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High Shadow filtering gives "Shadow Acne" ( grainy, noisy )

Discussion in 'High Definition Render Pipeline' started by Strieglitz, Apr 1, 2022.

  1. Strieglitz

    Strieglitz

    Joined:
    May 11, 2017
    Posts:
    13
    I'am new to the HDRP and i just encountered is that i get Shadow Acne with the Shadow Filtering "High Quality" Option, and better results with the "Medium Quality" Option.
    How to reproduce : Open a new Project with the Template "3D Sample Scene (HDRP)" and place 2 weapons (free ak74 HDRP) on top of each other so that one of them recieves the shadow of the other one. Then Switch the Option od the Shadow Filtering Quality on the current HDRP-Asset from Medium to High and back.

    Is this Behaviour Expacted? Do others have this Problem as well, or is it common?
    For me its Confusing, but maby someone knows the reason.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. PutridEx

    PutridEx

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2021
    Posts:
    1,136
    Go to your directional light, increase the samples to max. (high filtering settings, bottom of directional light inspector)
    Then there should be a setting called Angular something. That controls how soft your shadows are.
    Reduce it to 0, and from there increase it very slowly.
    That should fix it.

    The default value..
    upload_2022-4-1_15-20-15.png

    After that go back to your samples and reduce them slowly, until you find the least amount that gives you good quality.

    I find high-filtering to be more problematic which is a shame. I feel like it's abandoned.
    There's also issues with high-filtering and tessellation.
    And there's noise issues on geometry that isn't simple. Really limits the smoothness max value. Maybe it needs better denoising. Not sure.
     
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2022
  3. pierred_unity

    pierred_unity

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    May 25, 2018
    Posts:
    433
    Hey, these artifacts might be caused by the lack of temporal anti aliasing. High quality filtering requires TAA to look optimal (noise free).

    Just increasing samples with TAA off is not necessarily good practice.
     
    Strieglitz likes this.
  4. Strieglitz

    Strieglitz

    Joined:
    May 11, 2017
    Posts:
    13
    Thank you pierred_unity and PutridEx. Both of your Answers where realy helpfull. TAA Helped against the artifacts but there where still some left. The "called Angular something" => "Angular Diameter Scale for Softness" value was the solution to get rid of the leftover artifacts and smooth the Shadow. I did not even had to touch the "Filter Sample Count" value.

    Thank you two very much for the fast help.
     

    Attached Files: