Implementing Shaders for Dynamic Lighting in Unity
Rendering a 3D box with dynamic lighting in Unity involves utilizing the ShaderLab language to write custom shaders that respond to light sources in real-time. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Understanding the Basics
Unity’s rendering pipeline offers several shader stages, but the two primary stages for custom shaders are the Vertex and Fragment shaders.
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Shader "Custom/DynamicLightingShader" { Properties { _MainTex ("Texture", 2D) = "white" {} } SubShader { Tags { "RenderType"="Opaque" } LOD 200 CGPROGRAM #pragma surface surf Standard fullforwardshadows #pragma target 3.0 sampler2D _MainTex; struct Input { float2 uv_MainTex; }; void surf (Input IN, inout SurfaceOutputStandard o) { half4 c = tex2D(_MainTex, IN.uv_MainTex); o.Albedo = c.rgb; } ENDCG } }2. Adding Dynamic Lighting
To incorporate dynamic lighting, ensure that your shader can interact with Unity’s lighting system. This involves using built-in lighting models, such as the Standard model, which automatically handles dynamic lights.
3. Utilizing Shader Graph
If you prefer a visual approach, use Unity’s Shader Graph to construct shaders. It provides a node-based interface to create shaders without coding, ideal for handling complex lighting.
- Create a Shader Graph by right-clicking in the project window, navigate to Create > Shader > PBR Graph.
- Add Lighting Effects using nodes like Normal Vector, Light Direction, and blend them to simulate dynamic lighting.
4. Implementing in 3D Scene
Attach the shader to a material and apply it to your 3D box model. Use the Scene view to test and adjust lighting parameters interactively within the editor, ensuring the effects respond dynamically to light changes.
5. Fine-Tuning Performance
Optimize shader performance by reducing complexity and ensuring that only necessary calculations are performed. Use LOD (Level of Detail) settings to manage quality levels for different graphics hardware.