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Unity optimises its VR and AR optimisations in Unity 5.1

Gains a new rendering pipeline

Unity optimises its VR and AR optimisations in Unity 5.1

Framerate is a crucial concern for any developer hoping to make a splash in virtual reality gaming.

Indeed, it's so important that the latest version of Unity - v5.1 - comes with what the company says is a new "highly optimized rendering pipeline for VR and AR devices".

In terms its VR-focused stereoscopic rendering these include optimised single pass culling and shared shadowmaps.

HMDs supported

Of course, Unity has always been a strong backer of the Oculus Rift hardware, which is supported out-of-the-box.

Similar native support currently in progress for Microsoft's HoloLens and Samsung's Gear VR.

Sony also offers a Morpheus plug-in for Unity directly, and other thirdparty plugins are available, including the Steam VR SDK, Cardboard SDK for Unity, OSVR and MergeVR.

The other big addition in Unity 5.1 is easier multiplayer cross-platform networking (codenamed UNET).

This includes a beta of the Unity Multiplayer Service, which supports 100 concurrent players free of charge.

You can read all the details on the Unity blog.


Contributing Editor

A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon is Contributing Editor at PG.biz which means he acts like a slightly confused uncle who's forgotten where he's left his glasses. As well as letters and cameras, he likes imaginary numbers and legumes.