About ScreenSpaceSelfShadow
- Art & Visuals > VFX
ScreenSpaceSelfShadow — Screen-Space Directional Soft Self-Shadow Post Effect for Unity 6 URP
Innovation
A high-performance screen-space directional soft self-shadow solution for Unity 6 URP, built on the RenderGraph pipeline for artifact-free contact shadows on characters and hard-surface models
Use Cases
Adding natural self-shadow details for character faces in eye sockets, nose sides, and neck areas
Smooth contact shadows for hard-surface models and mechanical props
Selective layer-based self-shadow control for specific objects
Soft ambient occlusion-like shadows aligned with main light direction
URP-based NPR and realistic rendering workflows in Unity 6
Core Features
RenderGraph Workflow:
built specifically for Unity 6 URP with modern RenderGraph renderer feature
Artifact-Free Soft Shadows:
directional hemisphere occlusion algorithm eliminates stair-step moire artifacts common in ray-marched shadows
Layer-Based Filtering:
apply self-shadows only to selected Unity layers with customizable LayerMask
Automatic Light Alignment:
automatically uses the scene main directional light direction, no manual configuration
Adjustable Quality Presets:
Low/Medium/High quality levels automatically tune sample count and mask resolution for performance
Intuitive Parameters:
simple controls for shadow distance, intensity, and thickness
You’ll Benefit
Instantly add subtle contact shadow details without modifying existing object shaders
Smooth, artifact-free shadows even on hard-edged models
More control over where the effect appears through LayerMask filtering
Cross-platform performance with automatic sample count scaling
Compatible with other IGD post-processing effects including NPR outlines and SSSSS skin scattering
Recommended For
Character-focused games (anime, stylized, semi-realistic)
Hard-surface and mechanical prop rendering
Mobile games needing high-quality soft shadows
Dialogue scenes and cutscene close-ups
Unity 6 URP projects needing controllable self-contact shadows
Projects looking to add occlusion detail without complex shadow map setups
Innovation
A high-performance screen-space directional soft self-shadow solution for Unity 6 URP, built on the RenderGraph pipeline for artifact-free contact shadows on characters and hard-surface models
Use Cases
Adding natural self-shadow details for character faces in eye sockets, nose sides, and neck areas
Smooth contact shadows for hard-surface models and mechanical props
Selective layer-based self-shadow control for specific objects
Soft ambient occlusion-like shadows aligned with main light direction
URP-based NPR and realistic rendering workflows in Unity 6
Core Features
RenderGraph Workflow:
built specifically for Unity 6 URP with modern RenderGraph renderer feature
Artifact-Free Soft Shadows:
directional hemisphere occlusion algorithm eliminates stair-step moire artifacts common in ray-marched shadows
Layer-Based Filtering:
apply self-shadows only to selected Unity layers with customizable LayerMask
Automatic Light Alignment:
automatically uses the scene main directional light direction, no manual configuration
Adjustable Quality Presets:
Low/Medium/High quality levels automatically tune sample count and mask resolution for performance
Intuitive Parameters:
simple controls for shadow distance, intensity, and thickness
You’ll Benefit
Instantly add subtle contact shadow details without modifying existing object shaders
Smooth, artifact-free shadows even on hard-edged models
More control over where the effect appears through LayerMask filtering
Cross-platform performance with automatic sample count scaling
Compatible with other IGD post-processing effects including NPR outlines and SSSSS skin scattering
Recommended For
Character-focused games (anime, stylized, semi-realistic)
Hard-surface and mechanical prop rendering
Mobile games needing high-quality soft shadows
Dialogue scenes and cutscene close-ups
Unity 6 URP projects needing controllable self-contact shadows
Projects looking to add occlusion detail without complex shadow map setups