Project Workflow

Working with the project content is performed via UnigineEditor and includes:

1. Placing your assets in the supported formats inside the data folder of your project or creating/importing them via the Asset Browser.
   Notice

   In the data/.runtimes directory, UNIGINE native runtime formats generated for the corresponding non-native assets (such as .fbx, .hdr, etc.) will be stored.
2. Assembling the scene via UnigineEditor, namely: placing objects, setting up materials, properties, physics of the objects, setting up lighting, adjusting global settings (environment, global illumination and other render settings).
   Notice

   Unlike the other engines, UNIGINE provides its own material system with a rich set of built-in base materials using predefined shaders. You can adjust settings of the built-in base materials via UnigineEditor to get the desired result. You can also extend the set of available materials by adding custom ones utilizing custom shaders.

   See also the article on World Management.

UNIGINE provides the following APIs for implementing the application logic:

• C# API for a good balance between speed and ease of use. It allows using C# Component System enabled by default and integrated into the UnigineEditor. It is the easiest way to implement your application logic in components and assign them to any node to be executed.
• C++ API for maximum performance of the application and seamless integration with the existing code base.
• UnigineScript API for fast iterative scripting language featuring instant compilation and thousands of useful functions.

You can stick to a single language: C++ if maximum performance is a key factor, or C# for optimum balance. In case of C# (.NET 5), UNIGINE provides the C# Component System integrated into UnigineEditor. This approach is deemed to be the most convenient and ensuring good performance for complex applications with elaborate logic.

Alternatively, you can have different programming languages (C++, C#, and UnigineScript) for different pieces of your project: for example, you can use C++ for base classes and performance consuming operations; and implement some simple application logic in UnigineScript. You can also call methods from one API when using another, and manually expand API functionality.

Tracking changes to files of the project by Version Control System is performed according to the specific rules.

• Articles in the section Programming Overview
• Article on Execution Sequence