New Unity GUI and NGUI

[Briksins]

Hello

Yesturday was anounced Unity 5(http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/234725-Unity-5-Announced), which supose to be avaliable for pre-order today.

Acorting to my research, Unity anounce new GUI system in summer 2012
(http://blogs.unity3d.com/2012/06/29/the-new-gui/)
and our loved ArenMook after few month later wrote that he accept offer and join Unity as he believe that with full access to the Unity core he would be able to make GUI even better and faster instead of using current hacks
(http://www.tasharen.com/forum/index.php?topic=2126.0)

So it is now 2nd quartal of 2014 - and Unity 5 was just anounced.
It happens that we working on our project, and my networking module nearly complete and it come to the point of creating GUI.
Obviously we consider to use NGUI, but with today news im a bit confused...
I assume new Unity GUI will be improved version of NGUI. But the question is: When it will be avaliable? Will it be part of Unity 5? should we wait for a week or stick with NGUI?  Will new Unity 5 include new GUI? should we wait a bit while Unity 5 become available?

Thank you in advance for clarification

[Jon]

The Unity GUI was promised as part of a 4.x release. That will probably still be the case, even if it comes out after Unity 5. My best guess is that Unity GUI will be a 4.x and 5 release, in tandem.

[yohann]

According to the TechCrunch article, Unity CEO says the new GUI is still coming in a 4.x release.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/18/unity-5-announced-with-early-support-for-plugin-free-browser-games/

[ArenMook]

It has always been planned to be a part of the Unity 4 cycle and that has not changed.

[yohann]

Just found this: Per the Unity FAQs, it will be released as part of v4.6 this Spring.

http://unity3d.com/unity/faq

[LoneCoder]

I'm rather surprised that NGUI has continued such strong development considering the Unity GUI development has been happening at the same time.

ArenMook, can you maybe elaborate on how that's been going? Is NGUI been keeping much in sync with the Unity GUI work, or are they totally separate forks at this point? What's your main focus on? How much help do you have with the Unity GUI work?

[LoneCoder]

Just found this: Per the Unity FAQs, it will be released as part of v4.6 this Spring.

http://unity3d.com/unity/faq

That's been updated to say "Summer" now.

[ArenMook]

I left Unity back at the end of November last year after working there for 13 months. NGUI and uGUI are completely different systems now and I can't comment much on uGUI beyond what was said in the past. I'll leave the talking to those who are actively developing it (and there are quire a few very talented guys on it).

I am focusing on NGUI because it's also what I am using myself in my own projects (currently Windward). The development / fixes / polish happen naturally.

[jannugimes]

Unity has entered into a partnership with Geomerics to integrate Enlighten, their industry-leading real-time global illumination technology, into Unity 5.

[aer0ace]

Hello. First post.

I am interested in purchasing NGUI, and would like to know whether it's possible to use both systems (NGUI and UnityGUI) together without any conflict. While I feel that $95 is a reasonable price to ask for NGUI, I can't help feel that I should either wait for a sale, similar to the current Madness Sale that's going on right now) and use UnityGUI in the meantime. As I am just starting out projects in Unity, my only purpose for UI at the moment will be for debug purposes only. However, I would eventually like to transfer some functionality from UnityGUI to NGUI as it comes time to roll out the real thing. I'd like to know thoughts on this development plan. Thanks!

[ArenMook]

They don't conflict with each other. uGUI is in a UnityEngine.UI namespace, so it doesn't affect NGUI.

[Redd]

I am just curious, with the new UI system ready for release in Unity 4.6, how will this affect NGUI?

[ArenMook]

I can't foresee the feature.

[skullthug]

Any plans to continue support for NGUI after Unity UI is released? I'm in the middle of choosing a UI package for a project. After checking out a preview of the new Unity UI I'm honestly happy still sticking with NGUI for another year or so until they sort out the kinks and possibly catch up to NGUIs level of power. Or possibly indefinitely if NGUI plans to keep moving forward.

[ArenMook]

I will continue supporting and updating NGUI as long as I'm using it, and I plan on using it at least until the end of the year. I'll likely take advantage of some of uGUI's features in NGUI, but there is no reason for me to switch to uGUI.