Uploaded August 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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✔️ Tested in 2020.3 & 2021.1

Do you have a material that doesn't look quite right in Unity's URP lit shader graph? Or would you like to experiment with stylized art styles with the convenience of the shader graph? In this tutorial, I show how to implement custom lighting, allowing you to solve both those problems. Afterwards, you could extend the graphs I show here to make a toon shader or handle difficult materials, like plant foliage, hair, skin, or fabric.

📚 If you prefer reading, check out the written version of this tutorial here:
► nedmakesgames.medium.com/creating-custom-lighting-in-unitys-shader-graph-with-universal-render-pipeline-5ad442c27276

🌞 Interactive lighting math explorer:
► nedmakesgames.itch.io/lighting-explorer

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► nedmakesgames.github.io

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💻 Script reference:
► gist.github.com/NedMakesGames/13e64bed3a84e81826b05e5fb0214e70

⏲️ Timestamps:
0:00 Intro and Scope
1:43 Project setup
4:48 Diffuse lighting
7:49 Specular lighting
10:22 Shadows
13:46 Additional lights
15:51 Global illumination & shadow masks
23:13 Fog
24:10 Upcoming changes
24:45 Wrap up and credits

🎖️ Credits, references and further reading:
• Lee Rosevere: Music for Podcasts - leerosevere.bandcamp.com
• Cyanilux: URP_ShaderGraphCustomLighting - github.com/Cyanilux/URP_ShaderGraphCustomLighting
• Ida Faber: Lowpoly Shiba Inu Dog - artstation.com/marketplace/p/yyxV/lowpoly-shiba-inu-dog
• XfrogPlants: Curry Leaf Tree Free 3D model - cgtrader.com/free-3d-models/plant/other/xfrogplants-curry-leaf-tree
• Lennart Demes: Grass 001 - ambientcg.com/view?id=Grass001
• Baptiste Manteau: Bark old ginko - substance3d.adobe.com/community-assets/assets/e6c4bae683772a06aabb38dc1a13b3203060acd1
• Render Knight: Fantasy Skybox FREE - assetstore.unity.com/packages/2d/textures-materials/sky/fantasy-skybox-free-18353

#GameDev #IndieDev #Unity