Unity vertex color test

Here’s is the vertex color test on Unity Engine. I export the FBX model from 3dsmax 2010. I use this two shader I found at Unity forum.

Vertex color shader

I found this shader on Unity Wiki. This shader combine vertex color from 3dsmax and share lighting from the scene.

Debug vertex light shader

I forget who wrote this shader, this shader is very handy when you want to check your vertex color without texture.

Note: 3dsmax FBX currently doesn’t export face’s color, so I use only vertex when coloring the model. Coloring face’s just show white on Unity, I still searching how to work this out, maybe the exporter, maybe the shader, I still searching for answer. In the meantime only vertex assigned color that can be exported.

click on the image to see the test

I use one direct light for this scene, the right meshes use vertex color and the left meshes not having any vertex color information.

Vertex Paint tutorial

In this project I use vertex paint to add volume to my texture and model, vertex paint can add variety to my repeated texture, so far I only use some of it’s capability. Also I find some Unity shader that might help you to show your model with.

FACE’S AS MEDIUM

1. Select the object you want to edit, my object use lot of same uv region, so I wouldn’t worry about run out my uv space. But by doing this my repeated texture looks dull and the depth wasn’t there.

2. On modifier list add “vertex paint” in to the list. The highlighted square box below is the vertex paint tools I will use.

3. Expand the vertex paint list and choose “face” for now and select the face you want to colorize.

4. On the vertex paint window, select the color you want to add, I choose very light brown. After that click on the bucket icon to fill the face that you have selected.

The face we selected have became more darker because we add light brown vertex color on it.

VERTEX’S AS MEDIUM

Now we try playing color with vertex as the medium. Vertex has different style and behavior, we can’t contain the color like face’s do, but the advantage on using vertex is that we can have a nice color gradient.

1. Select “vertex” on vertex paint modifier list. We add some shading for the side wood plank and as you see, the shading is very sharp, we want to add smooth transition between the dark and light area.

2. Select 2 or more vertex and using fill tool, flood the vertex with the same color as the side face’s. And we have a nice gradient  shading for our plank round sides.

This is what i come up with the same technique describe above.

That was a quick preview what vertex paint can do. Next I will build a web player using Unity with a model with vertex color shader on it.

Stylized Wild West Part 1

So lets start,

I want to try stylized cartoon for my project, odd form, bright color, strong contrasts, but fun to see. A western theme environment, with canyon and orange sunset as backdrop.

This is what I come up with,

Couple western cowboy building, It’s a little high for now. I will make some adjustment later on.

I also want to focus on performance hit for this project, as this project was intended for browser preview. This model has approximately 2000 triangle, and I will need some shadowing to make the model have depth and volume,  so I use vertex paint to add variety of dark and light on the texture. I don’t know if I will use lightmap later, but it is fun to see what you can make with simple vertex paint tools.

my small tutorial on vertex painting with 3dsmax