Game Dev Digest — Issue #183 - Narrative Design, GDC and more
Tags: gamedev, unity3d, csharp, news
Published: 2023-04-07 13:05:50

---
title:  Game Dev Digest — Issue #183 - Narrative Design, GDC and more
published: true
date: 2023-04-07 13:05:50 UTC
tags: gamedev,unity,csharp,news
canonical_url: https://gamedevdigest.com/digests/issue-183-narrative-design-gdc-and-more.html
series: Game Dev Digest - The Newsletter About Unity Game Dev
---

### Issue #183 - Narrative Design, GDC and more

*This article was originally published on [GameDevDigest.com](https://gamedevdigest.com/digests/issue-183-narrative-design-gdc-and-more.html)*

![Issue #183 - Narrative Design, GDC and more](https://gamedevdigest.com/assets/social-posts/issue-183.png)

Narrative game design, takeaways from GDC, asset bundles, making things look good, and a lot more. Enjoy!

---

[**To make every choice matter, Pentiment rewrote the rules of narrative RPGs**](https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/pentiment-interview-alec-frey-choice/?)  - While choice can play a major role in many modern games, it matters more than usual in Pentiment. It isn’t just something that determines if its lead journeyman, Andreas Maler, is good or evil — each decision shapes the course of a small town’s history. To get that feeling just right, a tiny development team within RPG giant Obsidian Entertainment would need to dial in on what choices actually feel impactful in a game.
[_digitaltrends.com_](https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/pentiment-interview-alec-frey-choice/?)

[**On trend and on time: 5 skill-building resources for your next game**](https://blog.unity.com/games/5-skill-building-resources-for-your-next-game)  - Keep reading for a roundup of five Unity Learn educational resources that map to three of the biggest trends we’ve spotted.
[_Unity_](https://blog.unity.com/games/5-skill-building-resources-for-your-next-game)

[**6 things we heard from creators during GDC 2023**](https://blog.unity.com/games/6-things-we-heard-from-creators-during-gdc-2023)  - Heavy rain couldn’t dampen the excitement of GDC 2023. We kicked things off with our Developer Summit’s eight packed-house sessions. The event gave us the chance to hear about the challenges Unity creators face and share what we’ve been working on to help overcome them.
[_Unity_](https://blog.unity.com/games/6-things-we-heard-from-creators-during-gdc-2023)

[**A Comprehensive Guide to the Execution Order of Unity Event Functions**](https://www.edy.es/dev/docs/a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-execution-order-of-unity-event-functions/)  - This guide illustrates the actual order of execution of the main Unity event functions, as well as the considerations for each one. It also includes essential information to help you understand when and how to use each of these event methods and the consequences of doing so.
[_edy.es_](https://www.edy.es/dev/docs/a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-execution-order-of-unity-event-functions/)

[**let's talk about normals**](https://www.patreon.com/posts/80837090)  - I see a lot of confusion on this topic among Unity devs and other people dealing with fragment shaders, so let's talk about normals! A "normal" is the direction something is facing. We use normals in shaders for diffuse lighting, specular reflections, rim highlights, and so on. But things can get tricky because all directions are relative, and different effects require different reference points, or "spaces"
[_Team Dogpit_](https://www.patreon.com/posts/80837090)

[**Runner 2**](https://catlikecoding.com/unity/tutorials/prototypes/runner-2/)  - This is the third tutorial in a series about prototypes. In it we will create a side-scrolling endless runner game.
[_catlikecoding.com_](https://catlikecoding.com/unity/tutorials/prototypes/runner-2/)

[**Unity Multiplayer - Netcode for GameObjects**](https://radcade.com/unity-multiplayer-netcode-for-gameobjects/)  - Totally Rad web games! and indie game content!
[_radcade.com_](https://radcade.com/unity-multiplayer-netcode-for-gameobjects/)

## Videos

[![Making Player Choices Feel like They Matter in Your Narrative](https://gamedevdigest.com/assets/images/yt-KU3FlTpxSyk.jpg)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU3FlTpxSyk)
[**Making Player Choices Feel like They Matter in Your Narrative**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU3FlTpxSyk)  - In this 2022 Game Narrative Summit talk, Tony Howard-Arias goes in-depth on how they and their partner tackled (and continue to tackle) these challenges on both a micro and macro level.
[_GDC_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU3FlTpxSyk)

[**Use references to design your UI The Game UI Database**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au5DR3P_bNE)  - Do you design your UI inside Unity? (Or any other game engine, really)
[_Christina Creates Games_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au5DR3P_bNE)

[**Becoming a Unity VFX Artist - 06 - Slash FX**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWp0KcR-fxA)  - Today we take a look at my personal favorite method of doing slash FX
[_Brandon Garman_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWp0KcR-fxA)

[**Unlocking The Power Of Unity's Scriptable Render Pipeline**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fa4uFm1eCE)  - Inspired by the release of Hi-Fi Rush by Bethesda, I wanted to see if I could get a similar vibrant and stylized aesthetic in Unity. Little did I know, it would swiftly lead me down a rabbit hole of custom rendering in Unity and, in turn, completely overhaul my entire perception of Unity's Scriptable Render Pipelines. This video is a showcase of that journey... so let's take a look at how we can use Scriptable Renderer Features, and Scriptable Render Passes to completely overhaul our rendering in Unity and replicate some of the techniques on show in Hi-Fi Rush.
[_Game Dev Guide_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fa4uFm1eCE)

[**Coding Adventure: Ray Tracing**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz0KTGYJtUk)  - I tried creating a custom ray/path tracing renderer. Featuring: maths, shaders, and cats!
[_Sebastian Lague_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz0KTGYJtUk)

[**How Undisputed created the first major boxing game in over a decade | Unity at GDC 2023**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2CmZRN2pfo)  - In this talk, you will learn how Undisputed used the Unity game engine to create the first major boxing game, from a prototype to early access release. Steel City Interactives’s studio head and a senior programmer will share about the game’s inspiration, development process, and how Unity helped them overcome some of the challenges they faced.
[_Unity_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2CmZRN2pfo)

[**How to build & operate live games with Unity Gaming Services | Unity at GDC 2023**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wWPabhOS58)  - Unity Gaming Services (UGS) is a cohesive development platform that empowers developers to build their live games using the tech stack and engine of their choice. This session walks through practical examples of using UGS to run live games to demonstrate the platform’s flexibility. It covers integration points, including API patterns, data flow for player data and game content, and rich analytics to measure performance.
[_Unity_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wWPabhOS58)

[**The Unity Engine in 2023**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUDUM3BtXtU)  - At GDC 2023, Unity revealed their future plans for the Unity game engine. Unfortunately those sessions weren't available for everyone that wasn't in attendance. In this video we run through the Unity development roadmap with an eye towards 2023.1 and 2023.2 features.
[_Gamefromscratch_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUDUM3BtXtU)

[**Don't make this assumption about your players**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G84mU3WPaE)  - In this episode I take my game to GDC in San Francisco, and get some feedback. Along the way, I learn some tough lessons about playtesting and making assumptions about your players.
[_Game Maker's Toolkit_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G84mU3WPaE)

## Assets

[![Time Travel Mega Bundle Sale!](https://gamedevdigest.com/assets/images/1680867141.png)](https://assetstore.unity.com/?aid=1011l8NVc)
[**Time Travel Mega Bundle Sale!**](https://assetstore.unity.com/?aid=1011l8NVc)  - Users can save up to 95% off three curated sets of classic, top quality assets and tools, perfect for revisiting old projects and beaming them into the future.

$9.99 Bundle - Save up to 85%
This bundle contains [FPS Mesh Tool](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/modeling/fps-mesh-tool-28006?aid=1011l8NVc), [Fun Casual Sounds](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/audio/sound-fx/fun-casual-sounds-64048?aid=1011l8NVc), and [Character Creator 2D](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/2d/characters/character-creator-2d-111398?aid=1011l8NVc). $19.99 Bundle - Save up to 87%
This bundle contains everything from the $9.99 bundle, plus [Ambient Sounds - Interactive Soundscapes](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/audio/ambient-sounds-interactive-soundscapes-142132?aid=1011l8NVc), [Mech Constructor: Humanoid Robots](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/characters/robots/mech-constructor-humanoid-robots-80255?aid=1011l8NVc), and [Inventory (Game Creator 1)](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/inventory-game-creator-1-96372?aid=1011l8NVc). $29.99 Bundle - Save up to 95%
This bundle contains everything from the $9.99 and $19.99 bundles, plus 11 additional assets: [Game Creator](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/game-toolkits/game-creator-89443?aid=1011l8NVc), [EnhancedScroller](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/gui/enhancedscroller-36378?aid=1011l8NVc), [Sci-Fi Effects](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/vfx/particles/sci-fi-effects-20416?aid=1011l8NVc), [Editor Console Pro](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/editor-console-pro-11889?aid=1011l8NVc), [Love/Hate](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/ai/love-hate-33063?aid=1011l8NVc), [Animated Hands with Weapons Pack](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/characters/animated-hands-with-weapons-pack-132915?aid=1011l8NVc), [Fantasy Icons Megapack](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/2d/gui/icons/fantasy-icons-megapack-97000?aid=1011l8NVc), [Easy Decal](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/easy-decal-22867?aid=1011l8NVc), [Broccoli Tree Creator](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/modeling/broccoli-tree-creator-121853?aid=1011l8NVc), [Advanced Dissolve](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/vfx/shaders/advanced-dissolve-111598?aid=1011l8NVc), and [Advanced Terrain Grass](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/terrain/advanced-terrain-grass-100014?aid=1011l8NVc).
[_Unity_](https://assetstore.unity.com/?aid=1011l8NVc) **Affiliate**

[**Learn To Create RPG Games In Unity**](https://www.humblebundle.com/software/learn-to-create-rpg-games-in-unity-software?partner=unity3dreport)  - Earn skill points in RPG craft Train yourself to develop your own role-playing sagas with these courses from GameDev.tv! Discover how to design and code core systems for combat, dialogue, quests, and other RPG essentials using Unity. Learn how to make art using Blender by creating your own awe-inspiring dragon. Plus, get packs of assets to help you put together your own open worlds. Level up your RPG-making skills, and help support Oceana with your purchase!
[_Humble Bundle_](https://www.humblebundle.com/software/learn-to-create-rpg-games-in-unity-software?partner=unity3dreport) **Affiliate**

[**Link-Express**](https://github.com/sgaumin/LinkExpress)  - Lightweight Unity Utility to quickly access useful external links
[_sgaumin_](https://github.com/sgaumin/LinkExpress) *Open Source*

[**NetworkPositionSync**](https://github.com/James-Frowen/NetworkPositionSync?)  - Network Transform using Snapshot Interpolation and other techniques to best sync position and rotation over the network.
[_James-Frowen_](https://github.com/James-Frowen/NetworkPositionSync?) *Open Source*

[**DMotion - A High Level Animation Framework and State Machine for DOTS**](https://github.com/gamedev-pro/dmotion?)  - DMotion (DOTS Motion) is a general purpose Animation framework and State Machine for DOTS, built on top of Kinemation.
[_gamedev-pro_](https://github.com/gamedev-pro/dmotion?) *Open Source*

[**Unity Figma Bridge**](https://github.com/simonoliver/UnityFigmaBridge?)  - Easily bring your Figma Documents, Components, Assets and Prototypes to Unity
[_simonoliver_](https://github.com/simonoliver/UnityFigmaBridge?) *Open Source*

[**LutLight2D**](https://github.com/NullTale/LutLight2D?)  - Stylized pixel art lighting shader for Unity2D using a color replacement technique. It keeps the original colors of the palette and can create unusual stylization effects.
[_NullTale_](https://github.com/NullTale/LutLight2D?) *Open Source*

[**Unity3dVim (for Linux)**](https://github.com/NOSDuco/Unity3dVim?)  - Simplified Vim support as an External Editor in Unity3d running on any Linux environment using bash. Using the built-in external editor functions, this plugin allows developers to set their default editor to vim, open the project directory in vim (NERDTree support), and edit and sync as you save and load.
[_nosduco_](https://github.com/NOSDuco/Unity3dVim?) *Open Source*

[**Turnable**](https://github.com/angyan/Turnable?)  - A Unity and Godot compatible gramework written in C# that can be used to create any kind of turn based game.
[_angyan_](https://github.com/angyan/Turnable?) *Open Source*

[**Glass system**](https://github.com/Tiitan/GlassSystem?)  - This glass shatter system simulate window fracture with hand drawn impact patterns. it is inspired by Receiver 2's algorithms: On impact, a 2D pattern is clipped on the glass surface. this list of lines is then converted to a list of polygons (shards), finally the list of polygon is used to build the new meshes and game objects. Contrary to other fracture packages that allows to breaks arbitrary 3D volumes, this package is specialized in realistically simulating two dimensional windows.
[_Tiitan_](https://github.com/Tiitan/GlassSystem?) *Open Source*

[**Buoyancy simulation**](https://github.com/corentin-ryr/Boat-Simulation?)  - This is a simulation of the buoyancy on mesh objects. This method is applicable to any mesh to simulate a floating behaviour. This method works for a moving water surface
[_corentin-ryr_](https://github.com/corentin-ryr/Boat-Simulation?) *Open Source*

[**1000 [6GB] Free Sound Effects (Royalty-Free, Multiple Genres)**](https://www.pmsfx.store/product-category/freebies/)  - Free for commercial use, royalty-free
[_pmsfx.store_](https://www.pmsfx.store/product-category/freebies/)

[**Flipbook3**](https://github.com/keijiro/Flipbook3?)  - Flipbook3 is a Unity sample project that runs the Stable Diffusion image-to-image pipeline asynchronously with Unity's real-time 3D scene.
[_keijiro_](https://github.com/keijiro/Flipbook3?) *Open Source*

[**Unity Core ML Stable Diffusion Plugin**](https://github.com/keijiro/UnityMLStableDiffusion?)  - Stable Diffusion plugin for Unity, based on Apple's Core ML port. You can run the model on-editor and at-runtime without needing any extra components.
[_keijiro_](https://github.com/keijiro/UnityMLStableDiffusion?) *Open Source*

[**Unity Draw Graphs**](https://github.com/nukadelic/UnityGraphs?)  - Visual graphs tool for unity editor
[_nukadelic_](https://github.com/nukadelic/UnityGraphs?) *Open Source*

[**noize-job**](https://github.com/xshazwar/noize-job?)  - 2D noise generation, processing and meshing using Unity Jobs and Burst
[_xshazwar_](https://github.com/xshazwar/noize-job?) *Open Source*

[**Simple Active-Ragdoll**](https://github.com/hyunwookimbob/Simple-ActiveRagdoll?)  - Simple implimentation of Active-Ragdoll in Unity.
[_hyunwookimbob_](https://github.com/hyunwookimbob/Simple-ActiveRagdoll?) *Open Source*

[**The Maps Bonanza Encore**](https://www.humblebundle.com/software/maps-bonanza-encore-software?partner=unity3dreport)  - Chart a course for a mapmaker’s dream. Our popular fantasy map bundle returns! Prepare your adventurers to explore vast dungeons, vibrant cities, and expansive worlds with this collection of maps and mapmaking resources. Get creative with Campaign Cartographer 3+ (1-year or lifetime license), Fractal Terrains 3, and sci-fi focused Cosmographer 3, and discover a treasure trove of pre-made maps to add exciting new destinations to your virtual tabletop games. Plus, your purchase will support Cool Effect and Oceana!
[_Humble Bundle_](https://www.humblebundle.com/software/maps-bonanza-encore-software?partner=unity3dreport) **Affiliate**

[**RMC Frameworks**](https://github.com/SamuelAsherRivello/rmc-mini-mvcs?)  - Unity Mini MVCS (Model-View-Controller-Service) Architecture. This has NO dependency on MonoBehaviours. Created by (RMC) Rivello Multimedia Consulting.
[_SamuelAsherRivello_](https://github.com/SamuelAsherRivello/rmc-mini-mvcs?) *Open Source*

[**Multi Scene Tools**](https://github.com/HenrysHouses/MultiSceneTools?)  - Scene Collection ScriptableObjects. Multi Scene Management Window.
Multi Scene Loader.
[_HenrysHouses_](https://github.com/HenrysHouses/MultiSceneTools?) *Open Source*

[**AsyncCaptureTest**](https://github.com/keijiro/AsyncCaptureTest?)  - This Unity sample project shows how to use the asynchronous GPU readback API to capture render outputs without blocking the main thread.
[_keijiro_](https://github.com/keijiro/AsyncCaptureTest?) *Open Source*

[**Unity GDPR Consent Plugin**](https://github.com/yasirkula/UnitySimpleGDPRConsent?)  - A Unity plugin to present GDPR consent dialogs to the users
[_yasirkula_](https://github.com/yasirkula/UnitySimpleGDPRConsent?) *Open Source*

[**Shader Graph Custom Lighting**](https://github.com/Cyanilux/URP_ShaderGraphCustomLighting)  - Some custom lighting functions/sub-graphs for Shader Graph, Universal Render Pipeline. If anything breaks, let me know by opening an issue!
[_Cyanilux_](https://github.com/Cyanilux/URP_ShaderGraphCustomLighting) *Open Source*

[**Epic Royalty-Free Music Collection**](https://www.humblebundle.com/software/epic-royaltyfree-music-collection-software?partner=unity3dreport)  - Score your next project with this epic collection of tracks. Take a sonic journey through action, intrigue, drama, uplifting emotion, and more with this colossal collection of royalty-free music from composer Joel Steudler! These compilation sets have never been offered before, and many include newly remastered deep cuts from Joel's extensive catalog. Media producers of all sorts will find a bountiful bonanza suitable for film, video, podcasts, streaming, or games. Plus, your purchase will support JDRF in their mission to find a cure for type 1 diabetes!
[_Humble Bundle_](https://www.humblebundle.com/software/epic-royaltyfree-music-collection-software?partner=unity3dreport) **Affiliate**

[**Level Up Music Creators Power Pack**](https://www.humblebundle.com/software/level-up-music-creators-power-pack-software?partner=unity3dreport)  - Take your sound to the next level Take your sound to the next level. Get an instant, complete music production suite with this value-packed bundle—featuring a pro-level DAW (digital audio workstation), virtual synths & instruments, SFX, and a grand total of 15,000+ loops and samples! Record and mix tracks with the powerful, easy-to-use Mixcraft 9 Recording Studio. Recreate iconic sounds with Memorymode Synthesizer and PS-20 Synthesizer. Tap into loops, vocals, one-shots, and MIDI for a huge variety of styles and genres. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional already deep into production, this bundle’s got everything you need. Plus, your purchase helps support Music Will!
[_Humble Bundle_](https://www.humblebundle.com/software/level-up-music-creators-power-pack-software?partner=unity3dreport) **Affiliate**

[**King Of Content Creator Bundle**](https://www.humblebundle.com/software/king-content-creator-bundle-software?partner=unity3dreport)  - Become a pro video & audio creation powerhouse. Unleash the power of pro-quality audio and video with this incredible content creators’ bundle! Tap into the renowned video editing tools of the fast, powerful Vegas Pro Edit 18. Record, arrange, mix, and master your audio with Samplitude Pro X5. Get Music Maker Plus 2021, SOUND FORGE Audio Studio 15, and soundpools full of loops and samples. Treat your creative passion with the quality and polish it deserves, and help support Malala Fund with your purchase!
[_Humble Bundle_](https://www.humblebundle.com/software/king-content-creator-bundle-software?partner=unity3dreport) **Affiliate**

## Spotlight

[![FORKLIFT FLOWERPOT](https://gamedevdigest.com/assets/images/yt-4Y4RQyFP4pk.jpg)](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2073330/FORKLIFT_FLOWERPOT/)
[**FORKLIFT FLOWERPOT**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2073330/FORKLIFT_FLOWERPOT/)  - Change between three seasons on an alien archipelago to solve puzzles, quiet-quit your forklift job, and dismantle the potato-dominated shipping industry. When you're done exploring, kick back and play deckbuilding card game in a wild attempt to dethrone your local Gods.
_[You can wishlist it on [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2073330/FORKLIFT_FLOWERPOT/), and follow them on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/TooMuchTomato)]_
[_Michael Schmitt_](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2073330/FORKLIFT_FLOWERPOT/)



---

You can subscribe to the free weekly newsletter on [GameDevDigest.com](https://gamedevdigest.com)

This post includes affiliate links; I may receive compensation if you purchase products or services from the different links provided in this article.