[RELEASED] Warp Effect

The Warp Effect uses a multi pass shader which renders the effect on a streched high resolution sphere. You drag the prefab into your scene and place your space ship in the center of the effect. Please read the manual for more details on how to setup the effect correctly.

Testet in Unity 2018 - Unity 2021

Features

• Custom editor to changes everthing in one place.
  
• The color and transparency of the Warp Effect can be changed.
• The speed of the distortion can be changed in x and y direction.
• The speed of the stars can be changed.
• The brightness for each star layer can be changed.
  
• The start and end position of the stars can be changed.
• The rotation speed of each texture and emission map can be changed.
  
• The rotation speed of each star layer can be changed.
  
• The strength of the texture distortion can be changed. The higher the value the more waves will impact the warp textures.
• The tiling size of the distortion effect can be changed.
• The warp speed can be changed.
• Two emission maps and HDR emission color to light up the warp effect.
• Emission map distortion.
  
• Background distortion. The effect is only visible inside the warp sphere or if you look through the warp sphere. No fullscreen image effect.
  
• A set of prefabs you can use in your game.

Additionals:

• Distortion image effect shader for warp drop out.
• Warp audios

Restriction

Not testet on VR.


Asset Store: Warp Effect Built-in RP

Asset Store: Warp Effect URP / HDRP

Website

Documentation Built-in RP

Documentation URP / HDRP

 

Update 1.1.1 Released.

Changes:
- Small bugfix for Unity 2018.1.

 

Looks great. Purchased.

 

Thanks a lot. If you have any question let me know.

 

The next update is in the final testing. This update comes with a new background distortion effect which you know from EVE Online if you play the game. I have added a screenshot from the final testing below. You can change the strength and frequency of the effect and you can select between different distortion normal maps. The effect is only visible inside the warp sphere or if you look through the warp sphere.

This update include also a small bugfix which prevented the noise textures from being saved in the WarpPrefabParticleStars prefab.

 

Version 1.2.0 is live in the Asset Store.

v1.2.0 Changes:

• Update 1.2.0 comes with a new background distortion effect. You can change the strength and frequency of the distortion and you can select between different distortion normal maps included in the package. The effect is only visible inside of the warp sphere or if you look through the warp sphere. It is not a fullscreen image effect. The effect is only available in the WarpPrefabShaderStars prefab, because the effect would influence the particle stars in the WarpPrefabParticleStars prefab.
• The WarpPrefabParticleStars has a new cloud texture which rotate around the warp sphere to give it a more intersting look. Both prefabs now uses Shader Model 4 / DirectX 10.
• Audio files has been moved from the demo scenes to the main asset folder.
• This update include also a small bugfix which prevented the noise textures from being saved in the WarpPrefabParticleStars prefab.

 

Update 1.3.0 is in the final testing.

The new update 1.3.0 comes with new properties for the WarpPrefabShaderStars prefab. With this update you can change the brightness for each star layer independet and you can set a start- and endpoint for each star layer. I have added tooltips to the editor where needed. This update has a bugfix that prevent Tile Y from beeing saved correctly in the editor. I also added an example of how to start star layers rendered with a delay.

 

Update 1.3.0 is live in the Asset Store

Changes:

• Added new properties for the WarpPrefabShaderStars prefab to change the brightness of each star layer independently.
• Added new properties to set the start- and endpoint for each star layer.
• Added tooltips to the editor where needed.
• Bugfix that prevent Tile Y from beeing saved correctly in the editor.
• Added an example of how to start star layers rendered with a delay. You can find the example in the WarpOnOff demo script.

Check it out

Thanks
Dirk

 

Hello,

This look awesome, I am definitely in love of this one ...

I have two little questions :

1.Does it works fine on mobile device ?

2.Could you try to add (optionnal) some psychedelics effects like the very old sci-fi game called "captain Blood" ? So vintage sci-fi ....
Take a look to 11mn26s on this video

Thank you for your work !

 

Hello,

I am very pleased that you like it. I have not tested it on mobile yet, but I will test the effect on mobile soon. On my last test on my PC I had arround 400 FPS, so I think the performance is good enough for mobile.

Psychedelic warp is a good idea. I'll try to do something like that.

Best regards
Dirk

 

Hello,

I just made a little performance test with version 1.3.0

System:
Intel i7 4770K
GTX Titan 6GB
24 GB RAM

Result: 505 FPS. I don't want to go higher.

 

Hello Ateam_Studios,

I've just tested the Warp Effect on my iPhone 8 and it runs smooth at solid 60 FPS. I could not get higher because 60 FPS is max. on iOS.

Unfortunately, I have no newer android device to test it on Android.
I've only some old devices, but I think on a modern Android it works like it does on iOS.

I hope that answers your question.

Best regards,
Dirk

 

Hello Dirk,

Thank you to take the time for the test ...
Infact I've already buy your package , because you do a very good job and watching the warp effect again and again is just hypnotic.

So, I'm in!
I hope that you will continue to add some cool warp effects, I think that could interest other developpers who work on space projects.

Best regards,
Seb

 

Hello Seb,

I definitely continue working on it. I have a lot of ideas how to improve and / or expand it.

Best regards
Dirk

 

Hello everyone,

long time no news.

I have just uploaded a new video for the current development of my Warp Effect assets.

The new version has a moving emission map and a HDR emission color which make it possible to remove the front and back light from the effect and give you a better possibility to mix colors.. In the next steps I add the new emission map and emission color to the editor and update some of the warp textures.

Best regards

 

Hello everyone,

the new update 1.4.0 of the Warp Effect is live in the Asset Store.


Changes:

IMPORTANT: Before importing version 1.4.0 into your project, backup your project and delete your old version of the Warp Effect from your project.

• Added two emission maps and a HDR emission color to light up the warp effect.
• Front and back lights no longer needed.
• Added property to change the rotation speed of each star layer.
• Added new warp textures.
• Added new star texture.
• Added emission maps.
• Removed the old warp effect with particle stars.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Asset Store

Best regards,
Dirk

 

Is there a way I can trigger start and stop warp from playmaker? I'm trying to use this in VR and there is no keyboard so I'd like to map it to controller buttons

 

also, when I try this on an oculus go, it renders great on one eye, but the other eye still shows the Made with unity logo, am I doing something wrong?

 

Yep looks like it can only render in one one, is it something in the shader scrip then, perhaps it ant designed for that? Can it be made for it? it works pretty great in the one eye

 

Hi beowulfkaine,

I never used playmaker, but what I found in the playmaker manual is that you can send an event by name, so you could send an event to a script attached to the warp effect to activate or deactivate it.

To your 2nd question. Yes, the warp effect has currently no VR support, but let me look into it to find a solution.

 

Ok ill try that, do you know hat method I should send to start or stop the effect? also from what I can tell it works pretty perfect on Oculus go in the single eye, exactly what I need so if you need any testing done please let me know!

 

Hi, can you describe how you want to activate / deactivate the effect? It is hard for me to tell you how you could do it without that information. What I do in my game is, that I start the effect after a inital start animation sequence and I stop the effect if the ship reached the new target position.

 

That actually sounds exactly like how I’d like it to work! It seems like the effect almost instantly turns on when using the demo as opposed to easing into the effect. Can it have the same effect as when it stops? The space seems to warp and then the lines and then after it reaches the destination it slows and then fades to what you have now. It’s almost perfect as it is and has so much potential! I can wait to use it!

 

hey I just disabled the LeaveWarpEffect script and everything works perfect in both eyes! however I can't start or stop it other than disabling it

 

Really? That is strange.
Yes, you could enable it and change the warp speed so you have a smoother warp in or change the alpha value. And at the end you do it in the opposite direction. There are a lot of possibilities.

 

Looks great. I wish there could be start and stop transitions instead of being so abrupt

 

I think I will write a script for that transition.
Are you using version 1.4.0?

 

yea I bought it a couple days ago so whatever is on the store

 

ok so I just did an experiment, I disabled that script and tried to enable it after a few seconds and then invoke the Void Start Effect method. Enabling the script is what throws the eyes out for sure. Honestly, if thats the issue, maybe just changing the shape of the particles to seem like its beginning to stretch space and vice versa when it stops would even work.

 

Honestly, just playing with it now, can actually just use playmaker to adjust the particles from super slow to face to recreate the effect, thanks would totally work!

 

In your video it looks like you use version 1.3.x because the stars looks like particle effect. In the new version 1.4.0 everything works without particle effect stars. But before you update you should test the new version.

 

Oh yea your right, I was using the DemoWarpParticleStars scene, let me try it real quick with the other one

 

ok it looks like there is o way to initiate the star warp in the shader version without the offending script. With the articles I can just turn them on and off, the shader is based on the main script

 

Exactly.
Here is an example how I do the transition into warp. Before I activate the warp I slowly zoom in by changing the field of view and at the same time I blur out the whole screen with depth of field. And when the warp is activate I zoom out fast and deactivate depth of field. But I don't know if this is possible with VR because of the limitations. This gives the player the impression he is drawn into the warp

 

Yep I think I can mimic this if I just do it manually, one thing I’m concerned about is the star field being seen from within the space cockpit. I’m not sure how I can prevent the particles from enter the cabin. I may be able to make a sphere collider and have the particles destroyed on impact but I’m not sure if it would destroy the entire particle effect or just the individual particles on collision. I’ll have to test this out tonight.

One thing I’m toying with is different kinds of warp effect. The blue waves I wonder can be replaced maybe with another design type?

 

Yes, you can use a collider for the particles. That destroys only a single particle. And yes, you can use different textures for the blue waves. Just make your own and change the textures in the editor. If you select the warp effect game object you have an editor in the inspector where you can change everything, color, textures, warp speed and all this stuff.

 

Have you any ideas for more psychedelics effects ?

Have you seen this other new asset for Space Warp ?
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/?stay#!/content/141227

 

Hi, thanks for the link.
You can do more psychedelics effects. I have made some screenshots.
Is it what you are looking for?

 

Update 1.5.0 is available on the asset store.

Changes:

• You can now rotate all main textures and emission maps in clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.
  
• Increased the range for the star rotation speed.
  
• Small bugfixes.

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/particles-effects/warp-effect-112270

 

Hi,

during the development of my own game I find a problem with the Warp Effect, where the Warp Effect starts flickering. After some investigation I could find out that you can stop this flickering by set Light Probes from "Blend Probes" to "Off" in the WarpSphere mesh renderer. If you have the same effect try this out. I will upload an update soon.

How to find it in the WarpEffect prefab:

• WarpEffect
  • WarpSphereContainer
    • WarpSphere -> Mesh Renderer - Light Probes = off

Regards,
Dirk

 

Warp Effect 1.5.1 is live on the asset store.

Changes:

• Fixed a problem that caused an unexpected flickering of the WarpEffect.

 

Warp Effect 1.5.2 is live in the asset store.

Changes:

• Changed the shader lighting so the Warp Effect is no longer affected by light sources. It's no longer needed to put the Warp Effect on a seperate layer.

Asset Store

 

Hi everyone,

if you have updated to Unity 2019 and the new post processing version it could be possible that the Warp Leave Effect is no longer working. Here is the solution. For better performance Unity added the "Directly to Camera Target" setting to the post processing layer settings which is enabled by default. If you disable it the Warp Leave Effect works again.

 

Hello,

just want to let you know that update 1.6.0 is almost finished.

Here are the upcomming changes:

• You can select Add or Multiply to define how emission maps are merged.
  
• 5 new prefabs ready to use in your project.
  
• Prefab with the new experimental function.
  
• New textures.
  
• New experimental function for emission map distortion. (can be switched on or off)

Here is a preview video for the new emission map distortion function. With this function you can create some crazy warp effects.

 

Uploaded version 1.6.0 to the asset store.

 

Great Job! This last version seems amazing ...
Thank you for the update

 

Thank you.
The update should be available in a few days.

 

Update 1.6.0 is live in the asset store.

Changes:

• You can select Add or Multiply to define how emission maps are merged.
  
• 5 new prefabs ready to use in your project.
  
• Prefab with the new experimental function.
  
• New textures.
  
• New experimental function for emission map distortion.

If you have any questions or suggestions please let me know.
If you write a review, I would be very pleased.

 

Update 1.6.1 is live in the asset store.

Changes:

• Added emission map distortion scale.
• Added emission map distortion speed.

The next update will take a bit more time, because I will add a new feature that you can use in your space game. But I can't say anything about it yet, because at first I need to figure out how to do it in the best way.

If you have any questions or suggestions please let me know.
If you write a review, I would be very pleased.

Have a nice day!

 

Hey,
I just purchased your asset, and it looks visually stunning! However, I am making a mobile game and my scene is already a bit too heavy. Can you tell me a way to improve the performance and reduce the number of batches or vertices of the effects? I know that I will lose the good visuals as well. But I am looking for a more subtle version of a warp effect.