Success with Gavin Eisenbists
Game developer Gavin Eisenbists, known for popular indie titles like Choo Choo Charles and Cuffbust, shares his strategies for creating viral games. This insightful discussion explores the balance between artistic creation and business savvy, focusing on retention, trend anticipation, and leveraging content creators for marketing. Discover how effectively communicating a game's essence in a matter of seconds can capture attention and drive success in the indie game market.