Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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In this shader tutorial, I show an advanced technique for packing data into texture channels that allows you to represent all of the texture data needed for a material in just two texture samples. Using this method saves both texture memory and performance, but since you're packing non-normal data in with the normal map, you do lose a little bit of quality in the normal. It also requires doing some extra steps in the shader to unpack the normal data, so I show how to do that too!

If you're new to texture packing, here's a great tutorial series that covers the basics:
youtube.com/watch?v=HANAToqXy6A&list=PLNVgvs7u-udTQeE4n-UEC6AdTEOf9PFwb

Here's last week's video that shows the best way to measure shader performance:
youtube.com/watch?v=iQLBbcqNv2E

And here's the playlist for the whole series:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL78XDi0TS4lEBWa2Hpzg2SRC5njCcKydl

Shader Book Recommendations
bencloward.com/resources_books.shtml

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Theme Music
Peace in the Circuitry - Glitch Hop
teknoaxe.com/Link_Code_3.php?q=1526

Background Music
Speo - The Little Things
youtube.com/watch?v=aoc9v_TRBqc

#UnrealEngine #shadergraph #Unity

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