Game engine Bevy launches v0.15 with Required Components, entity picking, and much more

Bevy, a simple and data-driven game engine built in Rust, has launched version 0.15, featuring a range of new capabilities and enhancements. This release introduces Required Components, which redefines entity spawning for a better user experience, and a modular entity picking/selection system for versatile entity selection across various contexts. Animation has been improved with generalized entity animation, animation masks, additive blending, and animation events.

The update also includes new curves with a Curve trait, cyclic splines, common easing functions, and color gradient curves. Reflection has been enhanced with function reflection and unique reflect capabilities. The Bevy Remote Protocol (BRP) enables external clients to interact with running Bevy games, expanding development possibilities.

Visual improvements include the Visibility Bitmask Ambient Occlusion (VBAO) for better ambient occlusion quality, a chromatic aberration effect, and volumetric fog enhancements with fog volumes and light compatibility. Order Independent Transparency offers a new transparency algorithm for more stable transparent object rendering.

Text rendering has been upgraded with Cosmic Text, enhancing support for non-Latin languages. Gamepads are now represented as entities, simplifying interaction, and UI nodes can render configurable box shadows. The Bevy team collaborated with plugin authors and users to refine features, fix bugs, and improve the migration guide for this release.