Graphics [HDRP-UPR ✅] Sky Master ULTIMATE-Physical skybox-Volume clouds-Weather FX-Ocean-Realtime GI-Mobile

A few more fixes / tweaks for v3.2

- Regulated boat height in deep ocean mode
- Added option to disable local waves and interaction
- Added option to caclulate underwater transition using the actual wave height
- Fixed issue where water screen drops would move fast when underwater
- Fixed issue where the non refractive rain would be too transparent

 

New GI Proxy demo for v3.2, fixes a few issues with the previous Attrium demo, adds image effect combination and many tweaks, plus free roaming in the Attrium and floor changing.

Fast and Fully real time Global Illumination with GI Proxy (zero baking needed, no special image effects or shaders required).

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v3.2 will be submitted today and will be on the store soon

 

To clarify on the twin suns above, this shader version is SM3.0 and not tested on mobile.
The official mobile skybox shader supports a single sun (as in all the demos) and is SM2.0.

Features coming in v3.3 and beyond:
- Integration of all mobile features (including the new water in v3.2) with the configurator, for easy setup and access of mobile versions of all features (sky, clouds, water).
- New shader based cloud version, with more options and volumetric look
- Addition of icons in shader based clouds in Inspector for easy switch between cloud versions
- Integration with Playmaker
- FFT waves (both mobile and desktop)
- Refraction for mobile water

Experimental features (may or may not appear in the pack, depending on various factors):
- Fully volumetric cloud rendering option for the strongest PC targets, with new special method to elimitate the distance flickering that is a common issue in volume cloud implemenations.

 

Nebula style volumetrics WIP, i will post a video with a space scene soon.

NEW OFFER for 2016 !!!​

Review Sky Master ULTIMATE and receive free vouchers for InfiniTREE, Advanced FX Creator, Particle Dynamic Magic and Toon Effects Maker.

1. Add a new review for Sky Master ULTIMATE
2. Post the reviewer name here and PM me the invoice
3. Select one of the above packs, while vouchers last
4. Receieve the free voucher immediately
First come, first served, so the first entry can choose any of the packs etc

 

UPDATE:

About Unity v.5.3.1p4

The new Unity version has an issue with reflection and Shuriken particles, it may produce an error in the Atoll demo (where everything is reflected) when the snow and rain particles come in (then stops).

This is an internal Unity issue and should be solved in next Unity versions (i have filed a bug report as well) and did not happen in previous Unity versions.

The workaround is to select specific layers on the Reflection script in order to eliminate Shuriken particles from the reflections (if there is an error produced, it does not happen with all Shuriken particles).

Limiting the reflection to specific layers is also generally a good idea to control and increase performance and is suggested to do in all cases.

 

GI Proxy tutorials (Fully real time Global Illumination proxy system)​

GI Proxy Setup guide

GI Proxy Tweaking guide

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v3.0 tutorials​

 

Yay, finally some tutorials A few comments in the video would be nice, though. It's sometimes hard to concentrate on the cursor and follow along.

 

I will try to follow with comments and even better staged tutorials over this first work, my video making skills are not that good so it may take a bit to figure out the best way to do it, it is definitly planned to have commentary in some form later.

I was thinking of doing it within Unity at first, but this might extend video time a lot to write the comments in some in game form for example, so i will go the harder way to edit the videos directly probably.

A tutorial for using the system with InfiniGRASS and the gradual snow system and many more tutorials will follow soon.

 

About Sky Master ULTIMATE v3.2 and the new Unity v.5.3.2

The new Unity version (5.3.1 and beyond) has an newly introduced internal Unity engine issue with reflection and Shuriken particles, and it may produce an error in the Atoll demo (where everything is reflected) when the snow and rain particles come in (then stops).

The error that appears is "!IsFinite(outDistanceForSort)" and is also mentioned in the editor forums:

http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/un...-invalid-aabb-result-isfinite-d.374926/page-5

http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/isfinite-outdistanceforsort.39541/

This is an internal Unity issue (which is completly out of asset developer's hands to solve) and should be solved in next Unity versions (i have filed a bug report as well with a sample project) and it did not happen in previous Unity versions (e.g. in 5.3.0).

The workaround is to select specific layers on the water Reflection script in order to eliminate the offending Shuriken particles from the reflections (if there is an error produced, it does not happen with all Shuriken particles so some could still be in the reflections, though the less the better the performance).

Limiting the reflection to specific layers is also generally a great idea in order to control and increase performance and is suggested to do in all cases.

 

Using Sky Master ULTIMATE with InfiniGRASS. The integration is automatic (no extra steps needed)

 

Mobile demo (pics grabbed on PC, pics from phone coming soon)


Mobile scene WIP, this scene will be included in v3.3, along with the proper materials ready for use on mobile.

The system works very fast so far even on my very weak phone with shader clouds, water (with waves, local interaction waves, reflection, foam, wave height calculations, depth fading, bump mapping, specular from sun etc), special snow shader in mountains for dynamic snow, sun shafts and physically based sky rendering directly on Unity 5 skybox.

I will also provide an APK demo to test on the individual target platforms.

 

Mobile water v0.1 (first version)


Sky Master ULTIMATE v3.2 was submitted to the store on Thursday and will be released soon.

New features and fixes:
- Added prefab with controller in GI proxy
- Added new enchanced GI Proxy demo scene & control script
- Added box system to define volumes in VolumeCloudSM script, for customized volume cloud formations
- Added volume fog preset 15 in SeasonalTerrainSKYMASTER script & new gradient for use with the preset
- Fixed issue where shader based cloud domes would not center in MapCenter when it was explicitly defined
- Regulated boat height in deep ocean mode
- Added option to disable local waves and interaction and various controls
- Added option to caclulate underwater transition using the actual wave height
- Fixed issue where water screen drops would move fast when underwater
- Fixed issue where the non refractive rain would be too transparent
- Fixed issue where lightning end light would reflect less in water (increased radius for demo scale)
- Tweaked volume clouds
- Added custom volume cloud shaping sample in Airplane demo
- Added 1st version of mobile water (supports toon texture, reflection, transparency, foam and shore FX, specular, fresnel control, local waves and interaction with player, gerstner waves, optimized performance)

The new 3.2 version will also be available as a google drive download this weekend for everyone that wants the update earlier.

 

More volumetric cloud presets and controls in Inspector


Modulated volume fog with wind (WIP)

Volumetric look in shader based clouds and many more cloud options


FFT waves


FFT waves in motion (WIP)

Features coming in v3.3 and beyond:

- Integration of all mobile features (including the new water in v3.2) with the configurator, for easy setup and access of mobile versions of all features (sky, clouds, water).
- New mobile demo scene (http://i.imgur.com/db8Y8Wt.jpg)
- New shader based cloud version, with more options and volumetric look
- Addition of icons in shader based clouds in Inspector for easy switch between cloud versions
- Integration with Playmaker
- More integration with InfiniGRASS (currently wind and gradual snow growth are supported, next is seasonal grass growth, grass burn, wetness on grass etc)
- More options for shaping volumetric clouds (e.g. shaping to lower the height on horizon)
- FFT waves option for ocean - water (both mobile and desktop)
- Refraction and local lights for mobile water
- New special effects (shooting stars, nebula clouds for space etc) (http://i.imgur.com/2rZzFvQ.jpg)
- More weather options, including sandstorms, new volcano effect version, stunami
- Volumetric fog modulation with wind
- Fully volumetric sun shafts, for shafts on all sun angles
- Rain drop splash integration in ground puddles and ocean/water system shaders
- Support for more than 2 suns, currently two suns are supported
- Add prefabs for ready to use insertion in scene, e.g. desktop and mobile
- Create easier to use volume cloud customization with editor preview and more Inspector controls
- Add flow and slope aware shader for water and waterfall features

Experimental features (may or may not appear in the pack, depending on various factors):
- Fully volumetric cloud rendering option for the strongest PC targets (will play in DX9 and benefit from DX11), with new special method to elimitate the distance flickering that is a common issue in volume cloud implemenations.

 

Dual suns

 

Volumetric cloud shaping in v3.2

 

UPDATE:

A WIP demo for Sky Master ULTIMATE on mobile (sky, shader clouds, water) is now available on PM request. Also available is a InfiniGRASS WIP demo for mobile (InfiniGRASS has been developed to work with Sky Master ULTIMATE and take advantage of the weather simulation features like gradual snow growth, further integration is also on way for seasonal grass growth and changing)

Sky Master ULTIMATE v3.2 has been submitted to the store and should be up soon. There is also a google drive download with the new 3.2 version available to all customers on PM request (please include the invoice number in the PM)

 

Dynamic volume style shader based clouds with a single plane for maximum performance (WIP).

Coming in v3.3 of Sky Master ULTIMATE. The effect is SM2.0 for perfect adaptation to mobile.

The effect will be availble in the new mobile demo scene coming in v3.3 along with the official mobile support (which is mainly the automation of selecting & tweaking of the mobile components which are already available in v3.2 of the pack, through the Configurator and presets for volume clouds and water)

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE is now on 24 Hour Sale at the store !!!

Enjoy ​

 

Cloud shaping (additional cloud options for Atoll demo for v3.3 WIP)

Sky Master ULTIMATE is now on 24 Hour Sale at the Unity Asset Store !!!

The tutorials for the system are now grouped in a sorted playlist, for easier browsing.
The new 3.2 version is also available as a google drive download on PM request.​

 

Another feature has been added for next versions, to celebrate the amazing reception of the system in the 24 hour sale !!!

River & waterfall water with easilly adaptable arrangment and all the current water perks, plus flow control to transition between slower and faster moving water in one shader

Only an hour left for the 24 Hour Sale on Sky Master ULTIMATE !!!

Don't miss out on the discount opportunity!

The system includes GI Proxy asset​

 

UPDATE:

Since RTP integration is a much asked feature, i will try to do some tests and provide a guide for a first integration with the current system and add full integration as priority for next version.

I have written a small guide on the current state of how to replace my terrain material with RTP and possible ways to control the RTP snow here (there is a system to control a global shader variable in a material with the snow system, without coding):

http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/24...treme-performance.280612/page-14#post-2492640

 

Volume cloud shaping



Sky Master ULTIMATE v3.2 is now up at the Unity Asset Store.

New features and fixes:
- Added prefab with controller in GI proxy
- Added new enchanced GI Proxy demo scene & control script
- Added box system to define volumes in VolumeCloudSM script, for customized volume cloud formations
- Added volume fog preset 15 in SeasonalTerrainSKYMASTER script & new gradient for use with the preset
- Fixed issue where shader based cloud domes would not center in MapCenter when it was explicitly defined
- Regulated boat height in deep ocean mode
- Added option to disable local waves and interaction and various controls
- Added option to caclulate underwater transition using the actual wave height
- Fixed issue where water screen drops would move fast when underwater
- Fixed issue where the non refractive rain would be too transparent
- Fixed issue where lightning end light would reflect less in water (increased radius for demo scale)
- Tweaked volume clouds
- Added custom volume cloud shaping sample in Airplane demo
- Added 1st version of mobile water (supports toon texture, reflection, transparency, foam and shore FX, specular, fresnel control, local waves and interaction with player, gerstner waves, optimized performance)

 

Some of the WIP for the new v3.3 Volume cloud presets with volume shaping and customized scattering settings

 

Cloud shaping & tweaked scatter shader for volume clouds in v3.3 update, at moon light (WIP).

 

Looks really neat. Glad I bought it

 

Thanks for buying the system. I am always striving to take it steps further, so the next versions will bring a lot of new presets, tweaks for better in cloud scattering in volume clouds, easy to setup mobile features, dynamic rivers with slope aware shaders, FFT waves for the water, wind modulated volumetric fog, more shader based cloud options (new shaders with volumetric look and scattering) and much more.

Also any suggestions for more new features are welcome as well.

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v3.3 volume clouds shaping and scatter shader

 

Hello,

I am having a problem with the custom setup. I am using multiple terrains and RTP. When I get to the "Setup Unity Terrains" step it throws up an error.

UnassignedReferenceException: The variable TerrainMat of SeasonalTerrainSKYMASTER has not been assigned.
You probably need to assign the TerrainMat variable of the SeasonalTerrainSKYMASTER script in the inspector.
UnityEngine.Material.GetColor (Int32 nameID) (at C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/ShaderBindings.gen.cs:209)
UnityEngine.Material.GetColor (System.String propertyName) (at C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/ShaderBindings.gen.cs:205)
UnityEngine.Material.get_color () (at C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/ShaderBindings.gen.cs:186)
Artngame.SKYMASTER.SeasonalTerrainSKYMASTER.Start () (at Assets/SkyMaster/Scripts/V1.0 Scripts/SeasonalTerrainSKYMASTER.cs:116)

The problem is the fact that RTP uses Custom Materials on the terrain but those are not separate materials so I cannot assign them. Does that make sense?

How would I get around that?

Thanks,
Mura

 

Hi, i have checked this out and here is some probable solutions.

The system requires a material with _Color attribute to apply the seasonal coloration, but it is also not needed for the system to function. If the material is not supported for example you can uncheck the "Enable_transition" and "Foggy_Terrain" in SeasonalTerrainSKYMASTER to not apply the seasonal to terrain and apply a custom method for RTP by reading the SkyMasterManager script's season value or weather value for example and regulate RTP with this information.

Another idea is to place the RTP material instead of my material in the terrain and the script and see if it plays well with it, in TerrainMat parameter in SeasonalTerrainSKYMASTER .

Let me know if the above help and for any further questions

EDIT: If the materials are not separate as e.g. not in the disk, then they can only get assigned to the script by code, which is a bit more advanced but one other possibility.

EDIT2: Since there is an unchecked material reference in Start(), you may also attach a dummy material with the _Color property in shader, to the terrainMat slot to avoid a single error produced when starting the script. I will add some extra checks for v3.3 for that matter.

 

Ok, I put in a dummy material and that seems to get rid of the error and everything looks okay. I will continue with the setup and let you know how everything turns out.
Thanks,
Mura

 

The material should solve the issue, if it has a _Color property should also receive the defined tint on the terrain.

Let me know for any further help.

 

I got the 3.2 update but still am having great trouble setting it up in a new scene. The sample scenes generally work well, but in my own scene, the sun and sky behave very confusingly. See screenshot. The sun seems about correctly positioned for 7:45am, but why is the sky dark?

Also:
-Are the stars accurate? If not, what options would I have to replace the stars to make them so?
-The moon moves independently from the stars. This is completely inaccurate, as they all should rotate in lockstep--all part of the skydome. This is truly bizarre, and a dealbreaker for me. Can it be rectified?
-When I activate LatLonTOD, then slide the Longitude slider, the moon cycles around the entire sky. I don't understand why, or how this works. Especially since there's not a month/date element to it that I can so...which makes me think this is not a true Lat/Long calculator? But I'm not sure what it is then.

This package has so many cool features, but I'm worried that it's not rooted in some basics aspects of a TOD simulator, and that makes it unusable for me.

 

Hi Gecko,

The Latitude/Longitude system is accurate for the sun, there is no true moon cycle, an emulation with phase changes in the month on the shader is included, but not in the positioning. The moon can be placed and rotated at will, you may adapt it to rotate along with the particle stars for example. Also there is no accurate star positioning.

Both are planned for later versions.

I attach a video showing the tweaks to get a brighter morning (i insert a system from scratch with your Lat/Lon values) and to make the moon move along with the stars. The steps for the latter are to remove it from the sun parent and give it the same rotation as the particles with the rotation script. Also the moon light should look at the map center with the lookat script.

All the systems may move independently as well, so i will try as a priority to create an accurate moon positioning for v3.4 of the system (v3.3 will be submitted on Monday) by extending the rotations script and using the sun accurate position and to rotate the stars along with the moon as well. I can also send the moon placement script as soon as it is done.

I cannot recreate the black sky of the pic on my end, perhaps you could send me over the scene with just the sky system to debug if the video does not help.

Let me know for further questions

EDIT: I found a nice source for the moon positioning and i will try to have this done tomorrow or early next week. Also i will add some automatic coloration adjustements for the case the moon is visible in day time.

 

UPDATE:

Correct moon positioning based on the latidute/longitude and time of year has been added to the system and will be tweaked for v3.3 release. This system will also be used to rotate any object alongside the moon motion, for domes that hold stars and galaxy textures (stars map and galaxy map will be added in v3.4)

 

Awesome, thanks!

 

Hey Nasos,

So everything is coming along but I did have a question. When I do the automatic terrain setup it only adds the "Seasonal Terrain Skymaster" script to one of my 64 terrains. Is that correct or do I need to manually add it to the other 63?

Thanks

 

Hi Gecko

I have now also done a per sun position lighting on the moon (than the emulation with cycling based on month day) and thus the major coding and hardest part is done, now I will test a lot and tweak so i hope to have it done today or early in the week if something goes out of plan. I will also try to put in the textured stars system if i can find a nice texture for it.

I will upload the new v3.3 on google drive for immediate access as well when it is ready.

Moon shading based on sun position

 

Hi,

The script is indeed only attached to one terrain and is a global controller that affects the terrain on a material basis, so it mainly needs the reference to materials. Also it handles the camera volumetric fog and sun shafts.

The other terrains can be declared in the Inspector so the system can apply the Snow enabled terrain material, and then the material is handled by the script and affects all terrain globally.

Let me know for further questions and clarifications

 

UPDATE:

Moon is now also in synch with stars and i am adding a new galaxy dome that will be handled (as well as the particle stars) for more variety in the sky.

 

A few river pics, this first version will be in the coming soon v3.3 (will be submitted early this week)


The river system is now integrated to Sky Master ULTIMATE for v3.3 and will be added in the new sample scene (Atoll + volume shaped clouds + river + new volume fog preset 15)

Inspector controls for river attributes is planned for v3.4 and the system will work perfectly together with my upcoming assets for terrain detailing, to create rivers on the fly and populate their edges with InfiniGRASS foliage as well, all in an automated way.

As always, all systems are written in C# for easy integration, colaboration and expansion.

River video

 

Some pics from the galaxy and moon shader artistic possibilities

Videos are from the WIP (i will post videos with final system soon)

UPDATE:

The new accurate moon motion, real sun lighting and phases are now done, i refined the last details and added a galaxy too with a special shader to make the stars flicker. Also added a control to shift the moon plane as needed to get any kind of motion comparing to the sun (the default motion is the accurate one from the article, the shifting is done through a factor parameter)

Also multiple parameters for the galaxy and moon controls are exposed in the Sky Master script (size, brightness, intensty etc)

 

Thanks. Looking forward to playing around with it once I get the update. What's shown in these videos is still wildly inaccurate (the sun and moon should appear fixed in the skydome, moving in the same direction with the background stars--of course they are not actually moving, it's the Earth that is rotating-- and the moon most definitely does not move in the opposite direction as the sun), but I assume you've got a lot of variables to mess with that should allow an accurate representation as well.

 

Indeed, what i am doing now besides tweaking is offer a range of variables to adjust the norm (which will be based on the equations in the model) to get various styles of motion. This is especially usefull since it can allow adjustment for other bodies than the moon for example.

The accurate model has been implemented and i am now playing with the starting points and signs to get the best alignment, i will need to study a bit more on this, but the actual coding is now 99% over, so should be released soon.

I have to say the new sky is leaps better due to this, the moon also needed the extra fading tricks and looks way cooler and more correct in lighting now, plus has all the many customization options in variables now for easy access and changes in look.

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v3.3 - Latitude,Longitude Moon positioning, day fade & sun lighting

Sky Master ULTIMATE v3.3 - Volume lit tornado & true (e.g. fly through & rolling fog) volume cloud shaping - motion

 

Note about using Sky Master ULTIMATE with multiple visible cameras (e.g. for UFPS asset)

Multiple cameras in Unity may come across a Unity bug where the front rendered camera (weapon camera for example in UFPS) wont clear its buffer and create a ghosting effect for he weapon.

This can have two solutions - workarounds.

1. Use forward rendering in the weapon camera, this will solve the issue directly

2. Use the Sky Master ULTIMATE water splashes plane (the grabpass used in it somehow solves the issue of ghosting). Due to the Unity bug this will invert the scene though, so the shader has to be converted to flip the screen. For this, I will do a flipped version of the shader and have it available later as well.

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v3.3 is now ready and i am doing the final tests and the manual.

This version will bring a complete moon cycle, with lighting from the sun and correct positioning based on latidude/longitude like the sun. A galaxy has also been added and many tweaks and refinements to the clouds, day cycle, volumetric fog and clouds.

A more complete demo for mobile that combines the sky system, clouds and water is also included and many more features like a new river system and shader.

When all testing is done i will also upload the update to google drive for immediate access before the store review.

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v3.3 - Features & tweaks list

- New accurate moon positioning and phases with accurate lighting from sun, based on latitude/longitude and TOD
- Moon shader converted to SM2.0 and added correct lighting from the sun for use with the new correct moon positioning system
- Added automatic moon fading for day time and multiple control parameters (e.g. moon size)
- Added new button in Inspector for the setup of the new moon lat/lon system (creates new holder, parents moon, adds reference to SkyMasterManager script that handles the rotation, moon fading and sun lighting)
- Added new volume clouds shader for better light scattering
- Added stars-galaxy shader and handling, plus star-galaxy dome in stars system
- Added controls for star material and fades for day-night
- Added more cloud formation samples in AIRPLANE demo for use with the cloud shaping feature
- Added a complete mobile demo scene with sky - water -clouds.
- Added new river flow shader and sample scenes

- Fixed the volume fog preset #15 gradient with 8 points (less points create a black first color) & refined sun shafts handling
- Added check for object existence in particle scale function
- Fixed issue where rain wont appear if volumetric clouds are not defined for the weather
- Fixed issue where "Day color" parameter transparency does not affect cloud material transparency
- Added check if no terrain Material is assigned in seasonal script
- Added gradient holder for the new volume fog preset 15 to Inspector import variables
- Added shader clouds cutoff in horizon
- Increased maximum day cycle speed in Inspector
- Decreased lower bound for density in Volume fog system
- Lowered soft particle low bound to get rolling fog and volume clouds look better on ground
- Changed default maximum moon intensity to 0.4f from 1f
- Refined Shader clouds coloration for dusk when used in lat/Lon system
- Refined day - night transitions for the new moon lat/Lon based positioning system
- Add "VolumeFogSpeed" variable to control volume fog transition speed when height - density are changed

Demo:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/79230236/Sky Master/SKY MASTER 3/ATOLL DEMO CLOUD SHAPING v3.3.html

Demo note: in Webplayer there is an issue with the volume lit particles in tornado & smoke when point lights are near (they get too much light and appear white at certain angles), this does not happen in Desktop and is under investigation). Also the demo does not have the new correct Latidute/Longitude based moon positioning, a new demo for this will follow soon.