Google today announced new developer tools specifically for building mobile games. The company has launched a new 2D physics library called LiquidFun, a Google Play games plugin for Unity which works across Android and iOS, as well as new game categories in Google Play.
LiquidFun is an open-source library that is meant to help add physics to your games. It features particle-based fluid simulation that developers can use to create new game mechanics and realistic physics and designers can use to create fluid interactive experiences.
LiquidFun is based on Box2D and written in C++, so any platform that has a C++ compiler can take advantage of it. Google not only offers the library on GitHub, but also example applications as well as unit tests on Windows, OS X, Linux, and Android.
Google is also debuting a new Google Play games plugin for Unity, available on GitHub. The initial version of the tool makes it easier to integrate Google Play game services such as sign-in, achievements, leaderboards, and cloud save, right into Android and iOS from your Unity environment.
Last but not least, Google is making it easier for users to discover games in Google Play by moving to a new set of categories. Developers can now choose from more than 15 new games categories for their app (if the Application Type is set to “Games”) such as Simulation, Role Playing, and Educational.
The new category field is available now in the Developer Console. The new categories will not be applied, however, until they roll out on the Google Play Store in February 2014.
See also – Cross-platform Google Play games services unveiled with cloud saving, achievements and multiplayer and Google Play Games gets new developer features: Key player stats, alerts, and twice the Cloud Save storage
Top Image Credit: Shutterstock
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