The document outlines new features in Unity Technologies' 2D capabilities, including the 9-slice technique for image reuse, an updated sprite editor for mesh editing, and a sorting group component for rendering order management. Additional enhancements include a new sprite atlas for texture packing, updates to physics and particle collision in 2D, and ongoing development of character animation tools for skeletal animation. These tools aim to improve efficiency and flexibility in creating 2D games.

2. Rus Scammell
Technical Product Manager,
Unity Technologies

3. 2D in Unity – What’s New?

4. Released

5. 9-Slice

6. 9-Slice
• Technique to split and reuse different portions of an image.
• Demo

7. 9-Slice
• No need to prepare multiple assets
• Useful for creating repeating patterns: e.g.: walls & floors

8. Sprite Editor Window
- Edit Outline

9. Sprite Editor Window – Edit Outline
• Edit the mesh for a Sprite, after it has been generated.

10. Sprite Editor Window – Edit Outline
• The Outline Editor is accessed via the Sprite Editor Window
• DEMO

11. Sprite Editor Window – Edit Outline
• Balance the trade-offs between alpha overdraw and polygon count.

12. Sorting Group Component

13. Sorting Group
• A component which groups the rendering order of SpriteRenderers.

14. Sorting Groups
• Commonly used for complex assemblies that are made up of several
Sprites.
• DEMO

15. Axis Distance Sort

16. Axis Distance Sort
• Renderers in Unity are sorted by several criteria.
• Axis Distance Sort sorts renderers by distance along an arbitrary axis.

17. Axis Distance Sort
• Use case: Sorting sprites by
height or along the Y-axis.
• Common in 2D games.
• Sprites that are higher are
sorted behind sprites that are
lower.
• DEMO

18. Physics 2D
• Contacts API
• CompositeCollider2D - DEMO
• EdgeRadius feature - DEMO
• Distance feature
• Particle collision code in 2D re-written
in SIMD

19. Coming Soon

20. Sprite Atlas

21. Sprite Atlas
• The Sprite Atlas replaces the current Sprite Packer with a friendlier, faster
and more versatile texture packing solution.

22. Sprite Atlas – Easy to Scale
• Pack:
• Individual Sprites
• A multi-sliced texture
• A folder

23. Sprite Atlas – More Control
• Explicitly set the Texture settings
• Decide how the generated atlas gets into your game
• Make variants of the same atlas
• DEMO

24. Sprite Mask

25. Sprite Mask
• Used to hide or reveal parts of a Sprite or
group of Sprites.
• DEMO

26. Tile Map

27. Tile Map
• For building tiled layouts on a grid.
• Tilemap-focused Experimental Preview Release 4.

28. Character Animation Tools

29. Character Animation Tools
• In Development.
• Brings native 2D skeletal animation workflows to Unity.

31. Thank you!