Why Unity is the Most Versatile Engine Available for VR and XR Development

Virtual Reality and its sister technologies of Augmented Reality and Extended Reality are now some of the largest growth areas in entertainment and gaming, and are becoming increasingly prevalent in business and industrial applications. Of these, Extended Reality is the most exciting and far-reaching technology and it is creating huge excitement in content creation.

Extended Reality (XR) encompasses a range of immersive technologies that combine the physical and virtual worlds in a fluid way. The term XR refers to a mash-up of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). Extended Reality technologies are providing enormous opportunities for innovative and collaborative entertainment, and are likely to become the major source of content in these fields.

The Versatile Solution

This powerful technology is also finding increasing use in training situations where the use of spatial awareness and delicate operations need to be trained out in dangerous or infrequent situations. Prior to XR, practising certain activities in high-risk areas such as the nuclear industry or complex medical procedures was difficult, if not impossible. XR has opened up a new means of training that are sufficiently precise to mimic the real world yet completely safe should something go awry in the exercise. 

But an XR experience is only as good as the software used to create it in the first place. If the graphics or in-built features are not up to the task, then the end result will be unrealistic or will perform badly in use. Therefore, the quality of the output becomes a function of the engine’s abilities and features, so it is only possible to create these life-like experiences using powerful bespoke software. It is of little surprise then that Unity is fast becoming the engine of choice.

Professional developers agree that the Unity engine is the most flexible and versatile on the market. This powerful package lets programmers construct VR and XR experiences with ease. It is simple to learn and operate because of its intuitive design, but powerful enough to create realistic environments. 

A Technically Superior Package

The Unity package boasts a number of cross-platform tools that make it easy for developers to quickly create beautifully-crafted XR and 3D content. The only credible alternative to the Unity software is the Unreal engine, but it is regarded as being less-capable, and most professionals prefer to use Unity.  The Unity software uses C# inside the editor and with external applications. C# is friendlier with a faster learning and processing than the C++ package that Unreal is based on.

Unity is also completely compatible with C# as it is a node-based logic-engine and you can apply behaviours for game objects within the editor itself. For users without strong scripting knowledge, Unity’s C# orientated scripting documentation slows down Unity visual scripting learning. Visual scripting will come naturally if you master C# scripting, and expanding the current visual scripting nodes calls for no particular expertise.

Professional design companies such as the UK-based Unity Developers are experts at using the Unity software and employ this powerful package to create impressive XR and 3D content such as the Metaverse-based Ethereum Towers virtual habitat and village. This beautifully constructed VR-world allows users to buy apartments using block-chain technology and to then furnish them to their own tastes. Thanks to the Unity engine, furniture and ornaments can be purchased, placed, and moved around with real-world physics.

The node-based operations and realistic physics engine within Unity made the development of Ethereum Towers so life-like that once the VR user enters, the feeling of realism is jaw-dropping. Unity also possesses a significant edge in XR development due to its support for HTML5 online publishing, whereas Unreal ceased official support with version HTML4.24. This renders publishing to WebXR from Unity relatively easy in contrast to the unsupported Unreal package.

Furthermore, the Unity engine accommodates all essential real-time animation functionalities that are expected in the market. Armature-based animation, vertex animation, state machines, and sequences serve as essential components for developing intricate animation systems.

Unity Delivers Every Time

Unity is also the best option for developing VR games. It is well-liked by developers, and continues to improve with upgrades and new releases with new features. Whether you are an experienced gamer or just starting out, Unity is certainly the way to go. Not only can you easily work on 2D and 3D games, but it also enables you to construct complex and exciting VR and XR applications in real time. 

Expert content creators such as Unity Developers are highly experienced in creating VR and XR experiences using the immensely versatile Unity engine. Its ease of use, flexibility and powerful features make it the software of choice for professionals. Unity Developers are now a Unity official software vendor partner, and is able to offer Unity products and services to third-party customers. They have become a one-stop shop for all things Unity.

The Metaverse is growing at an astonishing rate and it increasingly it is being developed using the Unity engine. The overwhelming majority of firms that are working on material for the Metaverse are looking to hire XR developers that are proficient in the use of Unity. There is a far larger community of Unity artists and programmers than there is with Unreal, and the gap between the two engines is growing rapidly. 

If you have an idea for an app or game, and would like professional assistance with creating it, contact Unity Developers and see how they can help.