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

can you LOD the volume clouds, to simple particles or sprite textures at a distance, to try and eliminate the popping, hard edge horizon?, cause, I'd really like my F-22 in and out of those beautiful clouds, it is the one thing I really need, great looking clouds that I can fly above. thanx, Patrick

 

Hi

The clouds can be extended to background a lot, i will add a sample video asap

 

Fly through Clouds WIP

 

loving it!, nice upper cirrus layers, blended nicely! great pinkish & blue tones...give me a freakin wing suit, Im jumping in.

 

Yes this version is fly through ready

I am also adding light volume around the clouds to get that heavely look from sun shafts

 

when you come down through the cloud bank, those flat bottom clouds & the great fly through, in my cart.....they seem a perfect , I wonder, what that would look like in my new tri-copter?

Spoiler: hope to see them in my new copter...soon. p-

just finished up the 4 color choice shader

(if you see one brown ship, its unity cache..sorry, same file name)


most viewed from here


almost 1 1/2 weeks to finish & fine tune, all rigged, textured and new custom shaders..I'm pooped!

Patrick

 

I hope i can do the great work justice

Clouds and Water WIP

 

Clouds and Water WIP

 

Clouds and Water WIP

Real Volumetric Water - Lighting - Clouds

 

WIP on Sky Master HDRP version. This is a first version of the v3.x clouds and water for the new HDRP pipeline.

Sky Master ULTIMATE modules (InfiniCLOUD) is next up for conversion.

 

Is Sky Master going to have any usability changes with the next update, like removing the older systems or condensing the options? I know right now it has tons of customization, but even the current drag and drop prefab has a bunch of stuff that needs to be cleaned out for an existing game.

The new stuff looks gorgeous and I want to give it a go.

 

Hi,

I do plan to remove some of the oldest stuff, like some particle clouds, but there is no plan to remove systems in general, as would limit the options for users.

What i can do though is add a button to clearup the prefab when implemented on scene based on the choices made.

Unfortunately even with the latest cutting edge systems, all previous systems still serve a purpose and can be used effectively for different platforms and looks, and i dont want to take away this options as otherwise the system would be more limited like other normal systems on store that can create one specific look making all games look exactly the same and super heavy for older or mobile platforms.

For me this is bad to happen, so will always strive to offer as many options and variables to play with in these options as possible. I am a game creator myself and one of the biggest problems is how everything looked same with other games, is same as with my grass system, i strived to give a new shader to break the look and problems of all the other store systems and is still one of its major advantages .

But i agree the sky system has accumulated a bit too much, so i do plan for sure to remove the oldest particle clouds before volumetric ones and few other older systems to have a cleaner prefab.

In HDRP version there will be more changes as well because few systems will be altered altogether like the fog.

 

That's what I was trying to get at, not necessarily remove the systems entirely but clean up things that might not be in use for that specific project.

Look forward to the next update!

 

Indeed this is good idea to have, especially when using the prefab drag and drop. For step by step configuration most are optional anyway, besides the oldest clouds with particles that are just disabled but in the prefab. I will be removing those as well, so i hope with all these there can be perfectly clean system in any given scene.

 

New Volumetric Clouds with fly through and special atmospheric effects and new volumetric Water system WIP

 

HDRP pipeline conversion WIP

Sun shafts converted to Post Processing Stack for global use in any pipeline

 

Sky Master xSTREAM - Water sparkles

Sky Master xSTREAM - Water with rain

Sky Master next big version WIP, new water and fly through cloud systems.

 

New volumetric Water and Clouds WIP

 

WIP on the new configurator that will also include the new InfiniCLOUD module directly and many new tweaks to get great result directly, like in the tweaked prefab that comes with the system.

A new video tutorial will also follow after this update is completed, that will detail the new step by step configuration method.

 

WIP on the new configurator that will also include the new InfiniCLOUD module directly and many new tweaks to get great result directly, like in the tweaked prefab that comes with the system.

A new video tutorial will also follow after this update is completed, that will detail the new step by step configuration method.

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.8​

The new v4.8 of Sky Master ULTIMATE has been submitted to Unity asset store and will be up later this week or early the next.

The new system integrates the InfinICLOUD module in the general configurator and offers tweaks for best visual results, as well as more accurate reflections in sky master water for amazing water effects.

Also the sky can now be fogged by the cloud script directly, for matching scatter effects with clouds and there is no need to add the global fog effect (unless need volume fog that affects scene objects). The requirement to setup a terrain is also now optional.

A new tutorial series is also available, this is the first version of those tutorials, so will be updated soon as well.

Everyone that would like to have the new version for Unity 2018.3.14, can send me a PM with the invoice and will send a Google Drive download link asap.

Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.8 Tutorial videos

Spoiler

 

WIP on artistic looks using the new tweaking options for clouds and water reflections

 

More tweaking for clouds and artistic takes for next version

 

New 1st tutorial version for the new v4.8 of Sky Master ULTIMATE, with improved sound.

 

Artistic clouds with v4.8 of Sky Master ULTIMATE

 

UPDATE for next version of Sky Master ULTIMATE​

Final Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.8.2 updates:
- Fix of the reflection of the light scatter effects on clouds based on sun, which would rotate more than proper when camera moves up or down.
- Fix for wind direction that is inversed in clouds comparing to windzone direction.
- Motion blur disabled for temporal AA as default setting
- Added option to change light source to moon at night for the volumertric clouds
- Added smooth transition from sun to moon transforms for the volumertric clouds
- Added presets to choose from for the InfiniCLOUD system
- New option to vary the cloud height based on rules to get a less uniform cloud height distribution.
- Fixed issue where clouds could not be controlled in the new cloud editor in the Performance prefab (Camera was not referenced in the SkyMasterManager script, see attached image for reference)
- Clarified more the various cloud types in Clouds section

The new version is uploaded to the store and is also available in Google Drive download immediately.

 

Some tests on 4K performance with high settings. Performance is measured in my non gaming laptop !!!

On desktop should be exponentially higher, if anyone would like to test on a good rig i can send the demos the shots are from in Google Drive.

 

Note on latest Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.8.2 and Unity version

The latest version (v4.8.1) has been submitted using Unity 2018.3.14f1, if an older Unity version is used the system will revert to the older version without the InfiniCLOUD integration to the configurator. If an older version of Unity 2018.3 must be used, i can send a link to Google Drive download on request (Send a PM or email with invoice to artengames@gmail.com)

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.8.3 WIP update:
- Fixed issue where "Split per frames" with "Camera Motion compensation" options that can greatly increase performance would create shuttering motion in sun and moon, now all are synced and work correctly.

 

Day cycle and sun speed regulation sliders (Auto_cycle_sky checkbox for complete stop of any TOD cycling), water component control (components of water to disable or enable as needed).

Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.8.3 has been released at the Unity Asset Store !!!

v4.8.3
- Fixed issue where "Split per frames" with "Camera Motion compensation" options, that can greatly increase performance, would create shuttering motion in sun and moon, now all are synced and work correctly.
- Added new experimental re-projection mode to be used when "Split per frames" is above 3 (recommended is 4), this mode will make cloud motion smooth when camera is not moving to observe clouds.
- Added new demo scenes to showcase the new re-projection mode with and without temporal AA

 

WIP on more clouds shaping features for v4.8.5

Also i will add presets to get these special effects and close to ground clouds

 

Sky Master ULTMATE v4.8.5 has been submitted to the store​

v4.8.5
- Fixed issue where instructions in the new v4.8 prefab did not make mention of the need to add a layer named "Backlayer" to Unity layers, before pressing on the "Setup Back Layer" button. Also added extra check to handle this case with a warning.
- Added extra checks to avoid possible errors with setup of new clouds and water reflections, when water component is disabled and there is no reflection camera created yet.
- Added Conductor tagged items directly on lightning components, so there is no need to manually define targets for lightning to appear
- Fixed issue where lightning line ending would few times be a straight long horizontal line

 

Unity 2019 note​

I have been testing the system in Unity 2019 and came across the following issue:

https://forum.unity.com/threads/erros-to-unity-2019-and-unity-hub.662701/#post-4445236

The problem was that scripting was set at v3.x and not v4.0, so changing this solved the problem. Note that this is not related to Sky Master at all, but rather the setting kept from Unity 2018.3 project that breaks Unity 2019.

 

New Guide for latest v4.8, to be released soon. The guide will include finer details of the setup and tweaking guide for fast changing the look of the new clouds and lighting.

 

Lightning setup and tweaking

Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.8.6 has been submitted to the store​

v4.8.6
- Added option to enable or disable the elimination of particles when hero is underwater (option is by default off, in previous versions was always on as default)
- Expanded maximum Far distance values cap in Configurator for new v4.8 volume clouds
- Added Lightning Storm sample scene
- Added Unity 2019 compatibility in Underwater blur script
- Fixed issue where clouds would update with wind in editor time, now update only in play mode
- Added separate night time Back shade option to finer regulate cloud top density at night time
- Added night time options (Back shade, Light Scatter, Cloud base color, Turbidity and Extinction) in Configurator and option to enable the use of these night time separate variables, to differentiate from day time values with smooth update between states.
- Added Underside Curve slider in Configurator for defining thickness of cloud underside
- Added shift for dawn and dusk in changing from Day to night Far distance, to adjust cloud density when moon is in the horizon.
[Moon drops at 10.4 at dawn (at 9.1 system lerps to sun, +1.3 offset to correct) and
moon raises at 22.4 at dusk (at 23.4 system lerps to moon, -1 offset to correct)]
- Solved issue where water reflection color would not change in editor, when Gradient coloration is not used.

 

Sky Master xSTREAM version WIP

 

HDRP Sun Shafts

Light Shafts in both HDRP and LWRP are working now in all Unity versions (even Unity 2019.2 version)

The shafts also blend with the volumetric effects in new Unity volumes system, for extra effect.

 

WIP on HDRP and LWRP image effects for Sky Master

The new system interacts with the new volume effects in HDRP

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.8.7 has been released to the store !

v4.8.7
- Added fog mode and affect fog by gradient options in Weather section in the configurator.

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.8.8 has been released to the store !

v4.8.8
- Fixed issue with pixelation when downscale factor is used in the volumetric clouds

 

Sun Shafts LWRP (Image effects Stack v2.0)

Video and images of LWRP wip, showing the shader based volume clouds and the base water. Missing still reflections and refractions in water (and the special refractive rain effect) because the method to create those is now changed and completely undocumented, so will take bit more time, but work fully on it.

 

WIP on LWRP pipeline, Reflections and Refractions are now fully working , so this version is almost ready for release.

One issue is that since grabPass is not available per instance of object, i have to create two global refraction textures, one for water that wont consider water layer and one for screen water from rain that will include sea water.

Final step will be a top - down depth renderer for the shore lines and all basics will be finalized for LWRP.

​

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.8.9 has been released in Unity Asset Store.

- Added option to insta-kill weather particles in SkyMasterManager script, to overcome Unity 2019.1 bug when gradually lowering max Particle Count crashes Unity, when changing weather types.

- Added Beta of new Volumetric Lighting system, that covers all Unity light types (Spot, directional, Point) & demo scene. The system is integrated with the volumetric clouds for god rays.

 

Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.9.0 has been submitted to the Unity Asset Store.

v4.9.0
- Increased shader based volume cloud density in configurator to 0.006 (from 0.002), to emulate higher altitude clouds
- Added prefab with auto configuration for existing scene camera to avoid any manual steps

Auto configuration prefab

 

Reflections, refraction in water, Shader based Volume clouds and Sun Shafts in Light Weight Rendering Pipeline (LWRP).

UPDATE on LWRP version:

The LWRP version of Sky Master ULTIMATE is almost done and has been tested on desktop and mobile.

I have found a way to render depth from a 2ond camera in LWRP, so soon will finish the water shoreline module as well (which will be much more optimized too in the new version) and the LWRP version will be fully functional, using the shader based volumetric clouds (photos above).

I have also finished the Sun Shafts image effect (Sun Shafts SRP Beta) for post processing Stack v2.0 and have fully mastered how to create image effects for this module (and tested build on mobile to make sure all work to production level), so will soon also convert the latest volumetric image effect based clouds to LWRP as well, for final full conversion.

Also a free voucher to celebrate the release of Sun Shafts SRP Beta asset !!! . The effects works for all Unity versions and platforms that support the Post Processing Stack v2.0.

Sun Shafts SRP Beta
SV-NXKD-LAE3-3J7F-PRUR-N4J6

 

UPDATE:

Global fog effect is now also working in LWRP and will be added to the overall LWRP version. Also perhaps i can combine the two effects for extra performance on mobile, this is TBD.

The two image effects (Sun shafts and Global height fog) are also in a separate asset:
https://forum.unity.com/threads/hdr...-asset-for-post-processing-stack-v2-0.700730/

 

LWRP version of Sky Master ULTIMATE
Volumetric fog reworked for LWRP, noise in height fog, atmospheric scattering, combination with the LWRP sun shafts, special effects WIP.

 

Video of the LWRP WIP, combination of noise and light shafts with volumetric fog and atmospheric scattering.

 

UPDATE:

Sky Master ULTIMATE v4.9.1 has been submitted to the Unity Asset Store.

v4.9.1 addresses an issue in Unity 2019 versions, where particles could cause a crash when collisions are enabled and max particle count is lowered (e.g. when changing weather severity or from rain to sunny)

This is a new bug in Unity 2019 and i have submitted also a bug report to Unity team, so they can fix the issue in later Unity 2019 versions and patches.

 

Sample of lit particles in Sky Master ULTIMATE, new demo scene for v4.9.2