Unity 4D #3: Rendering 4D Objects

This article will explain how to render 4D objects in Unity, using three separate technique: orthographic projection, perspective projection and cross-section.

You can find all the articles in this series here:

A link to download the Unity4D package can be found at the end of this article.

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Unity 4D #2: Extending Unity to 4D

This article will show how to extend Unity to support four-dimensional geometry. This is the second article in a series of four, and the first one which will probably start discussing the Mathematics and the C# code necessary to store and manipulate 4D objects in Unity.

You can find all the articles in this series here:

A link to download the Unity4D package can be found at the end of this article.

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Slippy Maps with Unity

A slippy map (sometimes also referred to as tiled web map, tile map, or simply interactive map) is a web-based map that can be zoomed in and out seamlessly. The most popular slippy map you might be familiar with is Google Maps, alongside many others like that.

This tutorial will show you how to create your own web-based slippy map with Unity. Such a technique can be used to create interactive maps for your own games, or to better explore complex phenomena such as fractals or even Mathematical functions. For clarity, the actual map will be created with Unity, but it will be served using a JavaScript library called LeafletJS. A link to download the full Unity package is also available at the end of the article.

The image used in the cover has been generated using Stamen.

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Seam Carving

Seam carving is a technique that can be used to resize images, which is also known as liquid rescaling. Compared to the traditional resizing tool, it does not “stretch” the image, but it selectively removes the pixels which contain the least amount of information. As a result, it allows to shrink images preserving most of the details.

Seam carving is an example of a context-aware resizing algorithm, as it does not treat images as mere collections of pixels. By all means, it can be considered an AI-powered algorithm. The “AI part” resides in the fact that it is able to identify which pixels to remove on its own. However, it does so without any neural network and—most importantly—without the need to be trained on external data. Hence, it belongs to the field of what I call Classical AI, conversely to the more recent field of Deep Learning. With AI-powered tools becoming more and more popular, I find it helpful to show how a lot can be achieved with some clever algorithms, without the need to train expensive neural network models.

If you are interested in learning more about tools like DALL·E 2 and Midjourney, I would suggest checking one of my most detailed articles titled The Rise of AI Art.

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Topographical Maps in Unity: Edge Detection

This tutorial will teach you how to recreate a very popular effect in games: topographical maps.

This is a two-part series, which will cover all the necessary aspects—from the Maths to the shader code—to make this possible:

In this second part, we will focus on the edge detection algorithm that will be used to draw the contours of the terrain.

A link to download the full Unity package is also available at the end of the tutorial.

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Topographical Maps in Unity: Terrain Shading

This tutorial will teach you how to recreate a very popular effect in games: topographical maps.

This is a two-part series, which will cover all the necessary aspects—from the Maths to the shader code—to make this possible:

A link to download the full Unity package is also available at the end of the tutorial.

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Inverse Kinematics in 3D

This tutorial will teach you how to master inverse kinematics in 3D: the technique that solves the problem of moving a robotic arm to reach for a specific target.

You can read the rest of this online course here:

A link to download the entire Unity package can be found at the end of this tutorial.

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How to Create a 360° Video in Unity

This is the second part of the online series dedicated to the creation of 360° videos in Unity. With this course, you will be able to produce 360° videos trailers for your VR games that can be played with YouTube, and even produce effective educational content like the one below.

This online course is split into two modules. The first one will focus on how to create the videos in Unity, and is already available:

The second module will focus on editing the videos, and will be released at a later time:

A link to download a working Unity scene can be found at the end of this page.

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An Introduction to 360° Videos

This online series will cover everything you need to know about 360° videos; from how to create them in Unity, to how to edit them in Premiere Pro in a format compatible with YouTube. Whether you want to create an immersive 360° video, or a trailer for your VR game, this is the tutorial for you. You will also learn how to create and edit Ambisonic tracks with Head-Lock stereo audio, which is perfect for 360° videos with narrated voiceovers.

If you are unfamiliar with 360° videos, you can have a look at one that I have recently created, which features a journey through all of the discovered exoplanets.

This online course is split into two modules. The first one will focus on how to create the videos in Unity, and is already available:

The second module will focus on editing the videos, and will be released at a later time:

A link to download a working Unity scene can be found at the end of this page.

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