CORE-Framework with 100+ mobile ready shaders [RELEASED]

Ahh ok sorry about that! mis-read. lemme know when its out ill buy it

 

It's most likely going to be free. When it's going to be released though, I have no ETA.

 

I'm relying heavily on AssetBundles for pretty much all content except GUI.

I tried both possible scenarios: normal shader-inclusion in self-contained independent complete AssetBundle (the simple approach) and also "outsourcing" to a separate shared-dependency AssetBundle (the approach I'll ultimately need).

Both works with any random custom (ie. non-builtin) shader but both don't work with CORE shaders:

Bundle-loaded objects with materials based on CORE shaders currently show up all-black (but geometrically etc. correct) in both aforementioned scenarios, in-bundle inclusion and separate-dependency-bundle. If I do the latter scenario but prevent pre-loading the shared shader bundle, they show up as pink but this is normal, not caused by CORE (but if/when tackling this, should be useful to remember

First guess: now I can only assume there's some connection to my scene's _EchoCoreManager that's broken and needs to be re-established at runtime on bundle loading?

Btw. AssetBundle generation and scene testing all happen in the same project. (Of course when an asset is loaded from a bundle, it's no longer associated with the in-project asset, even inside the Editor in Game View.)

Of course, as a quick fix I could first force-include all CORE shaders in the built Android player, then upon loading such Objects, try to fix-up their "broken material" by relinking its bad shader reference to the built-in shaders. But this is a sub-optimal band-aid that forfeits the benefits of AssetBundles: first, whenever shaders get updated, users would have to re-download the entire player -- many MBs -- instead of auto-updating the cached shader bundle -- a couple KBs; plus there are "broken" / redundant / duplicate / unused resources (shaders) staying loaded in limited mobile RAM/VRAM..

Theoretically speaking, whatever behind-the-scenes connection between the EchoCoreManager and the pre-"compiled" (or generated, not sure what's really happening when clicking "Compile All Shaders") is usually set up in a normal fully-built project should also be possible to re-connect at runtime, right? Ideally almost-automagically but hey I'm not too picky in that dept..

 

These are "Lit" shaders right ? are any light objects being loaded from asset bundle ? If so manually add the EchoLight script to the lights. ( this would be only way to tell core framework the lights exist, w/o it scene would be black ) "EchoLight.cs" is located in echoLogin/PrefabScripts.

If this is not problem could u make a simple project to show problem. im sure i could fix it quickly

Also msg me on Skype next time your online, i have another update of framework

 

No I only have one directional light and it's right in the scene, not loaded via AssetBundle.. will see if I can cobble together a smaller simpler sample project.

 

PM with demo project sent, thanks for looking into this!

 

got it thanks , I will send you update after I fix this!

 

Ok not sure 100% what is going on when importing from asset bundle.

but i did find a workaround

1) Make an empty game object in scene add this script to it

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. using UnityEngine;
3. using System.Collections;
4.  
5. public class MyMaterials : MonoBehaviour
6. {
7.     public Material[] MyMaterials;
8. }
9.  
10.  

Drag all the materials you use on the imported objects to this array


then in your LoadBundle.cs under line where it says if ( nuObj != null )

add this line

nuObj.renderer.sharedMaterial.shader = Shader.Find(nuObj.renderer.sharedMaterial.shader.name);

( is this the same thing you where talking about ?, still experimenting here )

 

Thanks, well this band-aid workaround is easy to come up with but defies the purpose of AssetBundles. By binding all the materials to an empty game-object in-scene, they get built right into the player and I wouldn't need AssetBundles in the first place

As I said, I could also add core shaders to "always included shaders" via Edit / Project Settings / Graphics. But Unity sells the feature of "AssetBundles capable of bundling all non-script resources conveniently" and it works with their own shaders (not just built-in like Mobile/Diffuse but also real "*.shader" source-file resources from their Standard Assets Mobile package). But it seems to not work with most 3rd-party-authored shaders out there, tried another pkg from Asset Store as well and while it "works better" it still ultimately does not get bundled as expected.

So I made a thread in another forum for this, asking Unity to provide more in-depth docs on how to write custom shaders to work as well with AssetBundles as their own do.

 

Hi Echologin,

do you have any updates on the progess?

 

Yeah beta testing one now, if anyone wants it pm me your invoice # and ill send a link.

 

AssetBundles issue resolved. Damn Unity's subtle little bugs! That stuff works great on-device, just not in Game View. Sorry should have tried that earlier, but turns out I was trusting Game View just a tad too much. Never again! It's all good, CORE shaders work fine both unlit and lit (yay even that!) on-device, tested with 2 different phones. It's all good. Sorry for the waste of time...

 

Thats how we learn ( trial and error ), better safe then sorry.
( at least i got to mess with asset bundles which i never did b4 )

 

This will sound crazy but ... CORE framework has a handful of foreach statements, over time such statements accumulate unnecessary garbage adding to GC overhead when the GC does run:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Unity3D/comments/1m667q/060_fps_in_14_days_what_we_learned_trying_to/

One in EchoPoolManager.cs and 4 in EchoGameObject.cs --- would replace them myself but then you keep updating this great package so maybe something to ponder stuff like this is so easy to replace, so hope you'd consider it

 

Yeah all but one of those are only called on startup, I meant to change the one in ShaderPropertiesSubmit
( just an oversight )

All of them fixed now, i will send you an update l8r on

-Scott

PS: thanks for going thru my code with a microscope, found some really good things there !
Thats better than beta testing thats Zeta testing ! lol

 

OK of course for one-off costs doesn't really matter compared to accumulating-via-Update. Great then thanks!

 

I should have purchased this long ago...but I didn't. Now I've got a game nearly done, with all the scenes lightmapped. Can I use these shaders without re-lightmapping each scene? (or do I get any benefit from doing so?)

 

You could get some speed and a few more options, like spotlight/flash light, realtime shadows w/o casting more light and shadow tinting.



BUT

As much as I would like another sale if your almost done you might want to wait till next project
( or update of your current )

You might not not have to rebake light-mapping, but I cant say that with 100% certainty.

You could add me to Skype ( name==echologin)
I could show you via screen share how it all works, and answer questions in real-time. If you would like ?

Got to run out for a while but will be back online in 3 hours or so

-Scott

 

Made some splat shaders to be used for terrain that will be in next update
( made for mobile )

2 that work with vertex colors
and
2 that work with a control texture

Maybe more who knows?

 

Is there any update on the upcoming postFX's? Really looking forward to them!

 

Yay, sounds very cool! Looking forward to playing with the splat shaders in the next update .. but like Toad I too am extremely interested in buying some form of v1.0 release for postFX as well!

 

Doing support for framework has been taking half or more of my day recently, just taking a bit longer then I planned.

its coming soon tho! ( postFX )

 

Don't worry guys, I'm keeping him in his cage away from modern warfare 3. He has to work day and night to finish this so you can benefit from the fastest post fx ever.

 

I can't get my objects to reflect light. I am using the metal-reflect material, which is using 20-2Layer-2Tex-BumpMap shader. This is the one that is using on the echo login logo in the space demo scene.

I noticed that in the space demo scene if I add another light, the echo light script is automatically added. In my scene this doesn't happen. I am not sure if I need it, but I have added the _echoCoreManager prefab and its settings are the same as the space demo scene.

The only other hint I found in the help, is to have forward rendering on. Which I do.

I have one point light, I even set this up identically to the sun light in the space scene. But no joy getting light on to my object. My object is on the default layer.

If I change the shader, it does light up with reflected light.

I could use advice on what else to check.... Thx.

 

make sure the 1st texture has an alpha channel 1.0 alpha == full reflection 0.0 == none
this way you can control what parts of texture are reflective.

Also make sure

1) Main camera is tagged as main camera
2) if your using the Main Point or Main Directional lights set them to auto or important
3) if you using 4 extra lights option those have to be set as non-important.

You say your using one point light, make sure the options on EchoCoreManager have point light set
and press compile ( look at options on EchoCoreManager in space demo )

 

Thanks echologin. I didn't have the Camera tagged. The scene is now looking fantastic with your shaders

 

Hi, I want the "echoLogin/Light/10-Fastest" to get lights from 1 directional light and 1 spotLight. But I can't get it work with spot lights. It seems like only points lights are allowed as dynamic lights. Is there any way to achieve this? Thanks.

 

@Echologin. I have a shameless request. I have been struggling all day to replicate your Logo in the Space demo and how the front Panel flashes on. Anything to do with graphics and I struggle. I was hoping you could give me the basic steps to achieve this. I don't need the low level details, I'll work my way through those. If you can give me a general direction, at least I won't end up wasting too much heading down wrong paths.

My current plan is:
1. Create 3D text in 3DS Max. (Front and back panels) (Done this bit)
2. Apply Atlas texture to front panel. Using your fullbright.psd. (Working on this bit. Never done it before.)
3. export as FBX
4. Import FBX. Add to scene and apply material to front and back panels.
5. Copy your script LogoBrain from Space Demo (Not that understand how it works yet), and adjust for my logo to get effect to work

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cool!

 

My stuff doesn't work with unity spotlights at all ( you can turn the directional light into a spotlight\flashlight in the options )

Do unity spotlights even work on mobile platforms ?

Right now the other lights can only be point lights. ( this may change down the road )

 

1) Make sure each letter is UV mapped to one of the color cells on that full bright texture ( 1st darker cell of the color )
( might want to look at uvmapping of my model )

2) each blinking color should be its own gameObject with an EchoGameObject attached

3) put the logo brain script on the top parent.

4) look in the LogoBrain script around line 60, now make sure the object names in the Find match the names of your gameobjects.
( or name your objects same as mine )

If you have skype add me "echoLogin" could be more help in realtime chat

 

I'm currently using spotlights in Traffic Racer as you can see in the video below. But currently I use "mobile/diffuse" shader on NPC cars to receive the flashlight of our car. Although it works on iPod Touch 4, I thought your shaders can handle it even faster so I can push it to 60fps on those devices.

https://everyplay.com/videos/737530

 

it would be possible to make framework have 2 spotlights.
( like option to make 4 extra lights all spotlights )

but i couldn't even guess on a time table right now im swamped

I will keep it in mind, sometimes lightning strikes and i think of a quick easy solution.

 

Thanks, that would be great.

 

Ya know, I thought of a workaround that would be fast

for 2 core spotlights how about in update do something like this

if ( _frameTick % 2 == 0 )
{
dlight.transform.position = ( position of headlight 1 )
}
else
{
dlight.transform.position = ( position of headlight 2 )
}

_frameTick++;

( if the dir light has a EchoGameObject on it use cachedTransform in place if transform << faster )

as long as your game is running at a good framerate it would look like 2 lights but would flicker a bit
like old arcade game shadows. ( might even make it cooler having the flicker )

has benefit of only calculating the directional light once per frame also.

 

Hi Echologin,

Thanks for this great asset, I purchased this recently and tried to import to my iOs project. It works fine while testing in editor but it failed while testing the build on the iPhone5S with iOs 7.

I found that if the scene contains prefab "_EchoCoreManager" (No matter what settings it is), the iOS build will freeze after 60~90 secs of the game play begins. I found no error log unfortunately, it just freeze.

Therefore, I removed the prefab "_EchoCoreManager" from the scene, and problem is gone. Yet, I need this prefab because I am going to use the Light shader from this asset.


Below tasks have been checked.
1. Make sure forward rendering path is selected
2. Use opengl es 2.0 and zero pixel lights on mobile platforms
3. I only used Light/10-fastest shader in the scene for most objects, others used Unity3D diffuse shader.

Would you please shed me light how to fix this?
Thank you.

 

Hi Echologin,

I guess I found the cause of problem. It is not about the prefab "_EchoCoreManager" in the scene, but the point lights.
My project generates a path with different path section prefabs in runtime. Each path section prefabs contains 3 point lights (with EchoLight component attached). The path keeps generating by spawning and despawning those path section prefabs.

In my test case, I kept prefab "_EchoCoreManager" in the scene, removed all point lights in those path section prefabs. The build runs fine on the iPhone now.

Any idea please?
Thanks.

 

Are the point lights you spawning marked as "Not Important" ?

And on manager make sure the extra 4 point light option is selected.

If this is not problem is there anyway you could send me a test project that shows problem ? ( via pm or add echoLogin to skype )

PS: Thanks for buying framework!

 

Thanks! Appreciate your help!

Yes, those point lights marked as "Not Important", and 4 point light option is selected.
I managed to create a scene that hangs on editor as well. I sent PM you the URL to download the test project.

 

I am a little delayed in replying. I had few days at the beach with the family.

I followed your instructions and it worked brilliantly first time Thank you very much for assistance.

 

Anytime !

 

Loading up that project you sent now. i will pm you when i find out whats wrong

 

gshape, i fixed that bug will send you an update in a bit just need to test things a bit to make sure everything is ok after the change.

 

Thank you for your instant respond!! Great support!!

 

update sent ( has a lot of things fixed in it )

 

Hey there

How soon is "soon" on the Post FX pack that you're working on? Do you have a rough idea - days, weeks, months? Really looking forward to it.

 

Hi !

Would you be able to release a "Test" version with say one shader or dunno ? I'd like to test the lighting options offered and test performances !

 

Well its hard to say it should have been done already but support for framework has been crazy lately. ( like 6-8 hours a day helping people )

will be worth the wait, i promise !!

It has actually turned into a postFX maker ( will come with presets )
but u can do so much more, could do effects I haven't even thought of !!

Once i have something to show i will start a new thread for postFX thing.

 

I don't see having time to make a free version of framework anytime in the near future.
( possible down the road )

 

Developer support is 100% Fantastic !