Adding Post-Processing To URP
Today I will make the visuals of my Unity scene look even better by adding post-processing effects.
Today’s Objective: Add post-processing to my scene using Unity’s in-built post processing profile features.
Post-Processing Effects:
Unity’s post-processing implementation contains many extremely useful and visually-appealing effects. These include:
- Bloom: Make bright colors/lights appear larger that their actual size, like how our eyes often see bright things in reality.
- Vignette: Darken the outer edges of the camera’s perspective.
- Motion Blur: Add a slight blur to objects that are moving fast within the camera’s view.
- Depth-Of-Field: Blur a section of the camera’s visible perspective, while keeping another section crisp, based on the distance to the camera.
- Film Grain: Add a noise effect to the camera’s perspective, similar to old movies/television.
- Color Adjustments: Like the name suggests, change how colors appear to the camera, such as contrast and exposure.
Adding Post Processing to a scene:
Note: Unity allows post-processing in both URP and HDRP pipelines. This means that you must be using one of these to enable it. I am working in URP for this project.
Adding post processing to a scene is actually very simple. First, somewhere in your scene, create a new Post-Processing Volume.
Now link a Post-Processing Profile to the Volume. This is where we will choose our effects.
But wait! Right now, our post-processing won’t be visible by the camera (though we currently have none anyway). We need to allow the camera to see it before proceeding.
Now we can go back to the Volume, knowing that our effects will be shown on camera.
By clicking “Add Override”, we can choose and create a post-processing effect to apply to the camera.
Bloom is a common and nice-looking one for most projects.
REMEMBER:
Each effect has a number of modifiable options, but they are disabled by default. Remember to tick the box next to any options you want control over. Things like Intensity (how strong the effect is) often default to zero, so if it is not enabled and set to a higher value, you won’t see it.
A Post-Processed Scene:
After choosing and tweaking all the effects you think are appropriate for your project, you will have a final product which you can see through the Game window.
Post-Processing in the Scene window:
You can also enable viewing Post-Processing effects even in the Scene view! The method may differ slightly depending on your version, but it is generally at the top of the Scene view, in one of the dropdown buttons.
