VR Asset for Unity UV/Material Query
Hello everyone!
I am developing an asset (low poly digital Twin) for VR (in Unity), with LOTS of parts…meaning the UV space will contain a lot of islands etc. In the scene, it will mainly be just this asset.
I created the asset implementing Atlas maps and for a 'few' parts with a pattern they had their own unique UV space (different UV Channel). This makes it not possible (right?) to have realistic looking assets, with Ambient Occlusion with realistic detail (Structure in roughness) with the parts using Atlas maps.
If avoiding the Atlas method, to improve the quality by implementing so many islands on a texture map, 2048 or 4096 won't allow for a high enough texel density on just one material. What is my best approach for a VR asset in Unity?
I hope I was clear enough in my explanation and many Thanks for your assistance.
Replies
Hi! Best include some pics that show what you're doing or want to do. What's the digital twin of?
Generally combining indiviually textured parts (detail meshes) with parts using tiling textures (large areas, trims) is fine. Could have a second UV Channel for AO and masks used for texture blending. Or/and if the mesh has enough geometry, masks could be baked into vertex colours.
I have worked on project where wee used 2 sets of UVs like Fabi_G mentioned - set one for coloring (atlas texture) and other set for AO. Each model required own Unity Material and baked texture image. Then we were adding sort of labels which were a separate texture file with al the graphics and slightly offsetted planes all over the scene. So I would suggest to separate the patterned parts into own geometries with own UVs and textures.
Hi, thanks for your responses. Daokuniel, thats pretty much how I organised my last project, with seperate objects and material for the signs.
The AO was on an empty UV Channel for Unity. Details were on a seperate UV Channel too. My main problem ist that I am mainly using an Atlas and when I have a colour which consists of 60x60 px, for all my obects within that area, I have no resolution available for any details within the roughness/normal/metal maps and this makes those materials a little flat. I can of course make more space for the colours, but in VR the user can go and see all components and texel density is a concern. I can of course keep the current setup as it is and live with the lack of realism and quality - but if there is a way, am interested.
Is the answer to this problem UDIM's? Are UDIM's supported in Unity? Are UDIM's suitable for VR or too expensive on performance?
Could try using world projected masks to add variation/details to albedo and roughness.
I will need to look into that, unsure what it is - thanks will check it out.
If I was to use multiple UV Channels, is their a way for Substance Painter to recognise all the UV Channels? With my last project I needed to export an fbx file eachtime I need to paint on a UV Channel.
But I guess you can use the second UV set for R/N/M maps.
Substance will recognize materials, so if you assign specific Material to specific part, substance can use it.
If you use shader graph I think it's the triplanar node.