Unity Toon Shader 0.5.0-preview Manual

What is Unity Toon Shader?

Unity Toon Shader(Unity-Chan Toon Shader 3) is a toon shader for images and video that is designed to meet the needs of creators working on cel-shaded 3DCG animations. Unlike other pre-render toon shaders, all features can be adjusted in real time on Unity, which is the greatest feature of Unity Toon Shader..

Unity Toon Shader has all the feature of UTS2 v.2.0.7.5, and been implemented as an uber shader, whitch is compatible with Legacy (Built-in), Universal RP and HDRP.

Introduction to Unity Toon Shader.

Unity Toon Shader is a toon shader for images and video that is designed to meet the needs of creators working on cel-shaded 3DCG animations.

This Toon shader is configured to easily produce all shadows essential to character designs, such as those that accentuate the form of various parts of a character model, without having to worry about the position and intensity of light sources. Shadow color settings can also be used to make it easy for the person responsible for color design to create shadows.

One of this shader’s particularly powerful features is the ability to adjust shadows using sliders within the shader itself, eliminating the need for multiple light sources.

In addition to the 3 basic layers of Base Color, 1st Shade Color, and 2nd Shade Color, colors and textures can also accept a wide variety of customization options, such as High Color, Rim Light, MatCap (sphere mapping), and Emissive (light emission).

The level of gradation between colors can also be adjusted in Unity in real-time.

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When the shadow on the character's face falls upward, highlights appear on the hair, a unique UTS effect that can be achieved in real time without compositing by applying the Shading Grade Map.

This shader also has 2 options for creating fixed shadows necessary to the design: the Position Map, which assigns a set casting point to each shadow, and the Shading Grade Map, which can adjust shadow intensity based on the lighting.
There are several other convenient tools for things like how visible eyes and eyebrows are through bangs, which can further emphasize an anime-style look.

In short, Unity Toon Shader makes a wide variety of character designs possible, from cel-shaded to light novel illustration styles.
Of course, it also supports Unity’s system shadow feature.

In addition, Unity Toon Shader allows for non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) to create any picture-like element that can be made with Universal Render Pipeline/Lit shader that supports physical-based rendering (PBR).

Several techniques have been implemented to beautifully display characters in a variety of lighting environments, thanks to recent feedback from VRChat users.

See for yourself by coloring your best character model with Unity Toon Shader.
You may be surprised to see your character looking better than ever before.

This manual focuses on the latest version of Unity Toon Shader: Unity Toon Shader v.0.5.0-preview.
In this manual, the screen of Unity Toon Shader for Universal Render Pipeline is used as an example, but the ones for the Legacy (Built-in) and HDRP versions are alomost the same with URP, so please read it accordingly.

Starting using Unity Toon Shader

You can start using Unity Toon Shader by assigning the Toon shader in the Universal Render Pipeline group to a new material in the Shaders menu of the Material Inspector. Here are the steps to take.

NOTE

  • If your rendering pipeline is Legacy (Built-In), the shader to select in 3. will be Toon (Built-in).
  • If your rendering pipeline is HDRP, the shader to select in 3. will be HDRP/Toon.
    The Toon shader should be switched to match the pipeline.
  1. Open the "+" menu in the Project window and select Material to create a new material.
  1. Select the new material that you have created. Looking at the Inspector, it currently has the Universal Render Pipeline/Lit shader assigned to it.
  1. Open the Shaders menu in the Inspector, select Universal Render Pipeline from the Shaders window, and then select Toon.
  1. The material shaders are changed. Make sure that Universal Render Pipeline/Toon is assigned by the Inspector. By default, the most basic Unity Toon Shader, the Double Shade With Feather workflow, is assigned.

Unity Toon Shader as an Uber Shader

Unitychan Toon Shader v.2.0.7.5, predecessor of Unity Toon Shader, consisted of various specialized feature shaders. Now, all the shaders are integrated into two uber shaders. The difference between two shaders is just one is ready for tessellation but the other is not..

Unity Toon Shader has been redesigned as an integrated shader (Uber shader), allowing you to do all the work in one or two Toon shader.

All functions are able to be used by selecting what you need in the Material Inspector.

Switch Workflow mode

Original UTS2 v.2.0.7.5 has two workflow modes, the DoubleShadeWithFeather shader and its more advanced version, the ShadingGradeMap shader. In Unity Toon Shader, you can switch between these two shaders by selecting Workflow Mode, which is almost at the top of the Material Inspector.

The default is DoubleShadeWithFeather and the difference between the two workflows will be explained later.

To use special features such as the stencil function

Special functions such as stencils, various cutouts, and transparent functions, which previously required switching the Unity Toon Shader shader itself according to the combination of each function, are now all grouped together in the Basic Shader Settings menu as operation modes.
Users can freely combine the functions they want by activating each operating mode.

Each operating mode will be explained later.

Compatibility with the UTS2 v.2.0.7.5 materials for legacy pipeline

The UTS2 v.2.0.7.5 materials for Lecgacy pipeline are compatible with the Unity Toon Shader materials in terms of material property settings.
Therefore, if you copy the UTS2 into the Universal Render Pipeline environment and switch the shader to Universal Render Pipeline/Toon, the values of the workflow mode, texture name, blur stage, etc., will be reflected as they are.

For the special functions such as Stencil and Cutoff that were switched according to the shader file in UTS2 v.2.0.7.5, follow the above steps to activate each operating mode from the Basic Shader Settings menu.

↑ Under the environment of Universal Render Pipeline, the UTS2 v.2.0.7.5 material for the legacy pipeline is not correctly rendered as like in the left figure, but when the shader is switched to Universal Render Pipeline/Toon, it comes to be correctly displayed.

Sellection of Workflow Mode

Unity Toon Shader has two main workflow modes.

  • DoubleShadeWithFeather : The standard workflow mode for Unity Toon Shader. Allows for 2 shade colors (Double Shade Colors) and gradation between colors (Feathering).
  • ShadingGradeMap: A more advanced workflow mode. In addition to the DoubleShadeWithFeather features, this shader can also hold a special map called a ShadingGradeMap.

Both types have the same basic features, so the same look can be achieved with either type by matching the color (_Step) and gradation (_Feather) values.
Choosing which workflow to use is a matter of personal taste, but generally DoubleShadeWithFeather is more suited to cel styles that need sharp, well defined colors, while ShadingGradeMap may be better for illustrated styles where the colors are more blurred together.

You can switch between the two workflow modes at any time from the Workflow Mode menu near the top of the Material Inspector.

How to activate the each Special Feature Mode

For the legacy UTS2 v.2.0.7.5, the shader-specific special features that were distinguished by suffix names such as Transparent, StencilMask, StencilOut, Clipping, or TransClipping, you can enable them from the settings of each special feature mode in the Basic Shader Settings for Unity Toon Shader.

There are three special features that can be added to the basic shader from each special feature mode.

  1. Transparent Shader : Add transparent or translucent function to the basic shader.
  2. StencilMask or StencilOut Shader : Add stencil function to the basic shader.
  3. Clipping Shader or TransClipping Shader : Add clipping function to the basic shader.

Note If you are using the Material Inspector in the All Properties view, please click the Change CustomUI button to return to the Unity Toon Shader Custom Inspector view after changing all modes. Returning to the Unity Toon Shader Custom Inspector view, the required shader keywords are set and each operating mode is enabled.

Transparent Shader

By setting Transparent Mode to On, it becomes a shader for transparent/translucent materials. At this time, the TransClipping function is always enabled.

If Auto Queue is set to Active, the best Render Queue will be set.
If you are stacking multiple translucent materials and the rendering order doesn't look correct, you should set the Auto Queue to Off to set a custom render queue. Set the value to Render Queue as appropriate to achieve correct drawing.
If you want to learn more about the values you set for the Render Queue, refer to the item Rendering Order - Queue tag from Unity manual.

StencilMask or StencilOut Shader

Set the Stencil Mode to add the stencil function. By using the stencil function, you can create an expression such as eyebrows that penetrate the bangs, which is often used in anime and illustration expressions.

  1. Off : Turns off the stencil function.
  2. StencilOut : Assign the material to use as the transparent part. It must be paired with some StencilMask materials. In the below example, this is the material used for the Bangs part, so the Eyebrows part looks transparent.
  3. StencilMask : Assign the material to use as the part that is drawing through the surface in front. It must be paired with a StencilOut material. In the below example, you can assign it to the material for the Eyebrows part. It will always show through the bangs part.

[Note] This feature is solely for Legacy (Built-in), Universal RP. UTS/HDRP version is not ready for Stencil feature as stencil buffer is used for other purpose inside HDRP. There is no plans to implement stencil feature for UTS/HDRP version. If stencil features are necessary, please consider to use legacy (Built-in) or Universal RP. The feature difference among render pipelines are noted in Feature Model.

Clipping Shader or TransClipping Shader

The basic shader function can have a clipping mask by activating each function from Clipping Mode or Trans Clipping. Clipping masks allow you to cut out textures (called as cutouts or dissolves).

Clipping Mode (in case of DoubleShadeWithFeather)

  1. Off : Turn off the clipping function.
  2. On: Activate the clipping function.
  3. TransClippingMode: Set the clipping function to a higher performance trans clipping. This mode allows you to cut out textures by taking into account the alpha transparency of the mask. The load is higher than the normal clipping function, even though it allows for cleaner clipping.

Trans Clipping (in the case of ShadingGradeMap)

  1. Off : Turn off the trans clipping function.
    2.On : Activate the trans clipping function. With the Trans clipping function, you can cut out texture by taking into account the alpha transparency of the mask.

Helper shaders

It was deprecated in Unity Toon Shader.

Unity Toon Shader Setting Menu：Unity Toon Shader Custom Inspector

From here, you will know the function of the user interface Unity Toon Shader Custom Inspector which sets each function of Unity Toon Shader.

Unity Toon Shader Custom Inspector(left below) can switch to the conventional property list type inspector(right below) by clicking the Show All Properties button.

You can restore the UI style of Inspector with the Change CustomUI button.
Some of the settings in the Inspector of property list type are validated by going back to the Unity Toon Shader Custom Inspector. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you usually use the Unity Toon Shader Custom Inspector.

1. Basic Shader Settings Menu

In this menu, you will make basic settings for Unity Toon Shader.
In addition to selecting the two basic workflow modes, you can add a variety of special functions to the basic shaders by turning on and off various function modes.

Item Function Property
日本語マニュアル Using the browser jumps to the Unity Toon Shader Japanese official manual.
English Manual Using the browser jumps to the Unity Toon Shader English official manual.
Workflow Mode Choose your prefer workflow mode from either DoubleShadeWithFeather or ShadingGradeMap.
Culling Mode Designates which side of a polygon will not be drawn (culling). Available options are: Culling Off (both sides drawn) / Culling Front (front side culling) / Culling Back (back side culling). Back is selected by default. In some cases, selecting Culling Off can cause the normal map and lighting to display strangely. _CullMode
Auto Queue When Active, the render queue is set appropriately according to the function of the shader. When Off, you can set a custom render queue by entering a value in the Render Queue box below.
Render Queue Set the value of the custom render queue.
Transparent Mode Turn the transparent/translucency function On / Off. If you set the transparent mode to On, the clipping will automatically switch to TransClippingMode.
Stencil Mode Set the stencil function. The stencil function is disabled by Off. Switching to StencilOut or StencilMask activates the respective stencil function.
Stencil No Used by StencilMask　/　StencilOut modes. Designates a stencil reference number between 0 - 255 (note that in some cases 255 carries a special significance). Matches the number for the cutting material and the material to be cut. _StencilNo
Clipping Mode Set the clipping function when the workflow mode is DoubleShadeWithFeather. Off disables the clipping function and On enables the clipping function. When set to TransClippingMode, the alpha channel of the mask is taken into account in the clipping.
Trans Clipping When workflow mode is ShadingGradeMap, set the transclipping function to take into account the alpha channel of the mask. Off disables the clipping function and On enables the clipping function.
Clipping Mask Used by Clipping / TransClipping modes. Designates the grayscale clipping mask. White indicates none. If no settings are chosen, the clipping feature will be inactive. _ClippingMask
Inverse Clipping Mask Inverts the clipping mask. _Inverse_Clipping
Clipping Level Designates the strength of the clipping mask. _Clipping_Level
Transparency Level Used by TransClipping shaders. Adjusts the transparency level by treating the clipping mask grayscale level as an α value. _Tweak_transparency
Use BaseMap αas Clipping Mask A property only found in TransClipping shaders. Checking this property will use the A channel, including the BaseMap, as a clipping mask. Designating a ClippingMask is not required. _IsBaseMapAlphaAsClippingMask
Option Menu The list of Optional features is below.
Current UI Type The current selection of user interface is displayed on the button. By pressing the button, you can switch UTS's GUI to Beginner mode. In Beginner mode, you can control basic UTS functions only. Toggle back to Pro / Full Controll mode.
Game Recommendation Set up convenient settings for enjoying Game/VRChat, where various lighting environments are mixed together, all at once. When setting up for Game/VRChat, recommend you to start from this button first.

Note: Game Remommendation feature : Useful functions for VRChat/Game users

Caution As of November 2021, VRChat is not adopting the universal render pipeline and HDRP. For the present, please use legacy(Built-in) shader.

Unity Toon Shader is a general purpose toon shader that can be used in various projects in Unity.
At the same time, toon shaders are basically for use under directional light with an intensity value of about 1, so they need to be set up properly under other scene lighting environments.
The Game Recommendation feature advises you on the best settings for each material of Unity Toon Shader.
If you enjoy Unity Toon Shader on VRChat, you can use the following convenient functions to enjoy the stable features of VRChat in various environments while taking advantage of Unity Toon Shader's advanced features.

When setting up materials on Unity Toon Shader

When you set up each material in Unity Toon Shader, please execute the Game Recommendation in the Basic Shader Settings> Option Menu.
By executing this command, Unity Toon Shader will become familiar with various VRChat lighting environments.
If you upload your avatar on VRChat and it feels different from what you intended, you should try this command first.

If you want to brighten the appearance of characters in dark worlds

After executing the Game Recommendation, you may want to adjust the appearance of the character in a dark world, which has only point lights, more brightly.
In that case, you can raise the brightness in dark world by adjusting the Unlit Intensity slider in the Environmental Lighting Contributions Setups menu.

Hint：Unlit Intensity is a function that boosts the brightness of the material in dark places while taking into consideration the brightness of the environment, so it can not be extremely bright in a world where the original environment lightings are set to be dark.

However, in a dark world, the post effect's bloom is often set to strong as well. In such a world, if the value of Unlit Intensity is set to over 1 (default value), it is also susceptible to bloom, so be careful with it.

When using Unity Toon Shader with other photometric lights in HDRP scene setting

Many of the photometric lights used in HDRP have intensity values set much higher than the traditional Legacy (built-in) and URP lights.
When using Unity Toon Shader in such HDR light environments, it is very useful to actively use the optimal settings via the Game Recommendation.
In particular, if the Unity Toon Shader is displayed in the scene view with blown white, you can suppress those blown white phenomena and bring out the color of each material.

2. Basic Three Colors and Control Maps Setups Menu

This Menu defines the basic colors used by Unity Toon Shader: the Base Color, 1st Shade Color, and 2nd Shade Color.
These colors are arranged in order from the light source’s direction, Base Color⇒ 1st Shade Color ⇒ 2nd Shade Color.
Each color is determined by multiplying each pixel in the texture by each color, then multiplying by the light color.

※ Hint: The Shade Colors do not have to be darker than the Base Color, and there’s nothing wrong with making the 2nd Shade Color lighter than the 1st Shade Color. In fact, doing so can give the impression of reflecting light from the environment..

※ Hint: The design of the content determines whether the 2nd Shade Color is used or not. If it is not used, there is also no need to designate one..

From the submenu, you can also set the sharing setting of texture for basic three colors, normal map, shadow control maps.

Item Function Property
BaseMap Designates the Base Color texture and the color which is multiplied by the BaseMap. If there is no designated texture, this color will be set as the Base Color. By pressing the right button, you can apply the texture specified in BaseMap to1st ShadeMap. _MainTex, _BaseColor, _Use_BaseAs1st
1st_ShadeMap Designates the 1st Shade Color texture and the color which is multiplied by the 1st_ShaderMap. If there is no designated texture, this color will be used as the 1st Shade Color. By pressing the right button, the texture specified in 1st ShadeMap will also be applied to2nd ShadeMap. If 1st Shade Map also sharesBaseMap at the same time, BaseMap also applies to2nd_ShadeMap. _1st_ShadeMap, _1st_ShadeColor, _Use_1stAs2nd
2nd_ShadeMap Designates the 2nd Shade Color texture and the color which is multiplied by the 2nd_ShaderMap. If there is no designated texture, this color will be used as the 2nd Shade Color. _2nd_ShadeMap, _2nd_ShadeColor

NormalMap Settings Submenu

This block is where Normal Map settings are performed.

The Normal Map is generally used in Unity Toon Shader for Shade Color gradation..
Using the Normal Map along with standard shading allows for more complex gradation effects. In the above image, the left side reflects the normal map in color, the right does not reflect it.

Besides, the normal map is used to adjust skin texture by using it together with the scale. Also, by preparing a normal map for MatCap, it is used to express hair texture.

By using normal maps, you can enjoy various expressions.

Item Function Property
NormalMap Designates the Normal Map. The right slider is the scale that changes the strength of the normal map. _NormalMap, _BumpScale
NormalMap Effectiveness Select whether to reflect the normal map on each color. If the button is Off, that color does not reflect the normal map but is evaluated by the geometry of the object itself.
3 Basic Colors Set Active when you want the normal map to be reflected in the colors. _Is_NormalMapToBase
HighColor Set Active when you want the normal map to influence the high color. _Is_NormalMapToHighColor
RimLight Set Active when you want the normal map to influence the RimLight. _Is_NormalMapToRimLight

※ Hint: The Normal Map can also be used for pseudo-solid effects like bumps. However, the Normal Map will not actually make the surface of the object’s geometry bumpy and instead will cause the lighting to give the appearance of bumps. Therefore it is necessary to set the Base Color/1st Shade Color/2nd Shade color step so that it is easier for the light to bring out this effect. In the example above, the Base Color step is set to 0.8, the Shade Color step is set to 0.5, and a slightly darker Hi-Color is used to emphasize the object as solid.

Shadow Control Maps Submenu

Specify the position map and shading grade map to adjust the shadow fall condition.
Depending on the workflow you use, the items in the sub menu will change.

DoubleShadeWithFeather Workflow

Item Function Property
1st Shade Position Map Uses a Position Map to force the 1st Shade Color’s position, independent of the lighting. Indicates areas that must have a shadow in black. _Set_1st_ShadePosition
2nd Shade Position Map Uses a Position Map to force the 2nd Shade Color’s position, independent of the lighting. Indicate areas that must have a shadow in black (also affects the 1st Shade Color’s Position Map). _Set_2nd_ShadePosition

What is the Position Map?

The Position Map designates shadows that you want to cast regardless of the lighting.

It can be added to a material in addition to the lighting, for times when you want a particular shadow to show in each scene or when there are directorial reasons to add shadows.

※ Hint: It might be easier to draw those shadows directly using a 3D painter like Substance Painter, etc.

How the 1st and 2nd Shade Color Position Maps Interact

In order to display the 2nd Shade Color independent of lighting, make sure to fill in the places where the 1st and 2nd Shade Color Position Maps will overlap.

This way, even if shadows from other lighting fall on the 2nd Shade Color area, it will continue to show.

On the other hand, for areas where the 2nd Shade Color doesn’t show (areas designated by the 2nd Shade Color Position Map, but not the 1st Shade Color Position Map), the 2nd Shade Color will only show when covered by shadows created by the lighting.

ShadingGradeMap workflow

Item Function Property
ShadingGradeMap Designates the Shading Grade Map as grayscale. Be sure to set SRGB (Color Texture) to OFF in the texture import settings for Shading Grade Map. _ShadingGradeMap
ShadingGradeMap Level Level correction of the gray scale value of Shading Grade Map. The default is 0, and it can be adjusted in a range of ±0.5. _Tweak_ShadingGradeMapLevel
Blur Level of ShadingGradeMap Blur the Shading Grade Map using the Mip Map function. To enable Mip Map, set Advanced> Generate Mip Maps toON in the texture import settings. The default is 0 (no blur). _BlurLevelSGM

What is the Shading Grade Map?

DoubleShadeWithFeather is the basic workflow in Unity Toon Shader, and ShadingGradeMap workflow is the expansion of this basic workflow using the shading grade map, which is a grayscale map to control shadows with the UV coordinate.

Adding the Shading Grade Map to the basic toon shader allows the 1st and/or 2nd Shade Colors to be controlled at the UV point level.
This map’s fine level of control makes effects like hiding the wrinkles in clothes when the light hits them possible.
The black portions of an image are handled by the 2nd Shade Color of the Shading Grade Map, and the way shadows fall changes based the gray portions, which depend on the density of the black portions.
The denser the gray, the more easily shadows fall, so shadows can also fall between two gray areas.

Applying a shading map like the Ambient Occlusion map to the shading grade map makes it easier for shadows to fall depending on the lighting. This is useful for things like creating shadows that follow hair bangs or the concave parts of clothing.

3. “Basic Lookdevs : Shading Step and Feather Settings” Menu

This block is where the Base Color/1st Shade Color/2nd Shade Color Step and the Feathering Intensity are set. In addition to the real-time directional light settings, these are the most important settings in Unity Toon Shader. These settings will determine the basic look of your content. This menu is where basic items for making Cel and Illustration Styles are gathered.
These settings can be checked repeatedly in real-time in Unity.
There is no need to render and confirm the effects of every single property change, making it easier to deliberately design and assemble content.
Adjust the Step and Feather parameters to create totally different looks, without changing the direction of the light source.

The Basics of Using the Step/Feather Sliders

↑ This covers the basics of using the Step slider, which controls the color levels, and the Feather slider, which controls the gradation at the boundaries between colors.

DoubleShadeWithFeather Workflow

There are items of DoubleShadeWithFeather, the standard workflow in Unity Toon Shader.
This workflow can have 2 Position Maps, a special feature that allows the 1st and 2nd Shade Colors to be fixed to a model regardless of lighting.

Item Function Property
BaseColor Step Sets the boundary between the Base Color and the Shade Colors. _BaseColor_Step
Base/Shade Feather Feathers the boundary between the Base Color and the Shade Colors. _BaseShade_Feather
ShadeColor Step Sets the boundary between the 1st and 2nd Shade Colors. Set this to 0 if no 2nd Shade Color is used. _ShadeColor_Step
1st/2nd_Shades Feather Feathers the boundary between the 1st and 2nd Shade Colors. _1st2nd_Shades_Feather

ShadingGradeMap Workflow

These items are UTS’s high spec ShadingGradeMap workflow.
This workflow with a Shading Grade Map can control the sharpness and intensity of shadows in relation to the lighting.
This map allows you to set shadows of any shape and in any place you like, regardless of geometry or vectors.
Compared to Position Maps, in addition to placing shadows, Shading Grade Maps can also adjust how shadows look depending on the way the light hits them.

Item Function Property
1st ShadeColor Step Sets the step between the Base color and 1st Shade Color, the same as the BaseColor_Step property. _1st_ShadeColor_Step
1st ShadeColor Feather Feathers the boundary between the Base Color and the 1st Shade Color, the same as the Base/Shade_Feather property. _1st_ShadeColor_Feather
2nd ShadeColor Step Sets the step between the 1st and 2nd Shade Colors, the same as the ShadeColor_Step property. _2nd_ShadeColor_Step
2nd ShadeColor Feather Feathers the boundary between the 1st and 2nd Shade Colors, the same as the 1st/2nd_Shades_Feather properties. _2nd_ShadeColor_Feather

System Shadows : Self Shadows Receiving Items

These are adjustment items to make Unity's shadow system and toon shading familiar.
In the case of the toon shade, the shadow provided by the system is necessary to express the character 's self - shadow (falling shadow to himself).
Use this when you want to make further fine adjustments after deciding the coloring level with the Basic Lookdevs: Shading Step and Feather Settings submenu items and want to fine-tune the way ReceiveShadow exits, such as self shadow.

Item Function Property
Receive System Shadows When using Unity shadow system, set it to Active. This option must be sure to Active to use ReceiveShadow. (ReceiveShadow must also be selected under Mesh Renderer) _Set_SystemShadowsToBase
System Shadows Level It controls Unity’s system shadow levels. The default is 0, and the levels can be adjusted to ±0.5. _Tweak_SystemShadowsLevel
Raytraced Hard Shadow Enable the Realtime raytraced Hard Shadow(RTHS) feature for advanced users. Under the condition that DXR(DirectX Raytracing) is working properly and ShadowRaytracer component is attached to the main camera, the button turned in Active applies hard shadows with the Realtime raytracing feature as a shadow map.

NOTE: For more information about the RTHS feature and ShadowRaytracer component, see here.

When using the system shadow with Unity and adjusting the Step slider, noise may appear in the area with shadow color. These noises are troublesome in Cel-look style, so I show you how to improve them using the System Shadows Level slider andTessellation (※Tessellation support is available for Legacy and HDRP).

Additional Settings Submenu

These are adjustment items mainly for the real-time point light group.

Item Function Property
Step Offset for PointLights Fine tunes light steps (boundaries) of real-time point lights. _StepOffset
PointLights Hi-CutFilter Cuts unnecessary highlights from the Base Color area of real-time point lights. This is particularly useful for cel-shaded styles, where there is little to no feathering. _Is_Filter_HiCutPointLightColor

Adjusting the different colors of point lights ：Step Offset、PointLights Hi-Cut Filter

With Unity Toon Shader, you can create a cel-shaded look with just point lighting.
This is done by adjusting the Step slider of the Base Color /1st Shade Color, 1st Shade Color / 2nd Shade Color. With point lighting, the changes in shadows are more obvious when moving, compared to directional lighting.
To make it less obvious, use Step_Offset to make finer adjustments.

By using Step Offset, you can adjust the Realtime light steps (the level of gradation) like point lighting.
The adjustments on “BaseColor_Step” will determine the main light’s gradation but you can also use it to adjust the point lighting settings.
By using Step Offset at the same time, you can adjust the finer details of point lighting. In particular, this is useful when expressing highlights for machine-related art.

The brightness of the lighting depends on how close an object is, so the highlight might be too bright in some cases, especially for the base color (bright color).
When this happens, you can turn on PointLights Hi-Cut Filter to make the highlights dimmer, and make it blend in more with the cel-look.
If you want the highlights to be brighter, turn off PointLights Hi-Cut Filter.

4. HighColor Settings Menu

High Color is also known as Highlights or Speculum Lighting.
It is used to reflect the main directional light. When the light moves the reflection also moves accordingly. In Unity Toon Shader, you can adjust the high color rendering.

Item Function Property
HighColor Specifies the high color. If you are not using it, set it to Black (0,0,0). High color moves according to the direction of light. You can specify texture as well as color specification. By using texture, you can use complex colors. It will be multiplied to the (right) color palette, so if you only want the texture’s color, set the color pallet to white (1,1,1). If you do not need it, you do not have to touch the settings. _HighColor, _HighColor_Tex
HighColor Power Adjust the high color’s range (In specular lighting terms, this will be the “power”) _HighColor_Power
Specular Mode In case of Active, render the high color range as speculum lighting (gloss). If turned off it the boundaries of the high color range will be drawn as circles. _Is_SpecularToHighColor
Color Blend Mode In case of Additive, add the High Color to the base color(It becomes brighter). Specular can only be used with the Add mode. In case of Multiply, multiply the High color with the base color(It becomes darker). _Is_BlendAddToHiColor
ShadowMask on HighColor In case of Active, mask the high color area on the shadow area. _Is_UseTweakHighColorOnShadow
HighColor Power on Shadow Adjusts the power of the high color range in shadows. _TweakHighColorOnShadow
HighColor Mask Hicolor Mask settings below.
HighColor Mask It masks the high color based on the UV coordinates. 100% with white, and black does not show it at all. If you do not need it, you do not need to adjust it. _Set_HighColorMask
HighColor Mask Level It adjust the mask level of the high color. The default is 0. _Tweak_HighColorMaskLevel

※Tip: If you want to enable high color of real-time point lights, set PointLights Hi-Cut Filter toOff.

By using HighColorMask, you can dim light (on skin etc.) that reflects too much depending on the angle.
This is useful when highlighting skin color on the cheeks and chest.

You can also use HighColorMask as a specular lighting map for reflective surfaces. So it can also be use for metallic textures as well.
As seen in Akatsuki Yuki’s (@AkatsukiWorks) work, by using HighColorMask and RimLightMask, you can create art that looks like an illustration but also render the texture of each material.

5. RimLight Settings Menu

In realistic styles, RimLight is a technique in which light is set to shine on the rims of the object.
In non-photorealistic styles that includes Toon Shader, highlights are also placed on the edges of objects to make it more visible, and it is also called RimLight.
You can use these RimLight options in Unity Toon Shader.

Item Function Property
RimLight In case of Active, the ‘RimLight’ on. _RimLight
RimLight Settings RimLight settings below.
RimLight Color Specifies the RimLight’s color. _RimLightColor
RimLight Power Adjusts the RimLight’s power. _RimLight_Power
RimLight Inside Mask Adjusts the power of the inside masking of the RimLight. _RimLight_InsideMask
RimLight FeatherOff In case of Active, cuts the RimLight’s blurring. _RimLight_FeatherOff
LightDirection Mask In case of Active, only shows RimLight in the light’s direction. _LightDirection_MaskOn
LightDirection MaskLevel Adjusts the rim mask level in the light’s direction. _Tweak_LightDirection_MaskLevel
Antipodean(Ap)_RimLight In case of Active, shows RimLight (AP RimLight) in the opposite direction of the light’s direction. _Add_Antipodean_RimLight
Ap_RimLight Settings Ap_RimLight settings below.
Ap_RimLight Color Specifies the AP RimLight’s color. _Ap_RimLightColor
Ap_RimLight Power Specifies the power of the AP Rim Light. _Ap_RimLight_Power
Ap_RimLight FeatherOff In case of Active, cuts the AP Rim Light’s blurring. _Ap_RimLight_FeatherOff
RimLight Mask RimLight Mask settings below.
RimLight Mask Masks the RimLight according to the UV coordinates. Set to 100% for white, and the rim light does not show when set to black. If you do not need it, you do not have to adjust it. _Set_RimLightMask
RimLight Mask Level Adjusts the RimLight mask’s level. The default is 0. _Tweak_RimLightMaskLevel

The RimLight is generally shown around the objects edges from the camera’s perspective. In Unity Toon Shader, you can adjust where the rim light is shown in relation to where the main light is. (‘LightDirection Mask’)

You can also set RimLight in the opposite direction of the light source. You can also render light reflection with ‘Add Antipodean_RimLight’.

Specify the RimLight’s color of the light direction as Black (0,0,0) if you only want the rim light to be shown on the opposite direction of the light source and cut the rim light in the direction of the light source.

RimLight can also be too bright like HighColor depending on the camera’s angles.

In UTS2, you can adjust RimLight’s mask to make it dimmer.

In the image above, the RimLight’s color in the light source’s direction and the light reflection’s direction is changed. The rim light is also masked around the underarms to prevent unnecessary highlights.

By masking the RimLight, you can also emphasize the metallic textures in comparison to other materials, or adjust the incidental light on clothes to create wrinkles on velvet.

6. “MatCap : Texture Projection Settings” Menu

MatCap is a camera based sphere map that you can paste on to objects. It is used for ZBrush texture rendering.

When you google image search for Matcap, you can find a lot of examples. It was used to create metallic reflections before physics-based shaders were common.
You can use Matcap to create all kinds of textures in addition to metallic textures.
In Unity Toon Shader, you can enjoy MatCap with Adding mode, as well as Multiplication mode.

※ HINT: In Unity Toon Shader, appropriate adjustments will be made to distortions caused by the camera. So the Matcap will not be distorted even when the object is on at the edge of the camera’s perspective. This setting is adjusted with the MatCap Projection Camera.

Item Function Property
MatCap In case of Active, turns MatCap on. _MatCap
MatCap Settings MatCap settings below.
MatCap Sampler Set which texture to use for MatCap. Color that will be multiplied to MatCap_Sampler. If you set a grayscale image on MatCap_Sampler, you can add color to the MatCap with MatCapColor. _MatCap_Sampler, _MatCapColor
Blur Level of MatCap Sampler Blur MatCap_Sampler using the Mip Map function. To enable Mip Map, set Advanced> Generate Mip Maps toON in the texture import settings. The default is 0 (no blur). _BlurLevelMatcap
Color Blend Mode In case of Additive, the MatCap blend will be set to Adding Mode. (It makes it brighter.) In case of Multiply, it will be blend with Multiplication Mode (It makes it darker.) _Is_BlendAddToMatCap
Scale MatCapUV You can adjust the MatCap’s range by adjusting the UV of the MatCap Sampler from the center to a circle by scalling. _Tweak_MatCapUV
Rotate MatCapUV Rotates the MatCap Sampler’s UV based on the center. _Rotate_MatCapUV
CameraRolling_Stabillizer In case of Active, it prevents MatCap from rotating for camera rolling (Rotation with the depth direction as the axis). This function is useful when you want to fix MatCap against the rolling of the camera. _CameraRolling_Stabilizer
NormalMap for MatCap In case of Active, gives a normal map specifically for MatCap. If you are using MatCap as speculum lighting, you can use this to mask it. _Is_NormalMapForMatCap
NormalMap for MatCap as SpecularMask NormalMap for MatCap settings below.
NormalMap Set normal map for the MatCap. The slider on the right is the scale. _NormalMapForMatCap, _BumpScaleMatcap
Rotate NormalMapUV Rotates the UV of the MatCap’s normal map based on the center. _Rotate_NormalMapForMatCapUV
MatCap on Shadow In case of Active, masks the MatCap area that is shadowed. _Is_UseTweakMatCapOnShadow
MatCap Power on Shadow Adjusts the power of the Matcap’s range in shadows. _TweakMatCapOnShadow
MatCap Projection Camera Specify the projection of the camera to use in the game view. Camera distortion correction works when the perspective camera (Perspective). _Is_Ortho
MatCap Mask MatCap Mask settings below.
Matcap Mask By setting a grayscale mask for MatCap, you can adjust how MatCap is shown. The MatcapMask is placed based on the UV coordinates of the mesh that the MatCap will be projected on. Mask with black and unmask with white. _Set_MatcapMask
Matcap Mask Level Adjusts the power of the MatcapMask. When the value is 1, MatCap is displayed 100% irrespective of whether or not there is a mask. When the value is -1, MatCap will not be displayed at all and MatCap will be the same as in the off state. The default value is 0. _Tweak_MatcapMaskLevel
Inverse MatcapMask In case of Active, the MatcapMask is inverted. _Inverse_MatcapMask

In the example above, Matcap is used as a similar environment map.
By using MatCap, you can create light reflections of smooth surfaces while keeping the illustration style.

In the example above, MatCap, NormalMap for MatCap and MatcapMask is used to express a silky hair gloss.

  • MatCap Sampler : Used for the light circles that is multiplied.
  • NormalMap for MatCap : If only MatCap is used, it will be rendered as is, but by repeatedly using NormalMapForMatCap, the crescent-shaped light reflections are created. This is known as Speculum Masking. The normal map used here is not used for bumpy textures.
  • MatCap Mask : Adjusts the range where MatCap is shown. By setting the gradation mask vertically, and adjusting the Matcap Mask Level slider, you can easily control the range of the MatCap shown.

You can also express light cookies like this with MatCap Mask.

7. AngelRing Projection Settings Menu

Angel Ring is a highlight that is always shown in a fixed place from the camera’s perspective. It is used on highlights for hair. Angel Ring feature is available in the ShadingGradeMap workflow.

Angel Ring reffers to the UV2 of the mesh that it will be projected on. So you have to set the UV2 with the DCC tools like Maya, 3ds Max, Blender, etc. beforehand.

Item Function Property
AngelRing Projection In case of Active, turns Angel Ring on. _AngelRing
AngelRing Sampler Settings AngelRing Sampler settings below.
AngelRing Specifies the texture and color of the Angel Ring. The color that will be multiplied to the Angel Ring. _AngelRing_Sampler, _AngelRing_Color
Offset U Adjusts the Angel Ring’s shape in the horizontal direction. _AR_OffsetU
Offset V Adjusts the Angel Ring’s shape in the vertical direction. _AR_OffsetV
Use α channel as Clipping Mask In case of Active, you can use the α channel that is included in the Angel Ring’s texture as a clipping mask. _ARSampler_AlphaOn

Making materials for Angel Ring.

First, set a second UV that will be applied to the Angel Ring function of the hair’s mesh.

The UV for AngelRing is separate from the UV for the hair’s texture and is created orthographically from the character’s front.

The steps from here, including creating UV2, are done with DCC tools like Maya, 3ds Max, Blender etc..

By using the AngelWing’s UV as a guide, draw the texture of the highlights. The highlight’s color will be added to the original color.
Register the created texture as AngelRing_Sampler.
You can draw the highlight with white and add color in AngelRing_Color too.

In case of Active with Use α channel as Clipping Mask, you can use the α channel that is included in the AngelRing’s texture as a clipping mask, as shown below.
You can set the color of the AngelRing directly instead of adding it.

8. Emissive : Self-luminescene Setings Menu

Emissive means that objects emit light.
By defining the HDR color for ‘Emissive’, you can create parts that are brighter than the other colors.

By using it with post-effects that are attached to the camera, like Bloom in Post-Processing in UniversalRP you can make parts emit light effectively.

Item Function Property
Emissive Specifies the texture for Emissive. You can also create a texture with grayscale and make it emit light with Color. Color that will be multiplied to each pixel color in texture. In most cases, set HDR Color If you do not want it to emit light on top of other parts, set it to Black (RGB: 0,0,0) _Emissive_Tex.rgb, _Emissive_Color
The αchannel of Emissive Texure As of v. 2.0.7, the alpha channel can be used as a mask for emissive textures. Emissive is displayed at the position where the alpha channel is set to white (RGB = (1, 1, 1)) on UV basis. When black (RGB = (0, 0, 0)), the emissive disappears. _Emissive_Tex.a
Emissive Animation By making it Active, you can animate the RGB channel part of the texture specified byEmissive in various ways. Alpha channel is a mask, so it can not be animated. EMISSIVE MODE = ANIMATION
Base Speed (Time) Specifies the base update speed of the animation. If the value is 1, it will be updated in 1 second. Specifying a value of 2 results in twice the speed of a value of 1, so it will be updated in 0.5 seconds. _Base_Speed
UV Coord Scroll, View Coord Scroll Specifies the coordinate system to use for scrolling. In the case of UV Coord Scroll, scrolling is performed based on the UV coordinates of Emissive_Tex. In the case of View Coord Scroll, it scrolls based on the same view coordinates as MatCap. Scrolling in the view coordinate system is very useful because it does not take into account the UV coordinates of the texture, but it is often the case that objects with flat faces like cubes can not be displayed well. On the other hand, the view coordinate system can be used very conveniently for objects with many surfaces such as characters. _Is_ViewCoord_Scroll
Scroll U direction Specifies how much the Emissive texture is to be scrolled in the U direction (direction of the X axis) when updating the animation. Specify in the range -1 to 1 and the default is 0. Scroll animation is ultimately determined as the result of Base Speed (Time) x Scroll U Direction xScroll V Direction. _Scroll_EmissiveU
Scroll V direction Specifies how much the Emissive texture is to be scrolled in the V direction (direction of the Y axis) to update the animation. Specify in the range -1 to 1 and the default is 0. _Scroll_EmissiveV
Rotate around UV center Specifies how much the Emissive texture should be rotated around the center of the UV coordinates (UV = (0.5, 0.5)) as an animation update. When Base Speed = 1, turns 1 clockwise with a value of 1. When combined with scrolling, it will rotate after scrolling. _Rotate_EmissiveUV
PingPong Move for Base By setting it to Active, you can set PingPong (back and forth) in the direction of the animation. _Is_PingPong_Base
ColorShift with Time By setting it to Active, the color multiplied to the Emissive texture changes by linear interpolation (Lerp) towardDestination Color. When using this function, it is better to set the Emissive texture to grayscale and design the each colors on the color side to be multiplied. _Is_ColorShift
Destination Color This is the target color for color shifting. It can be specified in HDR. _ColorShift
ColorShift Speed (Time) Set the standard speed for color shift. When the value is 1, change of one cycle should be approximately 6 seconds as a guide. _ColorShift_Speed
ViewShift of Color Active shifts the color relative to the camera's viewing angle to view the object. When viewed from the front of the surface of the object, the normal Emissive color is displayed, and the color changes to the shifted color as the view angle gradually inclines. _Is_ViewShift
ViewShift Color This is the color to change to when shifting views. Specify in HDR. _ViewShift

Tips for setting Destination Color

When using the color shift function, set Destination Color as the target, but if the original color and the target color have the same hue, unexpected colors may be mixed into the frame. For example, if you shift from the color shown on the left side of the arrow to one of the two colors on the right that looks similar, the first color on the right of the arrow shifts color within the same hue range. The second color is a mixture of bluish frames.

This is because the color that mixes blueish frames has a B channel that has a higher value when compared to the RGB of the original color.

In this way, when shifting colors with different luminance within the same hue to the target in this way, by aligning the direction of change of each RGB, it is possible to prevent unexpected colors from entering the frame.

↑Example of color shift within the same hue. The target color RGB values are all smaller than the original color.

↑Example where frames outside the hue are mixed. The B value of the target color is higher than the original color, and the change in G value is extremely large.

9. Outline Settings Menu

You can set up various outline-related settings. This menu is enabled when the Transparent Mode is Off. When the Transparent Mode is On, it will not be displayed (in this case, the outline function is also Off).

Note Unity Toon Shader can display outlines when Transparent Mode is set to Off and TransClipping Mode is enabled. At this time, pre-depth processing is not performed in the translucent part, so the display may be different from Transparent Mode. This difference is a specification of Unity Toon Shader.

We are using the inverted outline method for material-based objects for the outline functions.
This method, to put it simply, spawns the inverted surface normal slightly bigger than the original object with a shader.
The object spawned for the object’s outline is drawn with front culling, so when it is overwritten by the original object, the parts that do not fit becomes the outline.
This method is light and easy to adjust, and it had been used for outlines in games for a long time.
Please be aware that actual lines are not drawn around the objects.

Reference: You can draw lines around the objects too, but that is mostly used as a post-process (post-effects) outline..
The type of outline used in post-process affects the speed and quality. In games, the inverted-object method and light post-process methods are used to make adjustments.

Item Function Property
Outline Activate the outline function when Active is selected. If it is Off, it is disabled.
Outline Mode Specifies how the inverted-outline object will be spawned. You can choose between Normal Direction（normal inverted method） / Position Scalling（position scaling method). In most cases, Normal Direction is used but if it is a mesh that is only made of hard edges (such as cubes), Position Scalling will prevent the outline from being disconnected. It will be good to use Position Scalling for simple shapes and use Normal Direction for characters and things that have complicated outlines. _OUTLINE
Outline Width Specifies the width of the outline. NOTICE: This value relies on the scale when the model was imported to Unity which means that you have to be careful if the scale is not 1. _Outline_Width
Outline Color Specifies the color of the outline. _Outline_Color
BlendBaseColor to Outline Turn "Active" this when you want to blend the color of the outline with the object’s base color. _Is_BlendBaseColor
Outline Sampler When you want to see the “start” and “end” of your outlines, or when you only want to outline certain parts, use the outline sampler (texture). The thickest width with white and the least thickest with white. _Outline_Sampler
Offset Outline with Camera Z-axis Offsets the outlines in direction Z. The outline will be less visible for the spikey parts in spikey hair if you input a positive value. For most cases, just set this to 0. _Offset_Z

Advanced Outline Settings Submenu

Items in this submenu can further enhance the outline function.

Item Function Property
Farthest Distance to vanish The width of the outline will change depending on the distance between the camera and the object. Specifies the farthest distance. The farthest distance will be when the outline becomes 0. _Farthest_Distance
Nearest Distance to draw with Outline Width The width of the outline will change depending on the distance between the camera and the object. Specifies the closest distance. The closest distance will be when the ‘Outline_Width” is the width that was set as the maximum. _Nearest_Distance
Use Outline Texture Turn Active this, when you want to paste texture to the inverted-outline object. _Is_OutlineTex
Outline Texture Use this when you want the outline to have special textures. By changing the textures, you can give the outlines patterns, or make the outline unique by changing the texture of the inverted object which will be front-face culled. _OutlineTex
Use Baked Normal for Outline By turning Active this, you can turn on Baked Normal for Outline. _Is_BakedNormal
Baked NormalMap for Outline Reads normal maps that have the vertices normal from other models baked into it as “added” when setting the inverted outlines. For more, look below. _BakedNormal

Adjusting the strength of outlines：Outline Sampler

Black means “no lines” and white means that the width is at 100%.

**Tips：Tips: When you are using Outline Sampler for multiple characters, by unifying the UV position of each character’s parts, you can adjust the the start and end of outlines easier. **

Tracing baked vertices normals ：Baked Normal for Outline

You can now read normal maps that have vertices normals baked on to them additionally when setting the inverted outlines. By using this you can give hard-edged objects soft-edged outlines according to the baked normal maps.

When using baked normal maps, set Unity Toon Shader's outline setting properties to.

  1. Outline Mode as Normal Direction
  2. Use Baked Normal for Outline as Active
  3. Apply the map that you want to use to Baked Normal for Outline

Normal maps that can be used as Baked Normal for Outline are as follows.

  1. Does not overlap with the UV of the object that it will be applied to. This means that it is essential that UV expansion and all normals maps will not overlap.
  2. Normal maps are based on OpenGL, as Unity is.
  3. The texture settings of normal maps are as follows:

・Set Texture Type to Default . Note: Do not set this to Normal Map
・Make sure that sRGB (Color Texture) is turned OFF.

For more please check the assets in the Baked Normal folder of the sample project.

Note: This kind of vertex normal adjusting is done by the vertex shader, so it will depend on the number of vertices that it will be applied to. This means that it does not correct the vertex normals like pixel shader, so please be careful.

Moving the outline away from the camera：Offset Outline with Camera Z-axis

By inputting a value in Offset Outline with Camera Z-axis , you can offset the outline in Z direction.
You can use this when your model has spikey hair to adjust the outlines of the spikes.
In normal situations, please set this to 0.

10. LightColor Contribution to Materials Menu

This menu collects switches that can individually turn ON/OFF “the influence of color of real time light”(LightColor Contribution) in the scene for each color.
In the case of Active, the effect of the color of the real time light on each color is effective, and in the case of Off, the setting color of each color when the intensity = 1 is displayed as it is.

From this menu you can centrally manage the presence / absence of light color contribution to each color.
While actually using the character lights used in the scene, you can see in real-time how the effect on each color will change with / without light contribution. It is a good idea to use it to finish the look-dev.

Item Function Property
Base Color Applies the light color to the Base Color. _Is_LightColor_Base
1st ShadeColor Applies the light color to the 1st Shade Color. _Is_LightColor_1st_Shade
2nd ShadeColor Applies the light color to the 2nd Shade Color. _Is_LightColor_2nd_Shade
HighColor Applies the light color to the High Color. _Is_LightColor_HighColor
RimLight Applies the light color to the RimLight Color. _Is_LightColor_RimLight
Ap_RimLight Applies the light color to the Ap_RimLight Color. _Is_LightColor_Ap_RimLight
MatCap Applies the light color to the MatCap Color. _Is_LightColor_MatCap
AngelRing Applies the light color to the AngelRing Color. _Is_LightColor_AR
Outline Applies the light color to the Outline Color. The contribution of the light color to the outline is: When OFF, the color set for the outline color is displayed as it is. When "Active with 1 realtime directional light in the scene", the outline color responds to the color and brightness of the realtime directional light. When "There is no real-time directional light in the scene at the time of Active", the outline color responds to the color and brightness of Color in the Source of Environment Lighting. At this time, please note that the value of Color is referenced even if you are using Skybox. In addition, please be careful as it does not react to ambient light other than real-time point light and color. _Is_LightColor_Outline

※ Hint: Turning off any color switch will cause that color’s Light Intensity to be set to 1 with a light color of white, regardless of the strength of other lights in the environment.

11. Environmental Lighting Contributions Setups Menu

In this menu, adjust the response of the Unity Toon Shader to “the ambient light setting”(Environment Lighting including Skybox, Gradient and Color) and the light probe in the scene, and adjust the brightness of the shader built-in light that starts up in an environment where there is no real-time directional light Items are included.
It is also possible to control ON/OFF of the white jump prevention function like SceneLights Hi-Cut Filter, which is a useful function for VRChat users, from this menu.

Item Function Property
GI Intensity By setting GI Intensity to 0 or higher, it will deal with the GI system within Unity’s Lighting window, especially Light Probe. When GI Intensity is 1, the GI intensity will be 100%. _GI_Intensity
Unlit Intensity When there is no real-time directional light in the scene, the scene’s brightness and color will be determined by Environment Lighting’s Source Settings, boost it by Unlit Intensity and use it as a light source (This is called Ambient Blending). The default is 1 and 0 is to turn it off completely. This is used when you want to have the environment color blend with the material color, but if you want it to be a darker blend, set it to 0.5～1 and if you want it to be a lighter blend, set it to 1.5～2. _Unlit_Intensity
SceneLights Hi-Cut Filter This will minimize overexposure when the light intensity is too high, or when there are multiple real-time directional lights, or multiple real-time point lights. By turning this one you can maintain the light colors and its attenuations while only cutting the intensity of the material color to avoid overexposure. The default is OFF. When using this function, please make sure that the basic 3 colors are Active in “LightColor Contribution to Materials” menu. We recommend VRChat users to turn this on. Hint: If overexposure still occurs even when this is turned on, please check the post-effect bloom settings. (In particular, when Bloom’s threshold value is under 1, it is easier to happen.) _Is_Filter_LightColor
Built-in Light Direction For experienced users, you can activate the Built-in Light Direction’s vector (the vector of the virtual lights in the shader). When this is activated, the intensity and color of the light will follow the real-time directional light’s values within the scene. If there aren’t lights like that, the values for ambient blending will be used. _Is_BLD
Built-in Light Direction Settings Built-in Light Direction Settings below.
Offset X-Axis Direction Moves the virtual lights left and right that are spawned by the built-in light direction vector left and right . _Offset_X_Axis_BLD
Offset Y-Axis Direction Moves the virtual lights that are spawned by the built-in light direction vector up and down. _Offset_Y_Axis_BLD
Inverse Z-Axis Direction Moves the virtual lights that are spawned by the built-in light direction vector back and forwards. _Inverse_Z_Axis_BLD

Decide the light probe’s brightness ：GI Intensity

↑ Left：GI Intensity = 0、Right：GI Intensity = 1. When the value of GI Intensity goes up, the light probe’s color will be added to the material color.

↑ This is an example of a baked point light and a light probe that is positioned on a stage. There is no problem for baked lights overlapping in each range. Line light probes from the top to bottom of Unity-chan.

By setting ’GI Intensity’ to 0 and above, it will be compatible with GI systems like light probes.
Light probes that are baked in a scene with other baked lights will be added to the material color as a complementary color. When is at 1, the color that is baked into light probes is added 100%. When it is set to 0, it is the color of the material color.

↑ GI Intensity = 0.

↑ GI Intensity = 1.

Adjusting the ambient blending：Unlit Intensity

The ambient light settings are now reflected in the light colors. The minimum intensity of the directional light is the setting of the scene`s ambient light.
In VRChat, the brightness of ambient light can be adjusted with the Unlit_Intensity slider.
Unlit_Intensity boosts the brightness of the ambient light.
The default is 1.

If there is no directional light in the scene, the default light that is included in the shader is used, and the direction is always according to where the camera is.
As a result,lighting is always good where the camera is pointed at.
This light will function when the ambient light is blended.

This is a video that explains the Unlit_Intensity function and ambient blending.

Preventing overexposure when there are multiple bright lights in a scene ：SceneLights Hi-Cut Filter

SceneLights Hi-Cut Filter is a very useful function for VRChat users.
This is a video that explains it in detail.
It also explains in brief how to set the tone mapper with PPS.

Built-in Light Direction as an advanced feature

As an advanced feature for experienced users, you can now set the light direction vector that is built into the shader.
Materials that have Built-in Light Direction activated can have their own light direction vector for shading purposes which is independent of the mesh object’s coordinates. This means that it will have the same effect as having an exclusive fixed light.
The drop shadow of this part will be used for the directional light in the scene so you can also change how shading and drop shadows look. To set the light color of Built-in Light Direction, use the main directional light settings of the scene.

Please watch this video about how to use Built-in Light Direction.

Features specific to the rendering pipeline

The Unity Toon Shader has several features that support only some rendering pipelines.
If you want to use these features, you need to choose a render pipeline that supports those features.

12. Phong Tessellation Settings Menu

You can only use the tessellation feature on Unity Toon Shader in rendering pipelines with Legacy (built-in) or HDRP ,and with Windows/DX11 running properly.

Select ToonTessellation (Built-in) or HDRP/ToonTessellation as the shader in the Material Inspector.
Tessellation is not available on every platform and also requires a good PC environment, so please take this into account.
It can be used with Windows10/DX11 machines that have powerful GPUs for visuals and VR.

ToonTessellation (Built-in)

Item Function Property
Edge Length Divides the tessellation according to the camera’s distance. The smaller the value, the smaller the tiles become. The default is 5. _TessEdgeLength
Phong Strengh Adjusts the pulling strength of the surfaces divided by tessellation. The default is 0.5. _TessPhongStrength
Extrusion Amount Scale the expanded parts due to tessellation. The default is 0. _TessExtrusionAmount

We use Nora’s https://github.com/Stereoarts/UnityChanToonShaderVer2_Tess as reference for the code that deals with this.

ToonTessellation (HDRP)

Each option follows Tessellation Option of HDRP/Lit Tessellation Shader.
Unity Toon Shader only supports Phong Tessellation.

13. Mask Rendering Settings Menu

This function is used in animation and video production when outputting a solid image material and its clipping mask image material for each color element.
Currently, only HDRP/Toon supports this feature. You can use this function manually, but it is used primarily from ToonClipMaskRenderNode in Visual Compositor.
When using this function via Visual Compositor, there is no need to do any particular operation other than making sure that the alpha channel value (A) in every Color palette of each color area is set to 255.

Item Function
Clipping Matte Drop-down menu Select which color element's color will be shown when displaying the solid fill image material of each color area.
Compositor mask setting Check-box By enabling this check box, a mask image for clipping is prepared for Visual Compositor. In this case, the mask image will be white. Be sure to set the value of the alpha channel (A) of the output Color palette for each color area to 255.
Channel Mask Settings The following are the settings for Channel Mask Settings.
Visibility Icon for each color area This is an eyeball-shaped icon. When turned off, it disables the display of the corresponding color area.
Check box for each color area When checked, it will fill the corresponding color area with the color specified in the color palette beside it.
Color palette for each color area Specify the color to be filled in. When outputting a mask image for clipping from Visual Compositor, be sure to set the value of the alpha channel (A) to 255.