Game Dev Digest — Issue #99 - A Peek Behind The Curtains
Tags: gamedev, unity3d, csharp, news
Published: 2021-06-18 14:29:51

---
title:  Game Dev Digest — Issue #99 - A Peek Behind The Curtains
published: true
date: 2021-06-18 14:29:51 UTC
tags: gamedev,unity,csharp,news
canonical_url: https://gamedevdigest.com/digests/issue-99-a-peek-behind-the-curtains.html
series: Game Dev Digest - The Newsletter About Unity Game Dev
---

### Issue #99 - A Peek Behind The Curtains

*This article was originally published on [GameDevDigest.com](https://gamedevdigest.com/digests/issue-99-a-peek-behind-the-curtains.html)*

![Issue #99 - A Peek Behind The Curtains](https://gamedevdigest.com/assets/social-posts/issue-99.png)

It's the art of game dev, and some source on how others have done it. Hope you enjoy it!

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[**The Secret Behind Valve’s Flickering Lights**](https://www.alanzucconi.com/2021/06/15/valve-flickering-lights/?utm_source=feedly&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=valve-flickering-lights)  - This article will explore the origin of the popular flickering light effect, seen across many of their titles including “Quake”, “Half-Life”, “Half-Life: Alyx” and “Portal”. A Unity package to use this very effect can be download at the end of the article.
[_alanzucconi.com_](https://www.alanzucconi.com/2021/06/15/valve-flickering-lights/?utm_source=feedly&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=valve-flickering-lights)

[**List of commercial video games with available source code**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_commercial_video_games_with_available_source_code)  - This is a list of commercial video games with available source code. The source code of these commercially developed and distributed video games is available to the public or the games' communities.
[_Wikipedia_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_commercial_video_games_with_available_source_code)

[**Mata Haggis-Burridge on The Art of Storytelling in Video Games**](https://80.lv/articles/mata-haggis-burridge-on-the-art-of-storytelling-in-video-games/)  - Mata Haggis-Burridge, Fragments of Him creator, shares some crucial tips for game developers on creating a solid storyline that the players will strive to follow.
[_80.lv_](https://80.lv/articles/mata-haggis-burridge-on-the-art-of-storytelling-in-video-games/)

[**Archery combat mechanic in 2D pixel-perfect Unity game**](https://pavcreations.com/archery-combat-mechanic-in-2d-pixel-perfect-unity-game/)  - It is often the case that our protagonist is equipped with some sort of weapon on his ventures in 2D platformers. Let’s remember that hordes of evil adversaries lurk in the darkness just waiting to impose damage to our character, preventing him from saving the platformer realm. It is up to the players to fulfill this difficult task. As developers we have to translate this concept into enjoyable gaming experience. The mechanic can be implemented in many different ways depending on what kind of gameplay we are going for. In this tutorial, we are going to focus on introducing archery to our platformer.
[_pavcreations.com_](https://pavcreations.com/archery-combat-mechanic-in-2d-pixel-perfect-unity-game/)

[**Gravity Part 1: An update**](https://carlos-fdtq.blogspot.com/2021/06/gravity-part-1-update.html)  - The code described here has basically the same functionality as the original Physics-based Solar System Lessons post. The foundations, insights and issues are described in detail in the mentioned blog entry. So, I highly recommend checking it out for references. I did not want to change that post so I decided to create a new one with cleaner code, explaining the major changes and calculations.
[_carlos-fdtq.blogspot.com_](https://carlos-fdtq.blogspot.com/2021/06/gravity-part-1-update.html)

[**Deferred Frag Shaders**](https://www.patreon.com/posts/deferred-frag-52476692)  - In this lesson we're going to learn how to write a frag shader compatible with Unity's deferred rendering path
[_Team Dogpit_](https://www.patreon.com/posts/deferred-frag-52476692)

[**GPU Mesh Voxelizer Part 4: Mesh Translation and Rotation**](https://bronsonzgeb.com/index.php/2021/06/13/gpu-mesh-voxelizer-part-4/)  - In this article, we continue developing our GPU-based mesh voxelizer. Previously our model had to be placed at the origin of the scene, with no rotation. We’ll start by fixing that by cleaning up our different space conversions. After that, we’ll refactor our voxels to use a custom struct rather than a generic float4. Doing so allows us to be more descriptive with our code and makes it easier to add new data.
[_Bronson Zgeb_](https://bronsonzgeb.com/index.php/2021/06/13/gpu-mesh-voxelizer-part-4/)

[**Unity 2021.2.0 Alpha 21**](https://unity3d.com/unity/alpha/2021.2.0a21)  - Unity 2021.2.0 Alpha 21 has been released.
[_Unity_](https://unity3d.com/unity/alpha/2021.2.0a21)

## Videos

[![Starter Assets overview | Unity](https://gamedevdigest.com/assets/images/7c5448956673ebdcf17d64d73d78d16b.png)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QuPlKzdq14)
[**Starter Assets overview | Unity**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QuPlKzdq14)  - Starter Assets are designed to work as a quick start into prototyping and developing character controllers for various game genres, using systems and methods that are easy to build and expand upon for different projects.
[_Unity_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QuPlKzdq14)

[**Make an AR Game from Scratch (Part 1): Fast AR Workflow in Unity**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymB7BZsh5OA&amp;list=PLopdNsnVmfA57K211UHyKn7Wjb5AYfEJY&amp;index=3)  - Are you wasting time on your augmented reality project by rebuilding & deploying to your smartphone, every time you make a code change?
[_The Cozy Design Space_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymB7BZsh5OA&amp;list=PLopdNsnVmfA57K211UHyKn7Wjb5AYfEJY&amp;index=3)

[**Unity Shader Graph - Liquid Effect Tutorial**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI3USKIbnh0)  - Here's a basic Liquid simulation with Unity Shader Graph, an effect that fakes a fluid in a recipient. It uses world position, backface painting and a script to simulate a basic motion.
[_Gabriel Aguiar Prod._](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI3USKIbnh0)

[**All Blend Modes! Looking at the Shader Graph Blend Mode Filters | Unity Game Dev Tutorial**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9NKqeNtobc)  - Unity's shader graph blend node has twenty-two modes! Each combines two colors using a different formula. In this video, I look at the math behind each mode and see how it affects a couple of sample images.
[_Ned Makes Games_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9NKqeNtobc)

[**How to use Unity NavMesh Pathfinding! (Unity Tutorial)**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atCOd4o7tG4)  - Let's learn how to use Unity NavMesh which is the built-in Pathfinding System. Set up your scene, define what objects are walkable, bake the NavMesh and use NavMesh Agents to traverse it.
[_Code Monkey_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atCOd4o7tG4)

[**Making PONG in Unity**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK1GqzV8WUw)  - In this video, we make pong. Old school pong. Pong from days of yore. Your father's pong. Bog standard, basic AF pong.
[_b3agz_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK1GqzV8WUw)

[**2D Rare item effect [Unity / Particle System]**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysSNrGTW81E)  - Use the Particle System on Unity's UI to create effects that make rare items look attractive!
[_Evelyn GameDev_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysSNrGTW81E)

## Assets

[![Asset Store Publisher Sale - Tafi](https://gamedevdigest.com/assets/images/7e63f4c2-cba4-0496-7cab-a1941949de25.jpeg)](https://assetstore.unity.com/publisher-sale?aid=1011l8NVc)
[**Asset Store Publisher Sale - Tafi**](https://assetstore.unity.com/publisher-sale?aid=1011l8NVc)  - We're pleased to announce a new sale featuring assets by Unity Asset Store publisher, Tafi!

Tafi's mission is to make personalized characters, avatars and branded digital content available to everyone who wants to level-up their digital personality. Tafi puts its world-class avatar content engine at your fingertips.

All assets from Tafi will be on sale for 50% off from June 17 through June 21, 2021.

In addition, the [Fantasy Bundle One](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/clothing/fantasy-bundle-one-from-tafi-188431?aid=1011l8NVc) asset will be offered for free during the sale.
[_Unity Asset Store_](https://assetstore.unity.com/publisher-sale?aid=1011l8NVc) **Affiliate**

[**Smart Inspector**](https://github.com/neon-age/Smart-Inspector)  - Peek multiple components without scrolling or expanding. Supports Gizmos!
[_neon-age_](https://github.com/neon-age/Smart-Inspector) *Open Source*

[**Erbium**](https://github.com/mikhomak/Erbium)  - Highly customizable third person character for quick set up for prototyping your game No need of any assets from the asset store.
[_mikhomak_](https://github.com/mikhomak/Erbium) *Open Source*

[**FastMeshCopy**](https://github.com/GeorgeAdamon/FastMeshCopy)  - Zero-allocation copying of Meshes using the new MeshData functionality in Unity 2020.1+.
[_GeorgeAdamon_](https://github.com/GeorgeAdamon/FastMeshCopy) *Open Source*

[**The Best Ios/android Mobile Haptics & Vibrations Solution For Unity**](https://nice-vibrations.moremountains.com/nice-vibrations-lofelt)  - Nice Vibrations is the easiest way to add support for iOS and Android vibrations and haptic feebdacks to your game available on the Unity Asset Store.
[_nice-vibrations.moremountains.com_](https://nice-vibrations.moremountains.com/nice-vibrations-lofelt)

[**AssetStudio**](https://github.com/Perfare/AssetStudio)  - AssetStudio is a tool for exploring, extracting and exporting assets and assetbundles.
[_Perfare_](https://github.com/Perfare/AssetStudio) *Open Source*

[**Unity selected objects History Window**](https://github.com/acoppes/unity-history-window)  - This plugin keeps a history of selected objects in Unity. It comes with a window to see the list of objects and interact with them with other behaviors like, for example, focus an previously selected object or even drag them to scene, project view, etc.
[_Ariel Coppes_](https://github.com/acoppes/unity-history-window) *Open Source*

[**Gameplay Ingredients for your Unity Games**](https://github.com/peeweek/net.peeweek.gameplay-ingredients)  - A collection of scripts that ease simple tasks while making games and prototypes.
[_peeweek_](https://github.com/peeweek/net.peeweek.gameplay-ingredients) *Open Source*

[**Lightmap Switching Tool**](https://github.com/laurenth-personal/lightmap-switching-tool)  - Tool that allows switching different baked lightmap sets on a unity scene at runtime.
[_Laurent_](https://github.com/laurenth-personal/lightmap-switching-tool)

[**Save System for Unity**](https://github.com/IntoTheDev/Save-System-for-Unity)  - _IntoTheDev_
Open Source
[_Cyanilux_](https://github.com/Cyanilux/ShaderGraphToPNG) *Open Source*

[**Shader Graph to PNG**](https://github.com/Cyanilux/ShaderGraphToPNG)  - Screenshots a Shader Graph in multiple sections, stitches them together and saves the result as a PNG.
[_Cyanilux_](https://github.com/Cyanilux/ShaderGraphToPNG) *Open Source*

[**Entitas Redux**](https://github.com/jeffcampbellmakesgames/Entitas-Redux)  - Entitas Redux is a reworked version of Entitas with a sole focus on Unity.
[_jeffcampbellmakesgames_](https://github.com/jeffcampbellmakesgames/Entitas-Redux) *Open Source*

[**Big 100% Royalty Free Game Music & Sounds Bundle**](https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/big-royalty-free-game-music-and-sounds-bundle)  - Get a HUGE array of intense, heart-thumping tracks to use in your video game creations and other Music projects with the Big 100% Royalty Free Game Music & Sounds Bundle.
[_fanatical.com_](https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/big-royalty-free-game-music-and-sounds-bundle)

## Spotlight

[![The Last Defense](https://gamedevdigest.com/assets/images/b315b8dd3a521ee46c7a4b413a6bb5a5.png)](https://thuggames.itch.io/the-last-defense)
[**The Last Defense**](https://thuggames.itch.io/the-last-defense)  - This is a tower defense game with story to follow. You are the king of this fictional world and you command the defense of the kingdom of Murgaz. Place your magicians well, to defeat the evil horde that is coming from the portal.
[_ThugGames_](https://thuggames.itch.io/the-last-defense)



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