The 2017.3 beta is out, and you can get early access to the 2017.3 features right away, including the newest improvements of the Particle System. Don’t know where to start? Just download the dedicated example project!

We’ve provided a Particle Systems sample project consisting of five scenes. Two overview scenes highlight particular aspects of Standard Particle Shaders and Ribbonized Particle Trails, while two art scenes show you some high quality use cases for these improvements. A fifth scene is included to show you an easy application of the new Particle Speed Modifier.

To get started, simply download the project via the link below and open it in the 2017.3 beta. Open one of the included scenes to explore the new possibilities.

Project link (17 MB).

You can find more information about the improvements of the particle system in 2017.3 here.

How to become a beta tester

If you’re new to the Beta program and aren’t sure where to start, just follow the four steps below. (If you’ve already downloaded the new beta version, just skip to Step 3.)

Download the latest beta build . To see the new features that you can try now, click on the Release Notes tab. Run the Installer. Choose your options as usual, and be sure to install the beta in a new directory. It’s ok to have multiple versions of Unity side by side. Make a copy of the project you plan to use for testing the beta. That way if the beta has regressions, it won’t affect your project. You’ll also avoid having to re-import your project when you go back to your current stable version. Open your project in the latest beta version. Once you’ve installed the beta version, you can continue developing as usual.

If you experience problems in the beta

If you experience issues with the beta, we encourage you to file a bug report using the Unity Bug Reporter, which is accessible through the Help menu in the editor, and to post in the Beta Forums.

The Unity beta forum is a great community resource where you can see what other people have reported, find workarounds, and keep up-to-date with fixes. It’s also a good way to get in touch with someone at Unity if you have additional questions or information.

Another great resource is the Public Issue Tracker, where you can vote and comment on bugs reported by other users. This helps our team prioritize which bugs to tackle first.

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