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> Boss wants to change our iOS game icon. Changing icon requires a new build. A new build requires iPhone X support. iPhone X build target requires Xcode 9. Xco

> Boss wants to change our iOS game icon. Changing icon requires a new build. A new build requires iPhone X support. iPhone X build target requires Xcode 9. Xcode 9 requires macOS 10.12. OS update breaks old Unity3D. Upgrading Unity breaks build. * The iPhone X was released on 2018. * Xcode 9.0 was released on 2017, and 9.4.1 (last release) on 2018. * macOS 10.12 was released on 2016. I'm sorry to say, but this sort of setup does not reflect well on anyone working on the project. Apple's call out should be considered a wakeup call. Also, doesn't Xcode 9 only support iOS releases up to iOS 11? The global market of all iOS versions lower than iOS 11 should lie in the lower single digits.

michaelt 5y ago
You do realise the tweet you're replying to is from 2017?
maccard 5y ago
The problem here is unity (which, by the way is one of the most popular game engines, and is often sold as the indie friendly, mobile friendly engine). Standard operating procedure for Unity games is pick the latest LTS engine version as the base for your project, and don't ever update, because the updates are _so_ much work it's untenable to keep up with them. (This was official advice given to us by a unity sales rep at one point in the last 2 years). These aren't like node updates, these are closer to Firefox removing legacy extensions, except happening quarterly. There's no guarantee that something that is "stable" in your version will work the same way in a newer version. Unfortunately, the engine is tied to specific iOS SDK versions, so in order to use a more recent iOS SDK you're forced to upgrade your unity version alongside it...
- howinteresting 5y ago
  The idea that Unity (market cap $22 billion) should put in the work to stay compatible while Apple (market cap $2.64 trillion) should not is deplorable.
  - maccard 5y ago
    I'm certainly not making the claim you accuse me of, however Apple's compatibility is substantially better than Unity's. Apple's reasoning for breaking backwards compatibility is often sound; reducing the attack surface of misused APIs. The alternative is what you have on Android right now, a bunch of applications that still ask for the sun and moon and stars for permissions because they can. Unity's path is more of a scorched earth policy in my experience.
    - howinteresting 5y ago
      I don't see why API misuse is an issue for an indie game with no online component.

michaelt 5y ago

You do realise the tweet you're replying to is from 2017?

maccard 5y ago

The problem here is unity (which, by the way is one of the most popular game engines, and is often sold as the indie friendly, mobile friendly engine). Standard operating procedure for Unity games is pick the latest LTS engine version as the base for your project, and don't ever update, because the updates are _so_ much work it's untenable to keep up with them. (This was official advice given to us by a unity sales rep at one point in the last 2 years). These aren't like node updates, these are closer to Firefox removing legacy extensions, except happening quarterly. There's no guarantee that something that is "stable" in your version will work the same way in a newer version. Unfortunately, the engine is tied to specific iOS SDK versions, so in order to use a more recent iOS SDK you're forced to upgrade your unity version alongside it...

howinteresting 5y ago
The idea that Unity (market cap $22 billion) should put in the work to stay compatible while Apple (market cap $2.64 trillion) should not is deplorable.
- maccard 5y ago
  I'm certainly not making the claim you accuse me of, however Apple's compatibility is substantially better than Unity's. Apple's reasoning for breaking backwards compatibility is often sound; reducing the attack surface of misused APIs. The alternative is what you have on Android right now, a bunch of applications that still ask for the sun and moon and stars for permissions because they can. Unity's path is more of a scorched earth policy in my experience.
  - howinteresting 5y ago
    I don't see why API misuse is an issue for an indie game with no online component.