debug_materials

A debug_materials material is a default debug material. By using this material, you can adjust visibility of rendering buffers, or check how the scene looks on a certain stage of image composition. For example, how it is rendered with or without reflections. The material doesn't change the image rendered in the viewport: it is rendered atop as the debug image.

NoticeA debug_material is inherited from the base render_composite_deferred material. It isn't available in the Materials Editor, however, it can be found in the <UnigineSDK>/data/core/materials/default/render/ folder.

Prior Knowledge

This article assumes you have prior knowledge of the following topics. Please read them before proceeding:

States

The states described below should be disabled in the following cases:

If the debug material is used as a custom composite material that is used on the Deferred Composite stage of the rendering sequence.
Notice
The composite material can specified as an argument of the render_composite_deferred_material console command or in the Composite Materials field of the Settings window.
If the states will be enabled, sRGB correction and exposure will be rendered twice: first, on the Deferred Composite stage, and then, during the corresponding passes of the rendering sequence.
If the debug material renders buffers that don't require sRGB correction or exposure (for example, the albedo colors buffer).

sRGB

Toggles sRGB correction for the rendered image on and off.

Auto-Exposure

Toggles automatic exposure for the rendered image on and off. When enabled, the Exposure value specified via the Settings window is applied to the debug image.

This state isn't required when the material is used to visualize the rendering buffers.

For example, if the debug material renders the albedo colors buffer, there is no need to enable Auto-Exposure, as such material should visualize the albedo colors only, not more:

Textures

Mask Texture

Mask texture determines the area of the debug material rendering. The mask is one-channelled (R).

Parameters

Rendering Debug Image

The following parameters allow changing the debug image. For example, by adjusting these parameters, you can render several debug images with different debug materials in a single viewport.

Several Debug Images in a Single Viewport

Exposure

Exposure multiplier for the debug image.

X Offset

Multiplier for the horizontal offset of the debug image. Changing this value leads changing the position of the debug image relative to the viewport along the X axis.

The slider that allows changing the parameter value is limited to the range [0;1]. However, you can specify any value out of this range: both positive and negative values are allowed.

Y Offset

Multiplier for the vertical offset of the debug image. Changing this value leads changing the position of the debug image relative to the viewport along the Y axis.

The slider that allows changing the parameter value is limited to the range [0;1]. However, you can specify any value out of this range: both positive and negative values are allowed.

Width

Multiplier for the width of the debug image.

The slider that allows changing the parameter value is limited to the range [0;1]. However, you can specify any positive value out of this range.

Height

Multiplier for the height of the debug image.

The slider that allows changing the parameter value is limited to the range [0;1]. However, you can specify any positive value out of this range.

Intensity

Intensity of the debug image. This is the multiplier for the color of the debug image. The higher the value, the lighter and brighter the debug image is.

The intensity may be changed, for example, if the debug image is overexposed, or if it is too dark/bright to see all details of this image.

Transparency

Transparency of the debug image. When set to 1, the debug image is fully visible; at lower values, the debug image is blended with the final image rendered in the viewport or with the other debug material rendered before the current one (if several debug materials are used).

This parameter can be used, for example, to compare the debug image and the final image, or to create showreels.

Mask UV Transform

Mask texture coordinates transformation.

Debug Parameters

The parameters described below allow specifying how much a certain component of the render affects the final image rendered in the viewport.

NoticeThe parameters don't actually change contents of the rendering buffers: the debug image displays the result as if the contents of the buffers has been changed.

Sky Color

Sky color multiplier allows changing the background color. You can also adjust the alpha channel of the color to specify transparency of the sky.

Albedo Color

Albedo color multiplier. Using this parameter in pair with Albedo Visibility allows you to get the result as if the albedo colors buffer has been actually changed.

Albedo Visibility

Visibility factor for the albedo color multiplier that specifies how much this multiplier affects the final image.

Metalness

Metalness multiplier. By using this parameter, you can affect metalness of the scene: make all materials to be metals (Metalness = 1) or dielectrics (Metalness = 0). Using this parameter in pair with Metalness Visibility allows you to get the result as if the metalness stored in the shading buffer has been actually changed.

For example, if Metalness Visibility = 1, the result will be the following:

Metalness Visibility

Visibility factor for the metalness multiplier that specifies how much this multiplier affects the final image.

Baked Lightmap Visibility

Visibility factor for baked lightmaps. This value specifies how much lightmaps affect the final image.

Notice

If you need to show the baked lightmap buffer, this value should be greater than 0.

Baked AO Visibility

Visibility factor for baked ambient occlusion stored in the albedo colors buffer.

Notice

If you need to show the baked ambient occlusion buffer, this value should be greater than 0.

SSAO Visibility

Visibility factor for the SSAO effect.

Notice

If you need to show the SSAO buffer, this value should be greater than 0.

SSR Visibility

Visibility factor for the SSR effect.

Notice

If you need to show the SSR buffer, this value should be greater than 0.

SSGI Visibility

Visibility factor for the SSGI effect.

Notice

If you need to show the SSGI buffer, this value should be greater than 0.

Haze Visibility

Visibility factor for the atmosphere haze.

Environment Ambient Visibility

Visibility factor for the environment probe ambient lighting.

This parameter can be used to create a debug material that renders ambient lighting in the scene (check the preconfigured debug_ambient_light material as an example).

Environment Reflection Visibility

Visibility factor for the environment probe reflections.

This parameter can be used to create a debug material that renders reflections in the scene (check the preconfigured debug_reflections material as an example), or that renders the environment probes cubemaps (the preconfigured debug_cubemaps material).

Diffuse Lighting Visibility

Visibility factor for diffuse lighting.

This parameter can be used to create a debug material that renders diffuse lighting in the scene (check the preconfigured debug_diffuse_light material as an example).

Specular Lighting Visibility

Visibility factor for specular lighting.

This parameter can be used to create a debug material that shows how highlights in the scene are rendered (check the preconfigured debug_highlights material as an example).

Rendering Buffers Parameters

The Buffers group of the debug_material includes visibility parameters for all rendering buffers that are filled during image generation. These parameters allow specifying visibility of a rendering buffer on the current debug image.

Rendering Buffers Parameters

By default, all rendering buffers are invisible. By using these parameters, you can check how a certain buffer is rendered, or blend several buffers on the single debug image.

Notice

All buffers are blended by using alpha blending.