Publisher: K-i-s-publishing
Dr. Davide Aversa
Developing artificial intelligence (AI) for game characters in Unity has never been easier. Unity provides game and app developers with a variety of tools to implement AI, from basic techniques to cutting-edge machine learning-powered agents. Leveraging these tools via Unity's API or built-in features allows limitless possibilities when it comes to creating game worlds and characters.The updated fifth edition of Unity Artificial Intelligence Programming starts by breaking down AI into simple concepts. Using a variety of examples, the book then takes those concepts and walks you through actual implementations designed to highlight key concepts and features related to game AI in Unity. As you progress, you’ll learn how to implement a finite state machine (FSM) to determine how your AI behaves, apply probability and randomness to make games less predictable, and implement a basic sensory system. Later, you’ll understand how to set up a game map with a navigation mesh, incorporate movement through techniques such as A* pathfinding, and provide characters with decision-making abilities using behavior trees.By the end of this Unity book, you’ll have the skills you need to bring together all the concepts and practical lessons you’ve learned to build an impressive vehicle battle game.
Dr. Davide Aversa, Aung Sithu Kyaw, Clifford...
Developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for game characters in Unity 2018 has never been easier. Unity provides game and app developers with a variety of tools to implement AI, from the basic techniques to cutting-edge machine learning-powered agents. Leveraging these tools via Unity's API or built-in features allows limitless possibilities when it comes to creating your game's worlds and characters.This fourth edition with Unity will help you break down AI into simple concepts to give you a fundamental understanding of the topic to build upon. Using a variety of examples, the book then takes those concepts and walks you through actual implementations designed to highlight key concepts and features related to game AI in Unity.Further on, you'll learn how to distinguish the state machine pattern and implement one of your own. This is followed by learning how to implement a basic sensory system for your AI agent and coupling it with a Finite State Machine (FSM).Next, you'll learn how to use Unity's built-in NavMesh feature and implement your own A* pathfinding system. You'll then learn how to implement simple ?ocks and crowd dynamics, which are key AI concepts in Unity. Moving on, you'll learn how to implement a behavior tree through a game-focused example. Lastly, you'll apply all the concepts in the book to build a popular game.
Philip Walker
Unity Certified Programmer is a global certification program by Unity for anyone looking to become a professional Unity developer. The official Unity programmer exam will not only validate your Unity knowledge and skills, but also enable you to be part of the Unity community.This study guide will start by building on your understanding of C# programming and take you through the process of downloading and installing Unity. You’ll understand how Unity works and get to grips with the core objectives of the Unity exam. As you advance, you’ll enhance your skills by creating an enjoyable side-scrolling shooter game that can be played within the Unity Editor or any recent Android mobile device. This Unity book will test your knowledge with self-assessment questions and help you take your skills to an advanced level by working with Unity tools such as the Animator, Particle Effects, Lighting, UI/UX, Scriptable Objects, and debugging.By the end of this book, you’ll have developed a solid understanding of the different tools in Unity and understand how to create impressive Unity applications by making the most of its toolset.
Philip Walker
Unity Certified Programmer is a global certification program by Unity for anyone looking to become a professional Unity developer. The official Unity programmer exam will not only validate your Unity knowledge and skills, but will also enable you to be a part of the Unity community.This study guide will start by building on your understanding of C# programming and taking you through the process of downloading and installing Unity. You’ll understand how Unity works and get to grips with the Unity exam’s core objectives. As you advance, you’ll enhance your skills by creating an enjoyable side-scrolling shooter game that can be played within the Unity Editor or any modern Android mobile device. This Unity book will test your knowledge with self-assessment questions and help you take your skills to an advanced level by working with Unity tools such as the animator, particle effects, lighting, UI/UX, scriptable objects, and debugging.By the end of this book, you’ll have developed a solid understanding of the different tools in Unity and be able to create impressive Unity applications by making the most of its toolset.
Jamie Dean
Game animation for independent developers has taken a giant leap forward with Unity 5's Mecanim toolset, which streamlines the import/export, retargeting, and many other aspects of the character animation workflow. Unity Character Animation with Mecanim is a great primer for getting to know the nuts and bolts of Mecanim and other character animation related tools in Unity 5. It offers you step-by-step instructions for preparing and exporting rigged models and animation sequences from commonly used 3D packages, such as Maya, 3ds Max and Blender.This book explores the new set of animation tools introduced with Mecanim in Unity 5. Approaching its subject matter through a typical genre–a zombie action game, character animation techniques are explored using real examples of player input and interaction, enemy behavior, and other aspects of game dynamics. As the book progresses, the reader will understand how these elements fit together in a small game development workflow.We will begin with a demonstration of the process of getting a rigged character into Unity 5 and setting it up to use provided animation sequences. We will also consider a few industry standard 3D packages and how these can be used to rig a humanoid character for use in Unity 5. We will demonstrate the retargeting capabilities of Mecanim’s Humanoid Animation type by adjusting motion sequences to fit disparate character types in our game. After this, we will look at Ragdoll physics and the implementation of this commonly used technique in a Mecanim workflow. The book culminates with a thorough dissection of the enemy character AI script incorporating the Mecanim elements detailed in the previous chapters.Unity Character Animation with Mecanim will provide you with a detailed exploration of the interaction between game development and character animation, and will broaden your understanding of the rich animation toolset within Unity 5
Unity Cookbook. Over 160 recipes to craft your own masterpiece in Unity 2023 - Fifth Edition
Matt Smith, Shaun Ferns, Sinéad Murphy, Chris...
Unleash your game development potential with Unity Cookbook, 5th Edition, designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in Unity game development. With over 160 expertly crafted recipes empowering you to pioneer VR and AR experiences, excel in mobile game development, and become a master of audio techniques.In this latest edition, we've meticulously curated a collection of recipes that reflect the latest advancements in Unity 2023, ensuring you stay at the forefront of game development. You'll discover dedicated recipes for First/Third Person (Core) templates, create engaging mobile games, delve into Virtual and Augmented Reality, and go further with audio by exploring advanced techniques. Additionally, the book has been fully updated to incorporate the new input system and TextMeshPro, essential elements for modern game development.From exploring C# scripting to crafting stylish UIs, creating stunning visual effects, and understanding shader development through Shader Graph, every chapter is designed to take you closer to your goal of becoming a proficient Unity developer.So, whether you're aiming to develop the next hit game, enhance your portfolio, or simply have fun building games, this book will be your trusted companion on your journey to Unity proficiency.
Stefan Boeykens
Architects have always relied on drawings, renderings, and sometimes even movies to present their design concepts to clients, contractors, and other stakeholders. The accessibility of current game engines provides new and exciting possibilities to turn any design into an interactive model that anyone can experience at their own pace.Unity for Architectural Visualization explains how you can create compelling, real-time models from your 3D architectural project. Filled with practical tips and in-depth information, this book explains every step in the process, starting from the very basics up to custom scripts that will get you up to the next level.This book begins with a general overview of the Unity workflow for architectural models. You will start with a simple project that lets you walk around in your design using basic Unity tools and methods. You will then learn how to easily get convincing lightning effects on your scene. You will then set up a basic navigation system in your project, and not only this; you will also cover some tips and tricks to take navigation to the next level. You will quickly learn how to fine-tune the shaders and how to set up materials that are a bit more advanced. Even when you finish Unity for Architectural Visualization, this book will make scripting easier with reusable examples of scripts that can be applied in most projects. After reading this book, you will be comfortable enough to tackle new projects and develop your own.
Will Goldstone
Game engines are central to the video games we know and love. From the artwork to the mathematics that underpin the frames onscreen, the engine calls the shots. Aside from offering one of the leading 3D game engines, Unity also provides a superlative development tool ñ a tool that can produce professional standard games for Mac, PC, and the Unity Web Player.This book is a complete exercise in game development covering environments, physics, sound, particles, and much more, to get you up and working with Unity quickly.Taking a practical approach, this book will introduce you to the concepts of developing 3D games before getting to grips with development in Unity itself. From creating 3D worlds to scripting and creating simple game elements you will learn everything you'll need to get started with game development for the PC, Mac, and Web.This book is designed to cover a set of easy to follow examples, which culminate in the production of a First Person 3D game, complete with an interactive island environment. By introducing common concepts of game and 3D production, you'll explore Unity to make a character interact with the game world, and build puzzles for the player to solve, in order to complete the game. At the end of the book, you will have a fully working 3D game and all the skills required to extend the game further, giving your end-user, the player, the best experience possible. Soon you will be creating your own 3D games with ease!
Dr. Davide Aversa, Chris Dickinson
Unity engine comes with a great set of features to help you build high-performance games. This Unity book is your guide to optimizing various aspects of your game development, from game characters and scripts, right through to animations.You’ll explore techniques for writing better game scripts and learn how to optimize a game using Unity technologies such as ECS and the Burst compiler. The book will also help you manage third-party tooling used with the Unity ecosystem. You’ll also focus on the problems in the performance of large games and virtual reality (VR) projects in Unity, gaining insights into detecting performance issues and performing root cause analysis. As you progress, you’ll discover best practices for your Unity C# script code and get to grips with usage patterns. Later, you’ll be able to optimize audio resources and texture files, along with effectively storing and using resource files. You’ll then delve into the Rendering Pipeline and learn how to identify performance problems in the pipeline. In addition to this, you’ll learn how to optimize the memory and processing unit of Unity. Finally, you’ll cover tips and tricks used by Unity professionals to improve the project workflow.By the end of this book, you’ll have developed the skills you need to build interactive games using Unity and its components.
Alan R. Stagner
Unity is a game development engine that is fully integrated with a complete set of intuitive tools and rapid workflows used to create interactive 3D content. Multiplayer games have long been a staple of video games, and online multiplayer games have seen an explosion in popularity in recent years. Unity provides a unique platform for independent developers to create the most in-demand multiplayer experiences, from relaxing social MMOs to adrenaline-pumping competitive shooters.A practical guide to writing a variety of online multiplayer games with the Unity game engine, using a multitude of networking middleware from player-hosted games to standalone dedicated servers to cloud multiplayer technology. You can create a wide variety of online games with the Unity 4 as well as Unity 3 Engine.You will learn all the skills needed to make any multiplayer game you can think of using this practical guide. We break down complex multiplayer games into basic components, for different kinds of games, whether they be large multi-user environments or small 8-player action games. You will get started by learning networking technologies for a variety of situations with a Pong game, and also host a game server and learn to connect to it.Then, we will show you how to structure your game logic to work in a multiplayer environment. We will cover how to implement client-side game logic for player-hosted games and server-side game logic for MMO-style games, as well as how to deal with network latency, unreliability, and security.You will then gain an understanding of the Photon Server while creating a star collector game; and later, the Player.IO by creating a multiplayer RTS prototype game. You will also learn using PubNub with Unity by creating a chatbox application. Unity Multiplayer Games will help you learn how to use the most popular networking middleware available for Unity, from peer-oriented setups to dedicated server technology.
Francesco Sapio
With the increasing interest in game development, it's essential to design and implement a UI that reflects the game settings and shows the right information to the player. The Unity system is used to create complex and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces in order to give a professional look and feel to a game. Although the new Unity UI system is powerful and quite easy to use, by integrating it with C# scripts, it's possible to realize the potential of this system and bring an impressive UI to games.This guide is an invaluable collection of recipes if you are planning to use Unity to develop a game. Starting with the basic concepts of the UI components, we’ll take you all the way through to creating complex interfaces by including animations and dynamics elements.Based on real-world problems, these recipes will start by showing you how to make common UI elements such as counters and healthbars. You will then get a walkthrough of how to manage time using timers, and will learn how to format them. You will move on to decorating and animating the UI elements to vivify them and give them a professional touch. Furthermore, you will be guided into the 3D UI world and into HUD scripting. Finally, you will discover how to implement complex minimaps in the interface.
Jonathan Linowes
What is consumer “virtual reality�? Wearing a head-mounted display you view stereoscopic 3D scenes. You can look around by moving your head, and walk around using hand controls or motion sensors. You are engaged in a fully immersive experience. On the other hand, Unity is a powerful game development engine that provides a rich set of features such as visual lighting, materials, physics, audio, special effects, and animation for creating 2D and 3D games. Unity 5 has become the leading platform for building virtual reality games, applications and experiences for this new generation of consumer VR devices.Using a practical and project-based approach, this book will educate you about the specifics of virtual reality development in Unity.You will learn how to use Unity to develop VR applications which can be experienced with devices such as the Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard. We will then learn how to engage with virtual worlds from a third person and first person character point of view. Furthermore, you will explore the technical considerations especially important and possibly unique to VR. The projects in the book will demonstrate how to build a variety of VR experiences. You will be diving into the Unity 3D game engine via the interactive Unity Editor as well as C-Sharp programming.By the end of the book, you will be equipped to develop rich, interactive virtual reality experiences using Unity.So, let's get to it!
Jonathan Linowes
Unity has become the leading platform for building virtual reality games, applications, and experiences for this new generation of consumer VR devices. Unity Virtual Reality Projects walks you through a series of hands-on tutorials and in-depth discussions on using the Unity game engine to develop VR applications. With its practical and project-based approach, this book will get you up to speed with the specifics of VR development in Unity. You will learn how to use Unity to develop VR applications that can be experienced with devices such as Oculus, Daydream, and Vive. Among the many topics and projects, you will explore gaze-based versus hand-controller input, world space UI canvases, locomotion and teleportation, software design patterns, 360-degree media, timeline animation, and multiplayer networking. You will learn about the Unity 3D game engine via the interactive Unity Editor, and you will also learn about C# programming. By the end of the book, you will be fully equipped to develop rich, interactive VR experiences using Unity.
Unleashing the Power of Data with Trusted AI. A guide for board members and executives
Wendy Turner-Williams
Written by a distinguished leader and innovator who has been instrumental in spearheading digital, cloud, and AI transformations across global brands, Unleashing the Power of Data with Trusted AI is an indispensable resource that will make you AI-ready.This comprehensive guide is designed to meet the urgent need for clarity and to give you actionable insights into today's rapidly evolving landscape of AI and its fundamental driver - data. You’ll delve into the exciting world of AI and its integration with data, uncover its significance, ethical considerations, and strategic applications with real-life success stories from industry giants like Starbucks, Netflix, and Siemens. You’ll also witness first-hand how the integration of data and AI has reshaped markets and elevated customer experiences, and discover the future of generative AI based on several surveys and case studies. You’ll gain an understanding of how AI has evolved across industries, empowering decision-making and fostering innovation. Tailored for board members, executives, innovators, and tech enthusiasts, this immersive guide will reshape your understanding of data and AI synergy.By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to lead your teams, customers, partners, and organizations confidently and responsibly in the era of AI.
Jeff Hendrickson, Travis Wissink
UX analytics is a field that recognizes the significance of understanding human behavior and emotions in designing user experiences. It goes beyond mere metrics and embraces a people-centric approach. With the help of this comprehensive guide, you’ll acquire essential skills, knowledge, and techniques to establish a top-notch UX analytics practice.Unleashing the Power of UX Analytics will equip you with the strategies and tactics necessary to effectively collect, analyze, and interpret data, empowering you to make informed decisions that enhance the overall user experience. It emphasizes the importance of empathy in comprehending user needs and desires, enabling you to create meaningful and impactful design solutions. As you advance, this book walks you through the entire UX analytics process, from setting goals and defining key performance indicators (KPIs) to implementing various research methods and tools. You'll gain insights into user interview best practices, usability testing, and techniques for gathering qualitative and quantitative data.Armed with the knowledge of data analysis and interpretation, you'll be able to uncover patterns, trends, and user preferences to make data-driven decisions.
Greg Beaumont
Microsoft Power BI is the ultimate solution for businesses looking to make data-driven decisions and unlock the full potential of their data. Unleashing Your Data with Power BI Machine Learning and OpenAI is designed for data scientists and BI professionals seeking to improve their existing solutions and workloads using AI. The book explains the intricacies of the subject by using a workshop-style data story for data ingestion, data modeling, analytics, and predictive analytics with Power BI machine learning. Along the way, you’ll learn about AI features, AI visuals, R/Python integration, and OpenAI integration. The workshop-style content allows you to practice all your learnings in real-life challenges and gain hands-on experience. Additionally, you’ll gain an understanding of AI/ML, step by step, with replicable examples and references. From enhancing data visualizations to building SaaS Power BI ML models, and integrating Azure OpenAI, this book will help you unlock new capabilities in Power BI.By the end of this book, you’ll be well-equipped to build ML models in Power BI, plan projects for both BI and ML, understand R/Python visuals with Power BI, and introduce OpenAI to enhance your analytics solutions.
Michael Burton, Ellie Altomare
Photopea is a comprehensive image and photo editing design tool that provides essential features and capabilities comparable to Adobe Photoshop. This book covers the latest version of Photopea, featuring step-by-step instructions for image editing, improving and enhancing designs with text and effects, and creating eye-catching projects for print and the web.The first part of this book will teach you how to navigate the workspace, use the best tools for specific tasks and projects, and make perfect selections. You’ll also discover how to remove backgrounds, merge and/or add objects, and adjust colors to create impressive images. Later, you’ll explore layers and compositing techniques, and get hands on with retouching images like a pro. The book will demonstrate how to create collages and use brushes, color wheels, and swatches for drawing and painting. You’ll also learn how to apply impressive text to images to create posters, flyers, and logos.By the end of this book, you'll have learned how to retouch, paint, enhance, and manipulate images; how to use templates provided by Photopea; and finally, how to apply your skills to projects.
Keith Bourne, Shahul Es
Generative AI is helping organizations tap into their data in new ways, with RAG combining the strengths of LLMs with internal data for more intelligent and relevant AI applications. The author harnesses his decade of ML experience in this book to equip you with the strategic insights and technical expertise needed when using RAG to drive transformative outcomes.The book explores RAG’s role in enhancing organizational operations by blending theoretical foundations with practical techniques. You’ll work with detailed coding examples using tools such as LangChain and Chroma’s vector database to gain hands-on experience in integrating RAG into AI systems. The chapters contain real-world case studies and sample applications that highlight RAG’s diverse use cases, from search engines to chatbots. You’ll learn proven methods for managing vector databases, optimizing data retrieval, effective prompt engineering, and quantitatively evaluating performance. The book also takes you through advanced integrations of RAG with cutting-edge AI agents and emerging non-LLM technologies.By the end of this book, you’ll be able to successfully deploy RAG in business settings, address common challenges, and push the boundaries of what’s possible with this revolutionary AI technique.*Email sign-up and proof of purchase required
Keith Bourne
Developing AI agents that remember, adapt, and reason over complex knowledge isn’t a distant vision anymore; it’s happening now with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). This second edition of the bestselling guide leads you to the forefront of agentic system design, showing you how to build intelligent, explainable, and context-aware applications powered by RAG pipelines.You’ll master the building blocks of agentic memory, including semantic caches, procedural learning with LangMem, and the emerging CoALA framework for cognitive agents. You’ll also learn how to integrate GraphRAG with tools such as Neo4j to create deeply contextualized AI responses grounded in ontology-driven data.This book walks you through real implementations of working, episodic, semantic, and procedural memory using vector stores, prompting strategies, and feedback loops to create systems that continuously learn and refine their behavior. With hands-on code and production-ready patterns, you’ll be ready to build advanced AI systems that not only generate answers but also learn, recall, and evolve.Written by a seasoned AI educator and engineer, this book blends conceptual clarity with practical insight, offering both foundational knowledge and cutting-edge tools for modern AI development.*Email sign-up and proof of purchase required
Wladislav Cugunov
Unlocking the Power of Auto-GPT and Its Plugins reveals how Auto-GPT is transforming the way we work and live, by breaking down complex goals into manageable subtasks and intelligently utilizing the internet and other tools. With a background as a self-taught full stack developer and key contributor to Auto-GPT’s Inner Team, the author blends unconventional thinking with practical expertise to make Auto-GPT and its plugins accessible to developers at all levels.This book explores the potential of Auto-GPT and its associated plugins through practical applications. Beginning with an introduction to Auto-GPT, it guides you through setup, utilization, and the art of prompt generation. You'll gain a deep understanding of the various plugin types and how to create them. The book also offers expert guidance on developing AI applications such as chat assistants, research aides, and speech companions, while covering advanced topics such as Docker configuration, continuous mode operation, and integrating your own LLM with Auto-GPT.By the end of this book, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed for AI application development, plugin creation, setup procedures, and advanced Auto-GPT features to fuel your AI journey.
Gilbert Mizrahi, Daniel Serfaty
Unlocking the Secrets of Prompt Engineering is your key to mastering the art of AI-driven writing. This book propels you into the world of large language models (LLMs), empowering you to create and apply prompts effectively for diverse applications, from revolutionizing content creation and chatbots to coding assistance.Starting with the fundamentals of prompt engineering, this guide provides a solid foundation in LLM prompts, their components, and applications. Through practical examples and use cases, you'll discover how LLMs can be used for generating product descriptions, personalized emails, social media posts, and even creative writing projects like fiction and poetry. The book covers advanced use cases such as creating and promoting podcasts, integrating LLMs with other tools, and using AI for chatbot development. But that’s not all. You'll also delve into the ethical considerations, best practices, and limitations of using LLM prompts as you experiment and optimize your approach for best results.By the end of this book, you'll have unlocked the full potential of AI in writing and content creation to generate ideas, overcome writer's block, boost productivity, and improve communication skills.