Shading in Unity
Summary
This page will cover shading workflow in Unity using SYNK tools to render turntables and shading packages.
Turntable Setup
Custom Turntable
Custom Character Render Setup
Customizing the Turntable
Go into the ReviewSetup_pfb, select and expand the Timeline_Characters to get the preview in the GameView and access the shots list.
In each shot, you can modify the transforms of both the camera (vcam) and the reference spheres Offset to your likings.
Saving the customized setup
Select the ReviewSetup_pfb
Drag and drop it in the project tab, in the 603_ldv directory at this location:
603_ldv\Prefabs\Turntable
Rename it as follow:
ReviewSetup_pfb_[AssetName]_[AssetVariant]_Variant
ReviewSetup_pfb_Example_A_Variant
Custom Decor, Prop and Vhcl Render Setup
Customizing the Turntable
Go into the ReviewSetup_pfb, select and expand the Timeline_DecorsAndProps to get the preview in the GameView and access the shots list.
In each shot, you can modify the transforms of both the camera (vcam) and the reference spheres Offset to your likings.
Saving the customized setup
Select the ReviewSetup_pfb
Drag and drop it in the project tab, in the 603_ldv directory at this location:
603_ldv\Prefabs\Turntable
Rename it as follow:
ReviewSetup_pfb_[AssetName]_[AssetVariant]_Variant
ReviewSetup_pfb_Example_A_Variant
Environment and Sets Setup
These reviews works a bit differently than the turntable setup as we can’t properly review them from a turntable.
Export dressing camera cache from Maya
Setting the ReviewSetup prefab
Render
Character Render
Select the Shading task of the character asset
In the Export Tools, select the Render Tool
Set the render resolution
Click on Setup & Preview
In the Recorder window, set the Samples value, usually character render doesn’t require more than 8 samples.
Check the turntable timeline
Press Start Render
Decors and Props Render
Select the Shading task of the deco or prop asset
In the Export Tools, select the Render Tool
If wanted, you can set the camera closer or further from the asset by changing the Extra Camera Distance value.
Click on Set Up Review Scene and Recorder
Set the Samples value, recommended is 4, usually render doesn’t require more than 8 samples
Check the turntable timeline
Press Start Render
Sets Render
Select the Shading task of the set
In the Export Tools, select the Render Tool
Click on Set Up Review Scene and Recorder
Set the Samples value, usually render doesn’t require more than 8 samples
Check the turntable timeline
Press Start Render
Loading sets through the Scene Loader
It might be possible that you won’t have all the scenes loaded when you open the project. To do so you can use the Scene Loader script to load all the scenes in one go.
Go to the 604_scenes directory
Click on the SceneLoader
In the Inspector tab, select the multi-scene loading config that you need.
Batch Render
Select the Shading task of environment project
In the Export Tools, select the Render Tool
Click on Batch Render
Set the asset list you want to render.
Press Start Render
Best Practices
Asset Shading
Troubleshooting
Pink looking materials after asset update
If you encounter an issue where your materials have pink/purple tones and shading looks wrong you must “refresh“ them by changing a parameter.
SSS seems too intense
The Diffusion profile we use for human skin has been changed, but it might not always update automatically. Select the materials that use SSS and change the Diffusion profile to “HumanSkinDiffusionProfile”.
Publish
Before publishing it is good practice to check the render files.
You can find them in the project directory in the Output folder
\…\[ProjectName]\Outputs\Renders
Select the Shading task of the asset
In the Export Tools, select the Publish Tool
Write a small comment in the Publish Note input
Click on Publish Render
Wait for the publish process to be done, when the window