Top 5 Unity Plugins For Game Development You Need To Know

Unity is a powerful game engine and integrated development environment (IDE) to create games, simulations, visualizations, and other interactive content. Are you looking to take your Unity game development to the next level? With Unity’s extensible architecture, there are numerous plugins available to augment and streamline your game development process. Whether enhancing visual effects, optimizing performance, or simplifying complex tasks, these Unity plugins have got you covered.

In this article, let’s check out Top 5 Unity plugins you need to know with iRender!

Image source: discussions.unity.com

• Price: $15
• Compatible with Unity version: 2019.4.12 or higher

Say goodbye to bland text in your game UI. TextMesh Pro is a set of Unity tools for 2D and 3D text. It offers advanced text rendering and layout features, enabling developers to create visually stunning and readable text in their games. TextMesh Pro provides better control over text formatting and layout than Unity’s UI Text & Text Mesh systems with many features such as:

• Character, word, line, and paragraph spacing.
• Kerning.
• Justified text.
• Links.
• More than thirty rich text tags.
• Support for multiple fonts.
• Support for sprites.
• Custom styles.
• Advanced text rendering using custom shaders.

With features like rich text formatting, dynamic SDF (Signed Distance Field) fonts, and text styling options, TextMesh Pro is a must-have for any Unity developer aspiring to deliver polished and professional-looking interfaces.

Getting started

The TextMesh Pro package is included in the Unity Editor. You do not need to install it.

To use TextMesh Pro, you must import the TMP Essential Resources.

• From the menu, select Window > TextMeshPro > Import TMP Essential Resources

This adds the essential resources to the TextMesh Pro folder in the Project.

Image source: unity.com

• Price: Free 
• Compatible with Unity version: 2017.1 and later

Cinemachine simplifies the process of creating dynamic and cinematic camera movements in games. This plugin provides a suite of tools for creating complex camera behaviors, such as smart camera transitions, procedural noise, and virtual cameras, allowing developers to achieve professional-quality camera work without extensive programming. Cinemachine enables the creation of immersive and engaging visual experiences, bringing games to life through fluid and captivating camera movements.

Installing Cinemachine

Use the Unity Package Manager (in the top menu: Window > Package Manager) to select Cinemachine for installation. If you don’t see the package, look for a dropdown menu above the list and select “All packages”.

Cinemachine is free and available for any project. If you already have it installed, you may update it to the latest version.

Image source: docs.unity3d.com

• Price: Free 
• Compatible with Unity version: 2019.1 or higher

With Shader Graph, developers can create custom shaders visually, without diving deep into shader code. This powerful tool creates stunning visual effects and shaders through a node-based interface, making it more accessible for developers of all levels to craft unique and impressive visuals for their games. By enabling visual shader creation, Shader Graph empowers developers to experiment with and implement sophisticated graphics in their games without deep shader programming knowledge.

Shader Graph is available through the Package Manager window in supported versions of the Unity Editor. If you install a Scriptable Render Pipeline (SRP) such as the Universal Render Pipeline (URP) or the High Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP), Unity automatically installs Shader Graph in your project.

Image source: learn.unity.com

• Price: Free 
• Compatible with Unity version: 2018.3 and later

Building and prototyping levels within Unity becomes a breeze with ProBuilder. This plugin offers a set of in-editor tools for level design, enabling developers to create, edit, and prototype 3D geometry directly within the Unity editor, without the need to switch back and forth between external modeling software. ProBuilder also comes with a Scripting API, so that you can write C# scripts to make your own tools and customizations. This plugin streamlines the level design process, allowing for quick iteration and exploration of level layouts and structures within the familiar Unity environment.

Installing ProBuilder

To install this package:

1. Open the Package Manager (in Unity’s top menu: Window > Package Manager).
2. Enter ProBuilder in the search box.
3. Click ProBuilder in the package list (left side), then click the Install button in the package details (right side).
4. To verify that ProBuilder is correctly installed, open the ProBuilder toolbar (from Unity’s top menu: Tools > ProBuilder > ProBuilder Window).

Note: If you don’t see the ProBuilder Window menu item, then ProBuilder did not install correctly.

Image source: speedtree.com

• Price: Indie subscriptions from $19/month (formerly $999/year), and Pro licenses from $299. 
• Compatible with Unity version:  Unity 2018.3 and later

When it comes to creating realistic vegetation and foliage, SpeedTree is the go-to solution. The plugin provides a vast library of pre-made, customizable tree and plant models, making it easy to integrate lifelike vegetation into your game environments, all while maintaining performance optimization. SpeedTree enables developers to populate their game environments with visually stunning foliage, bringing landscapes to life with realistic and immersive natural elements.

Import files into Unity

You can export your SpeedTree into your Unity Project directly into the Assets folder under your Project. Or export it to a designated spot and copy it into your Project folder. Unity can read the .st file automatically and detects when you save new changes and re-imports files as necessary. During this process, you may be prompted to fix normal maps if you are using them. Select “Fix now” and the import process will continue.

Your folder might look something like this: \\UNITY> (Your Project’s Name)> Assets > SpeedTrees

Note: Do not simply import the .st file from a different location. Unity will not be able to find the texture files.

These Unity plugins offer a glimpse into the diverse range of tools available to game developers, enabling them to optimize workflows, enhance visual quality, and create engaging gameplay experiences. Whether you’re a professional developer or just getting started, integrating these plugins into your Unity projects can take your game development to new heights.

iRender supports all 3D software including Unity and its plugins. 

We provide high-configuration servers that increase CPU and GPU rendering speeds. We offer the most powerful RTX 4090 configuration packages on the market, all equipped with AMD RyzenTM ThreadripperTM PRO 3955WX @ 3.9 – 4.2GHz and AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ PRO 5975WX @ 3.6 – 4.5GHz processors, 256GB RAM and 2T NVMe SSD hard drive capacity. With a wide range of GPU servers (1/2/4/6/8x) – RTX 4090, you can choose the server that suits your needs to start the rendering process. 

With Unity, this 3S (1xRTX 4090) server is the best choice. 

Simple Workflow

We provide you blank computer, you will connect to it online via Remote Desktop file and have total access like your personal PC. You just need to transfer your files, connect to the remote machine, and install Unity with your license, then you can render yourself like the way you do on your local PC. Setting up ONCE and your working environment will be saved and ready to use at any time. 

Why choose iRender?

At iRender, you can upload and download your files without booting the server, then you can save a lot of money. 

We have an iRender GPU app for Windows PC which integrates all features and is easy to use, and an iRender Drive app for MacOS users to transfer data only. Moreover, there are many reasons why we are the best render farm for your project.

• 100% Software Support: We support all 3D software, their plugins, and render engines.
• Full Control: Our service will give you full control over the servers you rent. Therefore, you are free to create your own working environment. 
• Go Green: We are committed to using 100% solar renewable energy towards environmental sustainability. 
• Real-human 24/7 Support: Our professional support agents and technicians guarantee to bring you the best rendering experience.

Check out how to estimate time and cost when rendering on our server

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References: unity.com