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Announcing the Mapbox Unity SDK

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By Camilla Mahon

Today we are announcing the Mapbox Unity SDK. The new SDK gives developers direct access to Mapbox from within Unity, bringing the full spectrum of Mapbox API’s to location-based games, VR, and AR. All of this is available across platforms: mobile, game consoles, and web browsers.

The SDK exposes reliable library functions to develop Unity applications tapping into Mapbox maps, geocoding, and directions API’s. This makes global map layers for streets, terrain, satellite, points of interest, addresses, places, routing, traffic, and more instantly available in Unity. For example, stream Mapbox Streets map tiles to generate a city-based environment. Keep it flat, or go into the 3rd dimension with building heights:

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screen shot 2016-10-28 at 7 16 31 pm

Access the geocoding API to build geographic leaderboards or use the directions API to lead players through narrow streets to the closest action. Or, like in this example of the Grand Canyon, combine the Mapbox elevation layer and satellite imagery into a comprehensive 3d model:

We have designed the SDK with flexibility in mind, maximizing convenience while avoiding assumptions about your game. For instance, with only a couple of lines of code, you can convert your character’s location into a human readable name like “Grand Canyon”:

private Geocoder geocoder = new Geocoder(new Mapbox.Unity.FileSource());
private ReverseGeocodeResource reverseGeocode
= new ReverseGeocodeResource(new GeoCoordinate(38.897, -77.036));
geocoder.geocode(reverseGeocode (ReverseGeocodeResponse res) =>
{
// Use geocoding data at run time, in your game
});

Games and global mapping data are a powerful combination. We’re excited to open up our new SDK and see what we can build together. This is just the start; if you’re looking to bring location to your game or AR/VR application, we’d love to hear from you!

Sign up for early access to the Mapbox Unity SDK.

Sign up

Email Camilla Mahon to talk or meet us this week at Unite LA.

Our games team is expanding! Take a look at our open positions.

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Written by Mapbox

mapping tools for developers + precise location data to change the way we explore the world

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