It's that time again! This update is one of the largest yet for AC, adding some big new features, and a heap of more subtle refinements and fixes. So without further ado:
Physics puzzles
Inspired by the mechanics of games like The Room and Amnesia, 1.38 brings Draggable and PickUp objects, that can be "held" by clicking/touching and dragging around the screen. While PickUps can be moved around freely, thrown, brought closer to the camera, and rotated, Draggables are constrained - mainly along Tracks that limit their movement. For example, a Hinge Track will limit a Draggable object such that it can only be pivoted - allowing for interactivity such as doors and levers (especially nice in first-person games). A bunch of associated Actions and new prefabs have been included, and tutorials will be added soon to demonstrate their use - but for now, the manual covers the basics.
New Scene Manager
With the new Moveable prefabs, the old prefab list in the Scene Manager needed a makeover. Aside from some classy icons and descriptions, existing prefabs can now be listed directly in the Scene Manager, allowing for existing e.g. Cutscenes to be quickly selected without resorting to wading through the Hierarchy window.
Object instantiation
The new Object: Add or remove Action can be used to instantiate prefabs at runtime, or delete existing scene objects. The RememberTransform script has also been upgraded to optionally record such changes - so long as the object in question is placed in a Resources asset folder, it can be brought back into the scene when loading a saved game if was previously deleted.
Improved teleporting
A subtle improvement, but the Object: Teleport Action can now be used to transform objects relative to the player, or the camera. The hope is that this feature, combined with the new Draggable prefab and the object instantiation feature mentioned above, it's now possible to incorporate "Inventory close-up" gameplay without switching to a different scene.
Improved Triggers
Another subtle addition, but one that should have been made some time ago. Triggers can now be used to detect more than just the Player, whether it be any object, a specific object, or any object with a particular component. And for those who make use of ActionList parameters, the Trigger's ActionList can now use the detected object as a parameter.
Custom highlighting
A feature for shader coders: the Hotspot highlighting effect can now be customised. The Highlight script now has a public function that outputs it's intended highlight value, and can be made to not affect it's associated object at all - leaving it up to a custom script to do the effect instead.
Comments
Upgrade note:
RememberTransform scripts now have the option to save an object's
presence in the scene (to instantiate/delete automatically)
Option in Speech Manager to display speech text indefinitely until
player responds (unless the speech is set to "Play in background")
If a ConstantID or Remember script is added to an object with a script
already attached, the same "constant ID" number is used
GetHighlightIntensity public function to Highlight script - use to
perform custom shader effects when objects are highlighted
Brightening of an object's materials due to Highlight script is now
optional, so that the effect can be overridden through script
DialogList elements that display a fixed option showing the first
Conversation option if the chosen number is not available
Asset-based Actions' "After running" field expecting a Cutscene, not
another asset, if viewed in the ActionList Editor window
Just found that you'll get an error if you try to build a game with 1.38. Always something! Just made a fix in the form of 1.38a, so look out for it shortly - Unity are generally very quick to approve submissions.
@Xidore: Never say never. But new features invariably take time to get refined and stable - I definitely want to have the 3D features perfected before thinking about 2D.
@DieHappyGames: Are your Hotspots also the 2D equivalent? Please post your reply in a separate thread.
also it seems that if the object touches a collider while holding it becomes a little crazy...