LIGHTING

Lighting is an important aspect of 2D games. Especially as our main focus is beauty within the environment, we must focus on making the environment appear as attractive as possible.

Molly has been assigned Lighting Production as she expressed her understanding for 'Post-Processing' in Unity, and was ambitious to take this further.

Although this is Molly's responsibility, as Lead Artist I'd still like to be aware of how this is done and to learn for future cases in other potential projects! I am most confident working in 2D therefore lighting is something I must learn, understand and become comfortable working with.

RESEARCH: 2D Lights and Shadows in Unity

NOTES:

• Dedicated render providing 2D light and shadows

• 'Universal Render Pipeline' Window > Package Manager > Install Universal Render Pipeline

• Assign pipeline - Edit > Graphics > Assign configuration File

• Add 2D light - Game Object > Light > 2D > Point Light

• Detailed visual editing - lots of options for modifying light

• Freeform lights allow you to edit/custom the shape of the light. Add nodes to visually create any shape of light source.

• Sprite field has a range of light sources

• Drag and modify these light sources as well as casting shadows.

This video made Lighting in Unity look surprisingly easy and I am excited to take this forward in future projects!

POST-PROCESSING IN UNITY

RESEARCH LINK: https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/PostProcessingOverview.html

Unity has range of effects and 'full-screen effects' that can exceptionally improve the appearance of any application.

• Simulate physical camera and film properties

• Create stylised Visuals

What's available and how do they work?

Built-in Render Pipeline - Does not include post-processing solution. Download 'Post-Processing Version 2' package.

Universal Render Pipeline - URP includes own post-processing solution, Unity installs this when you create a project using the URP template.

High Definition Render Pipeline - HDRP includes its own post-processing solution.

There are several post-processing effects and full-screen effects in Unity. Full table can be found via the link above. But here are some of the effects available that I may find useful in future circumstances:

• Ambient Occlusion - darkens the areas in your scene that aren't exposed to ambient lighting.

• Anti-aliasing - softens the appearance of the edges in your scene.

• Bloom - makes bright areas in your image glow.

• Chromatic Aberration - disperses colours along the boundaries between light and dark areas of the image.

• Colour Adjustments - change the overall tone, brightness and contrast of the final rendered image.

• Fog - simulates the look of fog/mist

• Lens Distortion - simulates distortion caused by the shape of a real-world camera lens

• Shadows midtones Highlights - separately controls the tint and brightness of shadows, midtones and highlights in the image.

2D LIGHT SOURCES

RESEARCH LINK:

2D LIGHTS IN UNITY

• Window > Package Manager > Lightweight RP

• URP pipeline

• Hierarchy provides several light options

• Light > 2D

• Freeform, sprite, Parametric, Point and Global Light options

• Enables you to increase scale, adjust radius, target different sorting layers

• Targeting different layers allows you to control where the light takes effect

• Option to adjust intensity and colour of light

• Sometimes implementing a light source results in the rest of the scene being completely black, in order to fix this add another 2D light source, this time 'Global Light' which shines light on all selected objects. You can then reduce the intensity of this and the scene will appear less dark.

• Light properties have options to adjust angle - this is to make a feathering effect and change the direction of where the light is heading

• Use of light illuminates selected objects

• Freeform light allows you to modify and 'freely draw' your own light source. This allows you to form it into any shape you'd like.

• Parametric light allows you to make light shapes with 'X' amount of corners - polygon, adjust the number of sides.

• Adjust angle, fall off, colour, intensity, blend style and volume opacity.

HOW WILL I USE THIS?

As I am most confident in 2D art, It would be most convenient developing a 2D game. This will require knowledge on lighting and shadows which is important in achieving the atmosphere you desire in-game. Lighting also brings everything together in the environment and can improve the appearance of any scene.

I understand the use of post-processing to apply effects to create stylised visuals as well as using 2D light sources to modify and custom your own light sources. In future circumstances I can use the range of sources to custom the shape, angle and intensity of light and implement this into Unity according to the placement of assets. This is also a great way to create the effect of light from lanterns in Anima Mundi. I will take post-processing into consideration when it comes to using effects and styling the screen how I intend for it to look. This could be by adjusting ambient light or lens distortion.