Cloud Layer

The Cloud Layer Volume component override controls an optional cloud layer you can add on top of any Sky. The cloud layer is a 2D texture blended with the sky that can be animated using a flowmap.

Using Cloud Layer

The Cloud Layer uses the Volume framework, so to enable and modify Cloud Layer properties, you must add a Cloud Layer override to a Volume in your Scene. To add Cloud Layer to a Volume:

  1. In the Scene or Hierarchy view, select a GameObject that contains a Volume component to view it in the Inspector.
  2. In the Inspector, navigate to Add Override > Sky and click on Cloud Layer.

After you add a Cloud Layer override, you must enable it in the override itself. In the override, Check the Enable property. HDRP now renders Cloud Layer for any Camera this Volume affects.

Using the default Cloud Map

HDRP includes an example Cloud Map texture named DefaultCloudLayer. This example Cloud Map is a read-only CustomRenderTexture. This means that, if you want to modify any of its properties, you need to create a duplicate of it and modify that instead. To duplicate the example Cloud Map:

  1. Duplicate the DefaultCloudLayer asset.
  2. Duplicate the Material referenced by the DefaultCloudLayer asset. This Material is called DefaultCloudLayerMaterial.
  3. In the Inspector for the new DefaultCloudLayer, assign the new DefaultCloudLayerMaterial to the Material property.

Customizing the Cloud Map

The Cloud Map is a 2D texture in LatLong layout (sometimes called Cylindrical or Equirectangular) that contains cloud opacity in the red channel. If Upper Hemisphere Only is checked, the map is interpreted as being the upper half of a LatLong texture. It means that it will only conver the sky above the horizon.

Customizing the Flowmap

The Flowmap must have the same layout as the cloud map, and is also subject to the Upper Hemisphere Only property. Only the red and green channel are used and they represent respectively horizontal and vertical displacement. For each of these channels, a value of 0.5 means no displacement, a value of 0 means a negative displacement and a value of 1 means a positive displacement.

Properties

Property Description
Enable Enables the cloud layer.
*Cloud Map Assign a Texture that HDRP uses to render the cloud layer. Refer to the section Using the default Cloud Map or Customizing the Cloud Map for more details.
Upper Hemisphere Only Check the box to display the cloud layer above the horizon only.
Tint Specifies a color that HDRP uses to tint the Cloud Layer.
Intensity Multiplier Set the multiplier by which HDRP multiplies the Cloud Layer color.
Rotation Use the slider to set the angle to rotate the Cloud Layer, in degrees.
Enable Distortion Enable or disable cloud motion using UV distortion.
- Distortion Mode Use the drop-down to select the method that HDRP uses to calculate the cloud distortion.
• Procedural: HDRP distorts the clouds using a uniform wind direction.
• Flowmap: HDRP distorts the clouds with a user provided flowmap.
-- Flowmap Assign a flowmap, in LatLong layout, that HDRP uses to distort UVs when rendering the clouds. Refer to the section Customizing the Flowmap for more details.
This property only appears when you select Flowmap from the Distortion Mode drop-down.
- Scroll direction Use the slider to set the scrolling direction for the distortion.
- Scroll speed Modify the speed at which HDRP scrolls the distortion texture.