[Best Tool Asset Store Award] Amplify Shader Editor - Node-based Shader Creation Tool

This is part of a bigger issue that seems to be cropping up lately with URP 12.x, we're aware and looking into it.

Changing from multi_compile to shader_feature speeds up build times because unused variants aren't included over the game build. But this means that you can't switch these options on/off in runtime. In our case, we're using Unity's own template as inspiration, and we do understand why they are using multi_compile. Since we don't know what the end user requirements are, multi_compile is the safer option where each option can be turned on/off either in-editor or runtime. If you plan only changing these options in-editor via the material then you're good to go.

URP is migrating from using #define to #pragma shader_feature for its options so users can toggle them both over the material in-editor and runtime. Since Unity doesn't know what are the users requirements it goes for the broader approach, with this huge inconvenience of having a bunch of variants being generated.

We're looking into it!

 

Heads up, your overlay blend operation is wrong.

You should be comparing the A (base/source) value like here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blend_modes#Overlay

But the blend node is comparing the B (Top/Destiny) value instead.

This is making anything needing a true overlay function to look incorrect.

 

Hey, thanks for the heads up!

Where exactly is this? (shader type, Blend Operation node?)

 

Hello.

I'm having a problem with a very simple shader. When I plug this Max node to emission the shader works okay. But when I try this add one in red circle the shader fails to compile. What seems to be the problem here and how can I solve it?

 

That is super weird. However the compiler will figure out that the entire lower branch isn't connected so anything in that part could be the cause. This looks like it should work, I guess it would be good if you post the shader file and actual error log too.

 

True. The shader error I get is "Shader error in 'Flat 3D Zdepth Test': Too many texture interpolators would be used for ForwardBase pass (11 out of max 10) at line 16"
I don't get the classic pink shader error but the shader loses its billboard facing camera function and just shows a plain white surface instead of calculating the depth.
Attaching the shader with the post.

 

Not sure exactly but it seems to be hitting the Interpolator Limit when using a Surface Shader, the Unlit Legacy shader type with the same Shader Model does not seem to cause the same problem.

Increase your Shader Model, that seems to resolve the problem. In any case, we will confirm with the devs.

Also be sure to update ASE, you're using an older version.

 

Thanks! that solved the issue.

By the way, I don't know if you guys used ASE for the amplify impostors but you use the pixel depth offset feature in that shader to make 2d things sit accurately with the environment as if they were 3d. Is it possible to implement a depth offset input for ASE as well? It would be incredibly useful.

 

I thought this was pixel depth offsetting

 

Is that only in the HDRP. I don't see that input in the standard surface shader.

 

Oh that is possible, it's URP though but indeed might only be in scriptable render pipelines

 

Only SRP for now as far as ASE goes, this depends on Unity.

 

What is the correct use of the depth value input? I'm plugging a noise texture in there but it creates weird results like this;


I just want it to work like the impostors where it pushes the depth pixels depending on the inputs. How can I achieve that?

 

Feature Requests:

• I would be great if the Amplify Shader editor could detect file changes (e.g. if I revert the shader file in git/ or SVN) and then asks the user if he wants to reload the file
• If I change a shader function it would be great if there were on option that all dependent shaders recompile automatically
• Right-clicking a shader file tab should have a "Show in Explorer" option.

Thanks!

 

Hey all,
apologies if this has already been reported elsewhere, but I found a bug in the ASE Template parser. I did not find any hits while searching the web for this, so I assume this is such a rarely used feature that no one has encountered it.

This appears in version ASE v. 1.8.9r35

If you are making your own custom template for ASE to build from and wish to create Float4x4 or Float3x3 input ports on the output node using the syntax:

Code (CSharp):

1. float4x4 mat = /*ase_vert_out:Custom Matrix;float4x4;20;-1;*/
2.     float4x4(
3.     1., 0., 0., 0.,
4.     0., 1., 0., 0.,
5.     0., 0., 1., 0.,
6.     0., 0., 0., 1.
7.     )/*end*/;

This will fail due to the

WirePortDataType

enum parser which interprets this string calling

str.ToUppper()

on the input string, which yields the resulting string

FLOAT4X4

. This fails parsing because the

WirePortDataType

enum value is defined as

FLOAT4x4

(note the lower case 'x').

If this affects you, you can insert a step which, after parsing the string to uppercase replaces any uppercase X with lowercase x.

This issue can be found in the file

TemplatePass.cs:545

(or close to that line at least).

You can replace this original code:

Code (CSharp):

1. string portName = inputDataArray[ (int)TemplatePortIds.Name ];
2. WirePortDataType dataType = (WirePortDataType)Enum.Parse( typeof( WirePortDataType ), inputDataArray[ (int)TemplatePortIds.DataType ].ToUpper() );

with the following fix:

Code (CSharp):

1. string portName = inputDataArray[ (int)TemplatePortIds.Name ];
2. var portType = inputDataArray[(int)TemplatePortIds.DataType].ToUpper().Replace('X', 'x');
3.  WirePortDataType dataType = (WirePortDataType)Enum.Parse( typeof( WirePortDataType ),  portType);

I assume this is affecting no one since I haven't seen any posts about it, but.. just in case

 

That's specific to Unity: https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/SL-Offset.html
Not to be confused with Depth Offset in HDRP.
We don't have a tutorial readily available for something like impostors but there are some resources in the Unity forum. (general, not specific to ASE)

1. Might be tricky given the way Unity handles files but it's a good idea.
2. That we won't do for now, it's up to the user to decide if they want to recompile all the shaders. Consider larger projects and complex shaders, you might just be editing a single shader. In any case, you can select the Shader Function in the Project explorer and easily use the buttons on its inspector to find and automatically compile all dependencies(read, shaders that use said SF).
3. Not sure I understand what you mean, can you elaborate on that? For the record, you can left-click on the shader name(bottom left) in the editor window to locate the file.

Thanks for letting us know, we appreciate it.
This has been passed on to the devs, I'm sure they will reply directly to your email.
Thanks!

 

Hi all,
This has likely been covered somewhere, but I can't seem to find anything. Is there a way to change the hue of an albedo texture, similar to photoshop's adjustment/hue/saturation/value, where I can move the hue along the color wheel rather than just tint? I set up a very simple shader to show what I mean by tint. This shader needs to use the Substance Sampler node. Thanks in advance!

Here's the original fabric texture:

Here's what I want, to shift the hue:

Here's what I have, tint:


Here's the super simple shader network:


In case anyone else needs this, here's the solution, just use the add node:

 

Yeah, if you plug a HUE value directly it will use uniformly. Users must manipulate the HUE as you did your screenshot.

 

Any updates on Amplify supporting 2D URP?

Now that they have moved 2D URP out of the experimental namespace (finally!), Is supporting 2D URP now on the To-Do list? Do you have any time tables for when we might see this happen?

 

Howdy, I hope this is the right spot to post a question.

I have a float that mins and maxs from -0.1 to 0.2 these number are not the best to work with when my programmer needs to change the value. is there a way that i could have a "control" float that has nice easy numbers to work with, like from 0 to 10? Something like this would be great for any other values that i want to be changed by code.

in other words,
I would like to be able to control a min and max value with a "0 to 10 scale" no mater what my original values really are so that its easier for my programmer to work with.

 

It's on the Done list

There might be additions and tweaks but it's already possible to create 2D URP shaders with the latest ASE version, including the Custom 2D Lit. (URP 12.x)

Hey there!

You're looking for the Remap node; remap a 0-10 float(slider) to -0.1 to -0.2.

 

This tiny, green-faced smiley emoji does not accurately convey the sheer smiley-ness of my face right now.
Needless to say, I will give you three of them to make up for it.

Thank you Amplify Team!

 

Hello, I have quite a simple problem (I think). Is there a way to add a texture to a shader that won't be needed to specify in the material.
As an example, I would like to use a noise texture in several shaders but I don't want to have to add them manualy to every materials using those shaders. In shadergraph this is possible but here, with amplify, even if I set the "Default value" or the "Material value" it just doesn't work as all materials stays with an empty slot.

Also with shadergraph if I add a texture that won't be a variable I can see in the material that there a texture being used but I can't edit it.
I just want to be able to reproduce this. Is this possible ? Am I doing something wrong ?
I use Amplify Shader Editor 1.8.9r35

 

Hey!

The Default texture value is only applied only when creating a material from the shader or setting the shader on an existing material, it will not affect existing materials; this is specific to Unity shaders, not ASE.

How exactly are you using this in Shader Graph?

 

Hi there,

Can it be that there is an issue with the texture coordinates node in Unity 2020.3.28f? It seems the values furthest to the left and the bottom are 1 rather than zero. Only the second column/row continues with zero. I realized, it was preventing me from creating proper gradients. can you reproduce the issue?

 

Hey!

Not that we are aware of, can you provide an example of how you're using it? We'd also appreciate details on Shader type used.

Thanks

 

Never mind - my bad. Everything is working, as it should, I was just too dumb to see it.

 

I was able to narrow the problem even more, this is not only my problem, it appears also within The Vegetation Engine. It is related to MotionVectors.
It disappears when I disable motion vectors.

 

For example I created a burning shader effect with some animated noise texture. The shader was used on various objects composing a house. I had no use to specify the noise texture again and again in every materials. That's why it was usefull to just have it setup in the shader by default.

That's how it presented in the material. I can see there is a texture referenced but I can't change it or disable it.

 

Good to hear but that's quite odd. Let's continue over email, best to avoid having the same discussion in multiple places. I got back to you.

I understood what you said. What I'm saying is that's specific to Unity; when you specificy a texture as a default in a shader it will applied every time you create a new material with that uses it, that is the definition of a Default texture value in this context.

What I'm asking is how you're using it on Shader Graph so that we may check for an equivalent option on our end.

 

Ok my bad. Sorry but I'm not sure to understand but when you drag and drop a texture in shadergraph it automatically create the "Sample Texture 2D" with the embedded texture. Does it answer your question ?

 

Hello! We are working with NGUI based project and we are using amplify to make new effects for UI mainly. Our problem is that the effects aren't working with its scroll view. Example here is same https://gamedev.stackexchange.com/q...lip-a-sprite-that-has-a-custom-shader-in-ngui problem we are having. Is this possible achieve through Amplify?

 

Is there a way to use the billboard features in HDRP Lit Shader?

 

Same for ASE, the behavior is the same. You can set defaults and properties if a material is selected.
What you can't do is lock a texture so it can't be changed in the material.

Hello!

I'm afraid we're not familiar with NGUI requirements for custom shaders. I'd recommend contacting the NGUI developer for additional details, perhaps they could look into adding an ASE Template.

Should work, any issues? Which Unity version are you using?

 

2019.3.15f
I don't see the billboard checkbox option in the HDRP Lit shader settings

 

Ah yes, you have to use the node.

 

Oh I didn't know about this node. Thanks.

 

@Amplify_Support thanks for response. I was able to solve this on template level. I am glad you made this tool, creating new shaders is breeze with this

 

@Amplify_Support I've been making a terrain shader and so far everything has gone fine, but I'm left with a bit of a conundrum. I've got all my splatmaps working, but one thing I DON'T have working are terrain holes. What sampler do I have to access to get these to work?

Edit: found the answer myself with some digging into Unity's shader details. If anyone else needs an answer to this, the sampler you're looking for is _TerrainHolesTexture

 

Yes, you can also just enable it in the Four Splats Shader Function parameters.

 

The four-splat isn't in use in my case since it interferes with my triplanar and stochastic sampling systems.

 

Ah yes, I see. Just for reference, Shader Functions like the Four Splats can be opened by double clicking them directly, you can see how the Hole is used there.

 

Hello !
I'm a student that have a single question on Amplify
Is there a way to put another Float as the max value of a Float ? (Like in the screenshot, I would like the CDMAX to define the max value of CED).
I understand that there is a way of doing so by not setting a max value on CED, and clamp it with CDMAX as the max one, but I just wanted to know if we can adjust a slider with other floats.

Thank you !

 

Hey!

Not with the slider itself. However, you could have a 0-1 slider that remaps(remap node) from 0 to whatever CDMAX you need; but it's not part of the slider.

 

Shaders created with Amplify have problems in MacOS - in situations when shaders has many (more than 16) properties. Issue was sent to Unity Bug Reporter and fix will be available in Unity 2022.2 :

https://issuetracker.unity3d.com/is...ectly-when-float16-property-is-used-in-shader

More info:
https://forum.unity.com/threads/mac...en-shader-property-has-name-_float16.1243996/

 

Sorry, I'm a bit confused. So it's not an ASE issue but a Unity shader problem? Please elaborate on any errors/warnings you might be seeing on your side.

We're not aware of any issues with naming a property _Float16 on MacOS. However, we have seen some strict, unrelated, restriction in WebGL; not specific to our editor.

 

Hey, I just noticed that there's no way to add a Matrix array to the cbuffer on SRP. It's either an array outside the buffer using the global array node (understandable) or a single matrix inside the buffer using the matrixnxn nodes. I can kind of manually override and force it by adding brackets and numbering to the name, but the editor constantly gets rid of the brackets likely as a validation step. This is causing us to run into imitations which forces us to manually fix the shader code.

 

How can i use simple lit in the URP template?
Simple lit has 20% better performance on mobiles by default

 

Not something we have details on here, feel free to reach out via the official support email(support@amplify.pt) with additional info, or an example, of how you're using it. It may very well be beyond the scope of what the editor provides.

There is not Simple Lit template but you're free to adjust the current one or create your own if you're comfortable with shader development.

 

Awesome package and you guys are making it more and more powerful and flexible with each update. Kudos.
I am just getting into shaders for mobile and would really love to have a list of corresponding shader examples for mobile. Will really help all of us who are targeting for mobile. Is there a list of mobile shaders available. Cheers