Rendering Settings

This panel allows adjusting the rendering settings of the world and can be invoked by pressing the R key (see Controls and Navigation). The panel has a set of tabs given below.

Rendering settings

Rendering Settings

This tab contains the basic settings.

Distance scale

Global distance scale for all distance parameters, such as the world rendering distance, shadow distance, LOD distances etc. This option allows a developer to easily increase or decrease rendering performance by changing the world extent.

Distance scale = 1

Distance scale = 0.3

World distance

Distance after which all nodes are not rendered or simulated (infinite by default).
The distance is measured from the camera to the node. If the camera is within node bounds, the node is rendered no matter the World distance set (as in case with a ground on the picture below).

World distance = inf

World distance = 10 units

Light distance

Distance after which the dynamic lights are not be rendered.

Light distance = inf

Light distance = 20 units

Object distance

Distance after which objects are not be rendered.

Shadow distance

Distance after which the shadows from light sources are not be rendered.

Shadow distance = 1200 units

Shadow distance = 80 units

Physics distance

Distance after which physical interactions will not be calculated. All physics-based nodes freeze if the distance between them and the camera is bigger than the Physics distance.

Physics distance = 40 units

Physics distance = inf

Decal distance

Distance after which decals will not be rendered.

Clutter distance

Distance after which clutter objects will not be rendered.

Reflection distance

Distance after which reflection will not be rendered.

Field distance

Distance, at which (and farther) fields are not rendered.

World budget

World generation time budget for the Grass and Clutter objects in frames per second.

Physics budget

Physics simulation time budget in frames per second.

Render budget

Render creation time budget in frames per second. The render budget limits the number of loaded / created graphics resources during frame according to the loading / creation time.

Ambient color

The color used to color all objects during the ambient rendering passes.

Do not use Ambient color to simulate the ambient light in the environment. Objects will look flat and non-realistic. Use an environment texture instead (the difference illustrated).
To avoid overglowing with HDR enabled, set it to almost black, but non-zero value.

Reflection color

Color that allows to adjust reflections of all meshes with reflective materials, i.e.:

mesh_reflection_2d_base
mesh_reflection_cube_base
mesh_paint_reflection_cube_base

and reflective tessellation materials:

mesh_tessellation_reflection_2d_base
mesh_tessellation_reflection_cube_base
mesh_tessellation_paint_reflection_cube_base

Background color

Solid color rendered on the scene background. It For example, this option allows to create brighter, richer sky colors with light scattering.

Default background color

Blue background

Environment

Environment cube map texture for image-based ambient lighting (light that is independent of direction). It realistically simulates light that comes from six main directions (per cube side). For example, objects are rendered bluish at the top (due to the sky color) and grayish or brownish at the bottom (due to the ground color).

Load, view or clear the environment cube-mapped texture.

To grab an environment texture, use Tools -> Grabber -> Mode: Cube. A very small texture can be used, 32x32 pixels is enough.

Environment texture (can be smaller)

Here is how the environment texture can increase the quality of the rendered scene.

No ambient light, no environment texture. Non-lit areas are black.

No ambient light
Ambient color is used. All surfaces are uniformly lit and look flat.

Ambient color
An environment texture is used. It is the best variant for ambient light since all objects are properly lit depending on surface normals.

Environment texture

Exposure

The brightness of ambient lighting according to the environment texture.

Exposure = 0.4

Exposure = 1.2

Render

Render postprocess materials applied before all other Unigine postprocess (such as HDR, DOF, etc.) are rendered. Several materials are separated by a comma (without whitespace). Custom postprocesses can also be set.
For example, post_filter_scattering is set here. This way, subsurface scattering will be rendered first, and then correctly blurred with DOF.

Composite

This field allows to set the name of a custom composite shader. It will be used for the final composition of the full-screen image instead of the default one.

Post

Post postprocess materials applied at the end, after all other postprocess (such as HDR, DOF, etc.) are rendered. Such postprocesses, when applied to the screen image, affect HDR flares, glowing areas and so on. Several materials are separated by a comma (without whitespace). Custom postprocesses can also be set.

Here is an example with post_blur_radial material.

Radial blur post material

The tab contains different parameters that control some node or material settings across the whole world. That includes tessellation, vegetation animation and light probes.

Stereo distance	This option is only for custom stereo rendering (available stereo modes have their own viewing settings). The focal distance. It is the distance in the world space to the point where two views line up, i.e. distance to the zero parallax plane.
Stereo radius	This option is only for custom stereo rendering (available stereo modes have their own viewing settings). The radius of stereo (half of the separation distance between the cameras, i.e. between eyes).
Stereo offset	A virtual camera offset (an offset after the perspective projection).

Animation stem	Global scale for movement amplitude of vegetation stems. It scales Stem offset parameter for mesh_stem_base, mesh_leaf_base and grass_base materials.
Animation leaf	Global scale for rotation angle of vegetation leaves. It scales the Leaf offset parameter for mesh_leaf_base material.
Animation scale	Global scale for speed of vegetation swaying. It scales Stem scale and Leaf scale parameters for mesh_stem_base, grass_base and mesh_leaf_base materials.
Animation wind	A multiplier for the stem offset under wind. It sets the direction of wind for all vegetation (grass and trees).
Global mask	A mask that determines rendering of the LightProb-based global illumination. For the LightProb to light a scene around it, at least one bit of this mask should match the light mask.of the probe light.
Global distance	A distance up to which the LightProb-based global illumination is rendered.
Global attenuation	An attenuation factor for the LightProb-based global illumination. The larger this value is, the smoother and across the larger distance the global illumination fades out.
Global bias	The Fresnel effect bias for specular highlights when rendering the LightProb-based global illumination. The higher the value, the brighter specular highlights are at all viewing angles.
Global power	The Fresnel effect power for specular highlights when rendering the LightProb-based global illumination. It defines the amount of reflectance depending on the viewing angle: Low values provide good reflectance even at the large viewing angle, when looking from above. High values provide the reflectance only at the small viewing angle, when close to the surface.
Global diffuse	A diffuse light multiplier for the LightProb-based global illumination.
Global specular	A specular light multiplier for the LightProb-based global illumination.

The tab contains settings related to both screen-space ambient occlusion mapping and indirect illumination.

The following settings are used for the screen-space ambient occlusion:

Ambient Occlusion Settings

Notice

The settings of the screen-space ambient occlusion can be adjusted if the Occlusion is enabled on the Main Settings panel.

Ambient screen radius	Distance in the screen space, within which the geometry is sampled to compute self-shadowing. The number of sampled points is strictly defined and depends on shader quality. By the minimum value of 0, self-shadowing is not calculated. The maximum value of 0.2. However, when the area of sampling is large, the result appears dispersed and the performance decreases.
Ambient sample radius	Distance for each of the points in the world space, up to which they can shadow their neighbouring points: By low values, each point can shadow only the points in the close range. By high values, each point shadows farther positioned points.
Ambient perspective	Perspective compensation for the ambient occlusion. When at the far distance, the sample radius will be automatically increased, if a value higher than 1 is set.
Ambient attenuation	Coefficient that compensates for falloff of the ambient occlusion with a distance, making it more prominent. The lower the value, the less the ambient occlusion effect fades out with the distance.
Ambient threshold	Depth threshold used to filter ambient occlusion. It specifies the maximum possible depth between sampled points in two pixels, to filter them together. This option allows you to have sharp edges, while having smooth ambient occlusion on flat surfaces.
Ambient emitter normal	Coefficient indicating if the points can shadow their neighbouring points in all directions or only along their normal vectors. By the minimum value of 0, each point casts shadows in all directions. By the maximum value of 1, each point shadows their neighbours strictly along its normal vector.
Ambient receiver normal	Coefficient indicating if the points can be shadowed by other points from all directions or only along their normal vectors. By the minimum value of 0, each point receives the shadow from all directions. By the maximum value of 1, each point receives the shadow only along its normal vector.
Ambient scale	Brightness of shadows: By the minimum value of 0, the ambient occlusion shadowing is the lightest. By the maximum value of 1, the ambient occlusion shadowing is the darkest.
Ambient power	Power of the ambient occlusion. For this parameter the Ambient scale should not equal 0. The higher the value, the darker ambient occlusion shadowing is and the more contrast the rendered image appears.

The following settings are used for the screen-space indirect illumination:

Indirect Illumination Settings

Notice

The settings of the screen-space indirect illumination can be adjusted if the Global Illumination is enabled on the Main Settings panel.

Light screen radius	Distance in the screen space, within which the geometry and its color are sampled to compute indirect illumination. The number of sampled points is strictly defined and depends on shader quality. By the minimum value of 0, indirect illumination is not calculated. The maximum value of 0.2. However, when the area of sampling is large, the result appears dispersed and the performance decreases.
Light sample radius	Distance for each of the points in the world space, up to which they can illuminate their neighbouring points: By low values, each point can illuminate with its color only the points in the close range. By high values, each point shares its color with farther positioned points.
Light perspective	Perspective compensation for the light (directional) occlusion. When at the far distance, the sample radius will be automatically increased, if a value higher than 1 is set.
Light attenuation	Coefficient that compensates for falloff of the light (directional) occlusion with a distance, making it more prominent. The lower the value, the less the global illumination effect fades out with the distance.
Light threshold	Depth threshold used to filter light (directional) occlusion. It specifies the maximum possible depth between sampled points in two pixels, to filter them together. This option allows you to have sharp edges, while having smooth global illumination on flat surfaces.
Light emitter normal	Coefficient indicating if the points can illuminate their neighbouring points in all directions or only along their normal vectors. By the minimum value of 0, each point is like an omni light that illuminates in all directions. By the maximum value of 1, each point illuminates their neighbours strictly along its normal vector.
Light receiver normal	Coefficient indicating if the points can be illuminated by other points from all directions or only along their normal vectors. By the minimum value of 0, each point receives the color from all directions. By the maximum value of 1, each point receives the color only along its normal vector.
Light scale	Brightness scale for indirect illumination. The higher the value, the lighter the colors of indirect illumination will be.
Light power	Power of indirect illumination. The higher the value, the darker the colors of indirect illumination will be.

The tab contains settings of atmospheric light scattering.

Notice

Light scattering and resulting sky color directly depends on camera's far clipping settings.
In the editor and in the world camera clipping settings may differ, causing different colors.

Sun color	The color of the solar disk.
Ray color	The color used for the Rayleigh scattering (scattering of small molecules).
Mie color	The color used for the Mie scattering (scattering of larger particles).
Inner angle	The angle forming the inner circle of the solar disk, which has the defined brightness. The value has to be smaller than the outer angle as the difference between them determines the solar disk size.
Outer angle	The angle forming the fading outer circle of the solar disk. The value has to be greater than the inner angle as the difference between them determines the solar disk size.
Refractive	Atmosphere refractive index (for Rayleigh scattering): The refractive index of air is 1.0003 in the visible spectrum.
Density	The number of molecules per unit volume (for Rayleigh scattering): The number of molecules per unit volume in air at standard temperature and pressure is considered *2.5410²⁵**.
Depolarization	The depolarization factor (for Rayleigh scattering): The value of 0.035 is considered standard for air.
Turbidity	The atmosphere turbidity (for Mie scattering): The higher the value, the higher the amount of haze in the atmosphere.
Ground level	The ground zero level: Negative values allow simulating higher atmosphere layers. Positive values simulate atmospheric conditions below sea level.
Aerial	Aerial perspective scale: The higher the value, the higher the atmospheric curvature. For example, high values allow to simulate thin atmosphere and darken the sky.
Ray height	The height in units up to which Rayleigh scattering is spread.
Mie height	The height in units up to which Mie scattering is spread.
Angularity	A coefficient that compensates for the angular distribution of Rayleigh light scattering. This compensation allows creating a uniformly lit sky instead of a physically-correct one that depends on the sun angle.
Threshold	Distance threshold for Mie scattering: The higher the value, the closer distance to the camera that will be affected by Mie scattering.
Direction	Direction of light scattering.
Default	The default scattering settings.
Greenstein	The directionality factor of light scattering by small particles (for Mie scattering): By the minimum value of 0, the light is scattered isotropically all over the horizon. By the maximum value of 1, the Mie scattering is concentrated around the sun.
Energy	The intensity of the sunlight. The higher the value, the more brighter the sky color.
Power	Scattering power that determines the distance to apply scattering attenuation (both Mie and Rayleigh): The default value of 1 means the settings-based scattering attenuation. By higher values, the attenuation starts further towards to the horizon. By lower values, the attenuation starts closer to the camera.
Sun	The brightness of the solar disk.
Ray	Rayleigh scattering intensity.
Mie	Mie scattering intensity.
Earth	Sets all of the scattering parameters to the Earth's ones.

The tab contains settings for rendering post-processes: motion blur, volumetric shadows and glow.

Refraction red

Refraction displacement for red channel (based on the refraction texture of refractive materials). It can be used to create light dispersion (chromatic aberrations).

By the default value of 0, there is no dispersion for refracted light in red channel.

$No refraction dispersion$

No refraction dispersion

$Refraction Red and Green$

Dispersion per channel: Red = 0.8, Green = 0.9, Blue = 1

Refraction green

Refraction displacement for green channel (based on the refraction texture of refractive materials). It can be used to create light dispersion (chromatic aberrations).

By the default value of 0, there is no dispersion for refracted light in green channel.

Refraction blue

Refraction displacement for blue channel (based on the refraction texture of refractive materials). It can be used to create light dispersion (chromatic aberrations).

By the default value of 0, there is no dispersion for refracted light in blue channel.

Motion blur linear

Amount of the motion blur when the player moves linearly.

The higher the value, the more blurred the screen image will be when the camera moves in any direction.

Motion blur angular

Amount of the motion blur when the player rotates.

The higher the value, the more blurred the screen image will be when the camera turns in any direction.

Motion blur velocity

Amount of the motion blur for the moving physical objects (with physical bodies assigned).

The higher the value, the more blurred the objects will appear when moving.

Maximum velocity

The maximum possible amount of the motion blur for moving physical objects. When their body velocity exceeds the the set value, they still will not be blurred any further.

Volumetric exposure

The exposure used for rendering volumetric shadows:

By the minimum value of 0, there are no volumetric shadows visible.
By the maximum value of 1, there volumetric shadows are the most dark and distinct.

Volumetric length

The length of volumetric shadows:

By the minimum value of 0, there are no volumetric shadows visible.
By the maximum value of 1, the volumetric shadows spread along the furthest distance, but are light in color.

Volumetric attenuation

How fast volumetric shadows fade out along their length:

By the value of 1 there is no additional attenuation.
The lower the value, the smaller the shadow is.

Glow threshold

The brightness threshold, which is used to detect, if an object is bright enough to produce glow:

By the minimum value of 0, all bright objects are rendered glowing.
The higher the value, the more bright the object should be to produce glow.

Glow small

Brightness of the small-radius glow. This glow effect is rendered most close to the glowing surface and creates object-shaped highlight.

Small-radius glow

Glow medium

Brightness of the medium-radius glow. This glow effect creates a medium-sized halo close to the glowing surface.

Medium-radius glow

Glow large

Brightness of the large-radius glow. This glow effect creates a large-sized halo around the glowing surface.

Large-radius glow

The tab contains settings used to create the depth of field effect.

Effect is represented as Gaussian blur DOF and set via render_dof 1 console command.

To create the DOF effect in your application, you need to do three basic things:

Set the point of focus with the Focal distance.
Set the length of in-focus area with non-zero Near blur range (before the point of focus) and Far blur range (after the point of focus).
Set the Far blur radius and Near blur radius.

Focal distance

The focal distance of the camera. It sets a line where objects are in focus and can be seen clearly.

The higher the value, the further from the camera the in-focus area will be.
Focal distance is only a reference point. The width of the in-focus area is defined by Near blur range and Far blur range parameters.

NoticeIf the Focal distance is set to 0 (i.e. objects right in front of the camera are in focus), there is no near blurring distance. It means that all the other Near parameters are ignored.

Focal distance = 10 units

Focal distance = 30 units

Far blur range

Far blur range is measured from the Focal distance point and away from the camera. It sets the length of the area (in units) within which objects are focused out, i.e. become blurred in the background.

The higher the value, the farther from the camera spreads the transition area between non-blurred area to the blurred one. As a result, you can see more objects in focus.
By the minimum value of 0, there is no smooth transition. Everything that is farther than the Focal distance point, is abruptly blurred.
Notice
If the Near blur range is also equal to 0, there will be no in-focus area at all.

Far blur range = 4 units

Far blur range = 13 units

Far blur radius

Far blur radius is used for the out-of-focus objects that are outside Far blur range.

The higher the value, the more blurred the out-of-focus areas are.

Blur radius = 0.5

Blur radius = 2

Far blur power

Far blur power acts the same way as the Near blur power — it determines how fast the objects become blurred across the far blur range.

By low value, objects become blurred right after the Focal distance point.
By high the value, it takes long distance for objects to become blurred.

Far focal range

Far focal range determines the area between the focal point and objects in crisp focus (not blurred).

Far focal scale

Far focal csale is an interpolation coefficient between a non-blurred screen image and a blurred one. Shifts the Far blur range closer to the camera.

The higher the value, the less is the Far blur range and the closer the blurring starts to the camera.

Far focal power

Far focal power also acts the same way as the Near focal power. It allows to adjust the DOF across the far blur range. But unlike the Far blur power, it tweaks both the rate of blurring and intensity of bokeh at the same time.

By low value, objects become out-of-focus right after the Focal distance point.
By high the value, they stay in-focus up to the very end of the far blur range.

Near blur range

Near blur range is measured from the Focal distance point towards the camera. It sets the length of the area (in units) within which objects are focused on, i.e. become clearly seen.

The higher the value, the closer to the camera spreads the transition area between blurred area to non-blurred one. As a result, you can see more objects in focus.
By the minimum value of 0, there is no smooth transition. Everything that is closer than the Focal distance point, is abruptly blurred.
Notice
If the Far blur range is also equal to 0, there will be no in-focus area at all.
If the Focal distance is set to 0, Near blur range parameter is ignored.

Near blur range = 4 units

Near blur range = 13 units

Near blur radius

Near blur radius is used for the out-of-focus objects that are outside Near blur range.

The higher the value, the more blurred the out-of-focus areas are.

Near blur power

Near blur power determines how fast the objects become blurred across the near blur range.

By low value, objects become blurred very close to the Focal distance point.
By high the value, it takes long distance for objects to become blurred.

Near blur power = 0.2

Near blur power = 1.5

Near focal range

Near focal range determines the area between the focal point and objects in crisp focus (not blurred).

Near focal scale

Near focal csale is an interpolation coefficient between a non-blurred screen image and a blurred one. Shifts the Near blur range closer to the camera.

The higher the value, the less is the Near blur range and the closer the blurring starts to the camera.

Near focal power

Near focal power also allows to adjust the DOF across the near blur range. But unlike the Near blur power, it tweaks both the rate of blurring and intensity of bokeh at the same time.

By low value, objects become out-of-focus very close to the Focal distance point (right before it).
By high the value, they stay in-focus up to the very end of the near blur range.

Near focal power = 0.2

Near focal power = 1.5

The tab contains settings for color correction of the scene.

Brightness	Correction of the overall scene brightness: Positive values lighten the colors up to white. Negative values darken the colors up to black.
Contrast	Correction of the overall scene contrast: Positive values increases the contrast. Negative values decreases the contrast.
Saturation	Correction of the overall scene saturation: The higher the value, the more saturated and vibrant the colors are. The lower the value, the duller and more colorless the colors are.
Gamma	Correction of the overall scene gamma.
White	White balance of the scene.
LUT texture	The loading, viewing or clearing of the Look-Up Table texture for color transformation.

In This Article:

Common

Parameters

Occlusion

Scattering

Postprocess

DOF

Color