Performance Optimization in Unity from Coursera

Welcome to Performance Optimization in Unity, the fourth course in Unity's Gameplay Programming Specialization! This course is exam preparation for Unity's Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Exam. This course will challenge you with a series of realistic programming problems in Unity video-game projects, inspired by one or more of the topics covered in the Expert Gameplay Programmer Exam. Throughout this course, you will learn various optimization techniques, including: optimizing for different platforms, understanding how platform differences can impact gameplay, using Asset Bundle configuration tools, gameplay debugging, and rendering optimization. By the end of this course, you will optimize a 3D "Dual-Stick Survivor" game project for WebGL. This is an advanced-level course, intended for industry game developers or very experienced Unity enthusiasts who are looking to “level-up” their gameplay programming and implementation strategies. To succeed in this courses, you should have at least 2-3 years of experience developing games with Unity. You should be familiar with the full-game lifecycle (working from early concept to launch), creating and working with Prefabs, understanding game asset and animation pipelines, and have some experience with Unity Services. You should also have advanced programming skills, particularly in the C# language.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Challenges learners with programming problems inspired by real-world industry settings

Examines a variety of optimization techniques used in game development

Prepares learners for the Unity Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Exam

Taught by Unity Technologies, a leading provider of game development tools and software

Requires a strong understanding of game development concepts and Unity

Reviews summary

Expert level certification course

Performance Optimization in Unity is an advanced, certification exam preparation course for game developers and Unity enthusiasts with experience using Unity to create full lifecycle games. It is designed to teach developers how to optimize performance for different platforms and debugging gameplay.

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Performance Optimization in Unity with these activities:

Review C# Language Fundamentals

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Review core C# concepts to strengthen the foundation for optimization techniques and algorithms.

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Access online tutorials or documentation
Work through practice problems
Create a small C# project

Review Computer Graphics

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Review a comprehensive book on computer graphics to build core foundations of topics pertaining to the use of C# in game development.

View Fundamentals of Computer Graphics on Amazon

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Read chapters 1-3
Work through practice problems at the end of each chapter
Create a visual representation of the graphics pipeline
Summarize the key concepts of each chapter

Follow Unity's Performance Profiling Tutorials

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Work through official Unity tutorials to develop strong profiling skills and techniques for identifying performance bottlenecks..

Browse courses on Unity

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Access Unity's profiling documentation
Follow the step-by-step instructions
Apply the techniques to your Unity projects

Four other activities

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Performance Optimization Group Discussions

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Engage in discussions and share knowledge with peers to enhance understanding and reinforce optimization strategies.

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Join or create a study group
Participate in regular discussions
Share experiences and solutions

Performance Optimization Exercises

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Complete a series of timed coding exercises to reinforce optimization concepts and techniques.

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Access online coding platforms
Solve coding challenges related to performance optimization
Review solutions and compare approaches

Practice Implementing Gameplay Features

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Develop a portfolio of projects that showcase core gameplay programming and engine integration skills in a project setting.

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Identify a game mechanic or feature
Create a design document
Implement the feature in Unity using C#
Test and iterate on the feature
Package the feature into a reusable asset

Design an Optimized Game Loop

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Develop a detailed design document outlining an optimized game loop architecture that addresses specific performance considerations.

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Research best practices for game loop design
Identify potential performance bottlenecks
Propose solutions to mitigate bottlenecks
Create a detailed design document

Career center

Learners who complete Performance Optimization in Unity will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Gameplay Programmer

Gameplay Programmers specialize in the programming of gameplay systems in video games. These systems govern player interactions with the game world, such as movement, combat, and more. This course is highly relevant to those wishing to become Gameplay Programmers, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and gameplay debugging.

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Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for managing the development and marketing of games. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and understanding how platform differences can impact gameplay.

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Game Designer

Game Designers are responsible for designing the overall game experience, including the story, characters, levels, and more. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers advanced topics such as optimizing for different platforms and gameplay debugging.

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Game Developer

Game Developers are responsible for various aspects of game design, including the development of game mechanics, coding, testing, and more. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers advanced topics such as optimizing for different platforms and gameplay debugging.

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Game Producer

Game Producers are responsible for managing the production of games. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and understanding how platform differences can impact gameplay.

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Game Tester

Game Testers are responsible for testing games to find bugs and ensure they are working properly. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and gameplay debugging.

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Technical Artist

Technical Artists are responsible for integrating art assets into game engines and ensuring they work properly. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and rendering optimization.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers are responsible for the design, development, and maintenance of software systems. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers advanced topics such as optimizing for different platforms and gameplay debugging.

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Animator

Animators are responsible for creating the animations used in games. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and rendering optimization.

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3D Artist

3D Artists are responsible for creating the 3D models and textures used in games. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and rendering optimization.

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Game Writer

Game Writers are responsible for writing the story and dialogue for games. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and understanding how platform differences can impact gameplay.

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Level Designer

Level Designers are responsible for creating the environments in which games take place. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and rendering optimization.

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Game Localization Manager

Game Localization Managers are responsible for translating games into different languages. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and understanding how platform differences can impact gameplay.

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Game Audio Designer

Game Audio Designers are responsible for creating the sound effects and music for games. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and understanding how platform differences can impact gameplay.

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Technical Director

Technical Directors are responsible for overseeing the technical aspects of game development. This course may be useful for those wishing to enter the field, as it covers topics such as optimizing for different platforms and understanding how platform differences can impact gameplay.

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