Archive for the ‘Programming’ Category

Android: loading images from a remote sever, SD card and from the Resources folder

Click here to read Android: loading images from a remote sever, SD card and from the Resources folder

As stated on the title, this post will explain how to load a image from 3 different sources: the SD card, from a remote server and from the Resources folder. Since the methods and code used to load these images from these sources are different from one another, this post is going to be divided into three different parts, one for each location.

Select one of the following links to go to a specific part of the post: Continue reading: “Android: loading images from a remote sever, SD card and from the Resources folder”

Unity3D: Non-rectangular GUI buttons – Part 3

Click here to read Unity3D: Non-rectangular GUI buttons – Part 3

This is the last post of this series, which explains how to create non-rectangular GUI buttons for Unity3D games. If you haven’t read any of the other posts yet, it is highly recommended that you take a look at part one and part two before going any further.

So, let’s start from where the second post left: we already have our Unity3D scene set up with the 3D hit test model already imported and placed inside the scene. All we have to do now is import the PNG images and make then appear as a GUI element. To do that, just drag and drop then somewhere inside the Project tab. After the images are inside Unity3D, create a GUISkin by right clicking an empty space in this same tab and select Create->GUISkin as shown: Continue reading: “Unity3D: Non-rectangular GUI buttons – Part 3”

Unity3D: Non-rectangular GUI buttons – Part 2

Click here to read Unity3D: Non-rectangular GUI buttons – Part 2

This post series explains how to create non-rectangular shaped buttons in Unity3D. This is the second part, so if you missed the first one, it is almost required that you read it here. The first post explained how to set up the 2D image, and then, make a 3D model out of it to serve as hit test area. This 3D model is necessary because we are going to use Unity3D’s Raycast collision detection do make the buttons.

This post will explain all the steps necessary to prepare the Unity3D scene to receive the non-rectangular GUI code.

Continue reading: “Unity3D: Non-rectangular GUI buttons – Part 2”

Unity3D: Non-rectangular GUI buttons – Part 1

Click here to read Unity3D: Non-rectangular GUI buttons – Part 1

Unity3D is a great tool to make games, but sometimes we encounter some limitations like the hit test area of the GUI buttons: they all have to be rectangular. This post series shows how to overcome this limitation letting you create GUI buttons that can have any shape.

It will cover it all, since the initial operations required to export the button’s PNG file from the image editing software, to the code at Unity3D. So, the post series will be divided into 3 parts, that will cover all the necessary steps.

In this first post, everything that must be done outside Unity3D will be explained. You will need a image editing software (like Photoshop or GIMP) and a 3D modeling software such as 3D Studiomax or Blender.

Continue reading: “Unity3D: Non-rectangular GUI buttons – Part 1”

Android: touchscreen ‘swipe’ movement detection

Click here to read Android: touchscreen ‘swipe’ movement detection

This post explains how to code a simple swipe screen movement detection that can be used to control characters and other objects on an Android game or any other application.

All this code is written inside the View class, so open it up and let’s get to it. The first thing we will have to do is to create four different variables: one pair will store where the screen was touched, and the other one will be used to store the difference between the location where the screen has been pressed and where the screen has been released. Create this variables and assign zero to all of then, like this: Continue reading: “Android: touchscreen ‘swipe’ movement detection”