Getting Started with Post Processing in Unity!
Post-Processing, or the process of applying filters, processing effects on your scene and images… but how does it work - and how can this be done in Unity?
Your scene first gets drawn, then it is captured by your camera, and then it is rendered on the screen for the user. Post-processing comes as an intermediate step before the final look is rendered on the screen. It can improve the visuals and effects of your game significantly if done correctly but can also be a problem if overused. One thing to note is that it is also resource-heavy.
But the process of setting it up in Unity is really simple, so let’s get started!
In order to begin using it in your project, we need to download and install the ‘Post Processing’ package from the ‘Package Manager.’ This can be found in the ‘Window’ > ‘Package Manager’ > Here, search for ‘Package Manager,’ and when found, click on the ‘Install’ button and wait for the installation process to complete.
We need to prepare our scene to meet the post-processing - first, we need to create an empty GameObject, which I have called ’Post Process Volume’ and to which I have added the ‘Post-process Volume’ Component. Since I want the volume to affect my whole game, I have also ticked the ‘Is Global’ option.
Now we need to create a new ‘Profile’, which in turn will give us access to many different effects. Once the profile is created, it is automatically added to your ‘Project’ folder as an asset as well.
Next, we need to add a ‘Post Process Layer’ component to our camera so that it can render the Post Processing effects.
But, as the name suggests, this component requires a specific ‘Layer’ which it will use to render the effects. For that reason, we need to create a new layer and call it ‘PostProcessing.’ This layer will then be set on the ‘Post Process Volume’ GameObject, and we need to set it on the ‘Post Process Layer’ component on the camera as well.
Finally, we need to make some adjustments to the project’s ‘Color Space’ settings in order to prepare it for using certain effects, such as HDR color. For this reason, we need to open ‘File’ > ‘Build Settings’ > ‘Player Settings’ > ‘Player’ > ‘Other Settings’ - and here we need to change the ‘Color Space’ from ‘Gamma’ to ‘Linear’.
Now wait for the project to rebuild… and that is it! - the project is now ready for the post-processing effects! We will take a closer look at them in the following article!
But that is it for now, thank you for reading and feel free to follow me for more articles - and as always, good luck and see you next time!
