mika makkonen

Our new Control Rig Math Functions UE plugin is now out on FAB! FAB URL: https://lnkd.in/grYT6QTB It includes commonly used trigonometry and linear algebra vector math operations that aren't included natively with the covenience of returning values in both radians and degrees. We couldn't find any documentations or tutorials on how to do custom C++ nodes so it was good deep dive learning how to do it from engine source code. Also as part of some of the learnings, we found out ways that would permanently corrupt Control Rigs and some ways to fix and avoid them. Hopefully these are fixed in the future as part of the core engine.

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Real-time voxelized lighting in Unity 🌲 Technical Artist and Game Developer Kacper Szwajka shared a new tech demo of Highland Keep, a survival strategy game set in medieval Scotland. The game now features real-time voxelized lighting through the integration of HTrace: World Space Global Illumination. The update makes every tree in the game fully interactive, allowing players to chop or destroy them, with lighting responding instantly. Learn how it works: https://lnkd.in/gFNKBfbp #unity3d #madewithunity #gamedev #indiedev #3dart #gamedevelopment #rendering #render #3dmodeling

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So what’s faster, the stack or the heap? 🤔 Knowing where your data is stored can greatly increase your code's performance and is a core component of data-oriented design. We can test which one is faster using Unity. All we have to do is allocate three arrays on the heap, and three arrays on the stack using Span, then add two of the arrays and record the data in the third array. 𝚆̶𝚑̶𝚎̶𝚗̶ ̶𝚝̶𝚎̶𝚜̶𝚝̶𝚒̶𝚗̶𝚐̶ ̶𝚘̶𝚗̶ ̶𝚖̶𝚘̶𝚋̶𝚒̶𝚕̶𝚎̶𝚜̶ ̶𝚍̶𝚎̶𝚟̶𝚒̶𝚌̶𝚎̶𝚜̶,̶ ̶𝚊̶𝚌̶𝚌̶𝚎̶𝚜̶𝚜̶𝚒̶𝚗̶𝚐̶ ̶𝚍̶𝚊̶𝚝̶𝚊̶ ̶𝚘̶𝚗̶ ̶𝚝̶𝚑̶𝚎̶ ̶𝚜̶𝚝̶𝚊̶𝚌̶𝚔̶ ̶𝚒̶𝚜̶ ̶𝚊̶𝚗̶𝚢̶𝚠̶𝚑̶𝚎̶𝚛̶𝚎̶ ̶𝚏̶𝚛̶𝚘̶𝚖̶ ̶𝟷̶𝟶̶𝟶̶𝚡̶ ̶𝚝̶𝚘̶ ̶𝟺̶𝟶̶𝟶̶𝚡̶ ̶𝚏̶𝚊̶𝚜̶𝚝̶𝚎̶𝚛̶ ̶𝚝̶𝚑̶𝚊̶𝚗̶ ̶𝚝̶𝚑̶𝚎̶ ̶𝚑̶𝚎̶𝚊̶𝚙̶!̶ 😲 It appears the result might be closer to 5x. It's not nearly as crazy, but still significant. Still digging into it. Thanks George Purcell Also it appears I can't change the image on a post. 🤷 You can try the code yourself, just make sure to compile and test it on a device, not in the editor, for accurate results. Note - code updated to calculate the sum of the 3rd array and output it, so the compiler can't optimize the addition out. https://lnkd.in/dSgnV7pW Want to learn more about data-oriented design? My book, Data-Oriented Design for Games, is coming out soon in the Manning Early Access Program (MEAP.) EDIT - The book is out in early access with MEAP! Manning Publications Co. You can grab a copy for 50% off (!!!) using the code MLwilnai here: https://lnkd.in/dU8_XcUa

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As a freelance rigger, I need to make sure my builds have a lot of flexibility. So I've recently reworked my lid modules to add variable joint counts. By utilizing a curve-based output I can changed the amount of joints used based on the needs of the project. Higher joint counts for fidelity and control, lower counts for simplicity and optimization. Or I can test and iterate to find a happy middle ground. So animators using my rigs on film or game projects can enjoy the same features, such as: - Automated lid follow with eye movement - Main controls to position the lids through translation and sculpt the curvature with rotation/scale  - Secondary controls for finer detail (If there are enough joints to support it) - Manual or automated blinking. Animate controls, or activate the automated meet point between your posed lids for a perfect seal I've been using iterations of this system over my last few projects, both commercials and games. The core elements of this system have been floating around in my head since 2018, so it's been great to finally put it to the test. 

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After diving deep into the 3D AI landscape, I finally got my hands on Rodin 1.5 through hyper3dAI - and let me tell you, this can be a game-changer. Here's my takes: • It can generate 3D meshes from at least one reference image or text prompts. I used a single frontal view image, though multiple references would yield better results. • The accuracy and details are impressive, particularly for cartoon-stylized assets. The AI successfully modified the cartoon girl’s hands, and the castle was notably impressive with its detailed backface and interior wall structures. • The step-by-step generation process is well-structured. Rodin requests approval at each stage, including mesh creation, texturing, and topology. Alternative options are available through re-rolls if needed. • The topology is very promising, though not yet matching human artists’ quality. The quad meshes are clean and organized. Facial topology, while requiring more refinement for expressions, represents the best AI-generated topology I’ve encountered. • The preview and export options in Hyper3D are user-friendly, offering various download formats (OBJ, FBX, GLB). Users can adjust polygon count and topology density. A particularly useful feature is the LOD (Level of Detail) option, which provides multiple polygon counts of the same mesh within a single FBX file, allowing for flexible usage. The output quality shows great promise with room for improvement. While these assets may still require human artist polish before production use. On the other hand, it can be really useful and time-saving for fast prototyping, level design, and quick concept ideation processes. It can even be suitable for some marketing projects.

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The Production version of my physics simulation tool is now on FAB! Will submit the base version later today. Update includes + Re Instance, using stored transforms from other sims + Distance to Center + Merge runtime actors + Convert to static Mesh https://lnkd.in/dGmywPkP Will be updating Documentation asap. There is a lot to add with more in depth and detailed examples. Erase function is temp disabled while fixing slate keys will sort this in the next few days.

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In GameDev, the smallest detail can kill your game. And that’s exactly what makes this industry so brutal (and so fascinating). It’s messy, it’s long, and it’s often a leap of faith without a safety net. Entire studios pour years into a game, only to watch it die on launch day. Others never even make it to release. And the players? They’re wonderfully passionate… but also brutally unpredictable. They might fall in love with a half-tested feature - or rage quit over a two-second animation you barely thought about. No joke - I’ve actually seen this happen. One of the games on our platform had lootboxes that opened with a kick. The character would walk up and smash the box with their foot. We thought it was a fun little touch. Turns out, players hated it - comments exploded, metrics tanked. All because of that one tiny moment. And that’s when you realise what makes game development so different from building, say, a marketplace. In e-commerce, user behavior is fairly predictable: show a product, maybe add a discount, and the user will buy, wishlist, or walk away - and you usually know why. Games don’t offer that kind of clarity. You’re not guiding someone through a transaction; you’re crafting an experience. Players explore, break things, and obsess over tiny details you thought were invisible. So massive respect to everyone in GameDev who keeps showing up, testing wild ideas, listening to players, reworking what didn’t click - and trying again.

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Every frame of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a work of art. The game sets a new standard for turning an IP into a successful modern transmedia property. Space Marine 2 has been a huge success for Saber Interactive, Focus Entertainment, Games Workshop, and the community. • Sold 4.5 million copies in just over a month; hit 6 million in four months. • One of the fastest-selling games in the Warhammer franchise. Major Impacts For Saber Interactive: • Described as a “game-changer” by the studio; unlocked bigger, more ambitious projects. • Showcased new tech like “swarm AI,” leading to a AAA deal with Hasbro. For Warhammer 40K: • Drove a major £18 million ($21.9M) licensing boost for Games Workshop. • Became the most-played Warhammer game ever on Steam. • Sparked interest in a possible Space Marine 3. For the Community: • Reignited love for the IP with fast-paced action and solid post-launch support. • Frequent updates, new missions, and features keep players engaged. Key Lessons • Strong IP + Quality = Success: Beloved franchises thrive with solid execution. • Innovation Pays: Unique tech opened new business opportunities. • Post-Launch Support Matters: Regular content keeps games alive. • Success Builds Momentum: Big wins lead to bigger goals, and caution is key. Space Marine 2 broke records, boosted everyone involved, and set a new bar for liscenced games.

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🚀 Unity 6.3 just dropped some major Shader Graph upgrades—and they’re a game changer! In my latest tutorial, I break down: ✨ Some of the new Shader Graph improvements coming in Unity 6.3 ✨ How the new Shader Graph Templates system works ✨ A hands-on example of building a Vertex-Animation using the Basic Lit Shader template for URP/HDRP If you’ve ever wanted to streamline your shader workflow or expedite learning Shader Graph, this update makes it easier than ever. 🎥 Watch the full tutorial here: https://lnkd.in/gPKvZMas What shader effects are you most excited to build with these new features? #Unity3D #Unity6 #ShaderGraph #GameDev #VFX

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Quick trick to cut the bandwidth usage of your online game by 87% when sending status effects ("Poisoned, stunned, etc.."): Store all status effects in a bitmask instead of using a boolean for each of them. "bool stunned", "bool slowed", "bool poisoned" -> take 1 byte each. "byte statusEffects" -> takes 1 byte in total [0000 0000], each bit represents a specific status effect (up to 8) If the value of the bit is "1", you are affected by that state. For example: "Poisoned" is the right-most bit -> its integer value is "1" "Slowed" is the bit before it-> its integer value is "2" You're Poisoned and Slowed? then your statusEffects' value is 3 => [0000 0011] in binary Want to know if you're Poisoned? Just use a bitwise AND with the value of the status: If (statusEffects & 1) == 1 --> you're slowed If (statusEffects & 2) == 1 --> you're poisoned If your game has up to 8 status effects, this trick will save you up to 7 bytes on each character/npc instance, which makes a lot of difference at scale (you pay 87% less for bandwidth, and encoding/decoding packages requires less CPU!) #JustDevIt  #gamedevelopment #multiplayer #netcode #optimization

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"Who do you vent to?" I ask this question to every game dev student. The silence that follows is deafening. I've mentored hundreds of students trying to break into gaming, and everyone expects to struggle with C#, shaders, or debugging. But the thing that derails careers isn't technical but emotional buildup. In my 1:1 calls, students often talk for 15 straight minutes without me saying a word. They're overwhelmed, feeling behind, comparing themselves to peers who seem to be crushing it. And when I ask who they vent to? Most pause and then realize that they don't have anyone Building a game dev career is emotional work. These aren't lazy students—they show up, ship projects, work their ass off. But without release valves, everything piles up until even small tasks feel impossible. That's when consistency drops. Assignments get missed. And eventually, some just disappear. The most skilled developers I know aren't just good at debugging code but good at debugging themselves. They have people they trust to vent to when shit gets hard. Look, your coding skills won't save you if your emotional health is broken. You need both. Who do YOU vent to about your career struggles?

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𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. It’s about knowing how to get there... fast. After directing hundreds of actors across games and animation, one thing is clear: No two sessions are the same. Some actors want full backstory, lore, and context before they say a word. Others prefer to just read and feel it out. Neither approach is wrong but both demand flexibility. That’s why we’ve learned to meet every actor where they are, without losing sight of the session goals or the client’s expectations. But there’s another side to voice direction that gets overlooked: The energy in the room. The best voice directors aren’t just great at feeling out a performance.  • They’re emotionally intelligent.  • They manage the room.  • They absorb pressure. Keep the vibe fun.  • They hold the session on track  • They make sure the actor feels supported   • And that the client feels heard. It takes chemistry with the engineer. Trust with the producer. And the kind of shorthand that only comes from experience. We often hear the same feedback from clients and actors: “𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘧𝘶𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭-𝘳𝘶𝘯.” That’s not an accident. That’s the work our team puts in every day to make this process feel seamless. Directing voice talent isn’t about control. It’s about collaboration. And when it clicks, everyone feels it, especially the audience. Have you worked with our team in the booth? How was it?

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