UNIGINE Engine 2.16 Released

UNIGINE Engine has been updated to version 2.16, introducing an Asset Store, Vulkan and DirectX 12 API support, Robot Operating System integration, and a new window manager.

DirectX 12 and Vulkan

UNIGINE Company is implementing experimental DirectX 12 and Vulkan versions of the engine. Some features are still missing (including both terrains, SRAA, occlusion queries, and support for multiple windows) but will be added in future releases.

According to the company, Vulkan can bring up to 100-200% CPU and 30% GPU boost, as compared to OpenGL implementation. DirectX 12 delivers up to 15-60% on the CPU side, as compared to DirectX 11.

Asset Store

The new Asset Store is also experimental and shapes the way how add-ons, demos, tools, and other components will be distributed in the future. At the moment, only free assets are available in the Asset Store and are published by UNIGINE. To publish your free assets now, you need to contact the support team, but the ability to post materials will come in November for everyone. Monetization functionality is expected by the end of the year.

ROS Integration

UNIGINE is moving toward the world of autonomous systems where ROS (Robot Operating System) is a de-facto standard. The ROS2 integration is introduced in 2.16 to simplify the processes of building, training, and testing these systems in the virtual environment.

Revamped Window Manager

UNIGINE Company calls the window manager "a basis for GUI-system and a first step towards new features like Node-based scripting, Visual UI editor, Sequencer, and Character animation editor." The window management and integration workflow have been revamped, with plans to create a functional and reliable GUI toolkit to simplify the development of advanced visual tools.

Other Changes

The 2.16 version includes a new SDK Browser with improved safety, robustness, and extended functionality. There is also a new Texture Editor with a rich set of brushes, an upgraded Sandworm terrain generation tool, hand-tracking for Varjo VR and XR headsets, Image Generator improvements, and more.

Find the overview here and don't forget to join our Reddit page and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.