What are 3D Textures?

3D textures are images or graphics that are designed to be projected onto 3D objects in a scene. Unlike traditional 2D textures, which are flat images that are applied to surfaces, 3D textures can be distorted and manipulated to create a more realistic and immersive effect.

There are two main types of 3D textures: procedural and baked. Procedural textures are generated algorithmically in real-time, while baked textures are created by applying a texture to a 3D object and then baking it into the object’s mesh.

In this guide, we will focus on baked 3D textures.

Step 1: Create a New Material

The first step in implementing 3D textures in Unity is to create a new material. To do this, right-click in the Project window and select “Create” > “Material”.

In the Inspector window, give your material a name and add a new texture by clicking on the “Add” button under the “Texture” section. You can also adjust the settings for the texture such as scaling, tiling, and rotation to fit the needs of your object.

Step 2: Apply the Texture to the Object

Once you have created a new material and added a texture to it, you can apply the material to an object in your scene. To do this, select the object in the Hierarchy window and then go to the Inspector window.

Under the “Material” section, select the material you just created and click on the “Apply” button. You can also adjust the settings for the material such as the transparency, specularity, and emissivity to further enhance the texture effect.

Step 3: Adjust the Texture Settings

After you have applied the texture to your object, you can adjust the texture settings in the Inspector window to fine-tune the effect. Some of the key settings to consider include:

• Scaling: This determines how the texture is applied to the object. You can use this setting to stretch or shrink the texture as needed.
• Tiling: This determines whether the texture is repeated on the object or not. If you set this to “None”, the texture will be applied once and then tiled across the surface of the object. If you set it to “Stretch”, the texture will be scaled to fit the size of the object.
• Rotation: This determines how the texture is oriented on the object. You can use this setting to rotate the texture as needed.

Step 4: Add Lighting and Shadows

To create a more realistic and immersive effect, you will want to add lighting and shadows to your scene. To do this, go to the “Window” menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select “Lighting”.

In the Lighting window, you can adjust the settings for the light sources such as the intensity, color temperature, and direction. You can also add shadows to specific objects in your scene by creating shadow maps. To do this, select the object you want to create a shadow map for and then go to the “Window” menu and select “Rendering”.

Under the “Rendering” window, select the “Shadow Mapping” tab and click on the “Create Shadow Map” button. You can then adjust the settings for the shadow map such as the resolution, quality, and size. Once you have created the shadow map, you can apply it to the object in your scene by dragging and dropping it onto the object in the Hierarchy window.

Step 5: Add Post-Processing Effects

Finally, you can add post-processing effects to further enhance the realism and immersion of your scenes. To do this, go to the “Window” menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select “Post Processing”.

In the Post Processing window, you can adjust the settings for various post-processing effects such as bloom, vignette, and color grading. Bloom adds a halo effect to highlights in the scene, while vignette adds a dark border to the edges of the screen. Color grading allows you to adjust the overall color temperature and saturation of your scene.

Conclusion

Implementing 3D textures in Unity is a powerful way to add visual interest and depth to your scenes. By following these simple steps, you can create realistic and immersive environments that will transport your users to another world.