Color by Speed module
The color of a particle can be set here to change according to its speed in distance units per second.
Using the Color by Speed module
This module is part of the Particle SystemA component that simulates fluid entities such as liquids, clouds and flames by generating and animating large numbers of small 2D images in the scene. More info
See in Glossary component. When you create a new Particle System GameObjectThe fundamental object in Unity scenes, which can represent characters, props, scenery, cameras, waypoints, and more. A GameObject’s functionality is defined by the Components attached to it. More info
See in Glossary, or add a Particle System component to an exiting GameObject, Unity adds the Color by Speed module to the Particle System. By default, Unity disables this module. To create a new Particle System and enable this module:
- Click GameObject > Effects > Particle System.
- In the InspectorA Unity window that displays information about the currently selected GameObject, asset or project settings, allowing you to inspect and edit the values. More info
See in Glossary, find the Particle System component. - In the Particle System component, find the Color by Speed module fold-out.
- To the left of the fold-out header, enable the checkbox.
API
Since this module is part of the Particle System component, you access it through the ParticleSystem class. For information on how to access it and change values at runtime, see the Color by Speed module API documentation.
Properties
For some properties in this section, you can use different modes to set their value. For information on the modes you can use, see Varying properties over time.
| Property | Function |
|---|---|
| Color | The color gradient of a particle defined over a speed range. |
| Speed Range | The low and high ends of the speed range to which the color gradient is mapped (speeds outside the range will map to the end points of the gradient). |
Details
Burning or glowing particles (such as sparks) tend to burn more brightly when they move quickly through the air (for example, when sparks are exposed to more oxygen), but then dim slightly as they slow down. To simulate this, you might use Color By Speed with a gradient that has white at the upper end of the speed range, and red at the lower end (in the spark example, faster particles will appear white while slower particles are red).