sorting layers and global lighting

randytaylor

hi,

[unity 6 6000.0.32f1];
[adventure creator 1.83.0];

I have several layers for sorting:

• layout_ground is used to display the tilemap. This layer is affected by global illumination with minimal brightness.
• layout is used to display the same tilemap as layout_ground, but with a brightness of 0.5.
• layoutShadowArea is used for displaying the tilemap with slightly less brightness than layout.
• ENV (pro, player, NPC) is used to show sprites of objects and characters. This layer has the same lighting as layout.
• ENV_Shadow Area (pro, player, NPC) displays the shadows of objects and characters using the same lighting as layoutShadowArea.
• Layout_Top is used to display a different version of the tilemap that is affected by the same lighting as Layout_Ground.

I have a global variable called "TimeOfDay" with the values "day", "day_rain", "evening", and "night". When a scene starts, the current value of this variable is passed to a sprite animator called "view outside the window" in order to change the texture. The value is also passed to a global light animator in order to set the lighting based on the time of day.
To create a shadow effect in one part of the room, I have divided the room into different layers. However, there is a problem with sorting the character relative to the objects in the darkened area, as the character and the objects are on separate layers.

In order to solve this issue, I added a trigger at the entrance to the dark area that changes the sorting layer of the character's prefab to "ENV_ShadowArea" (props, player, NPC).

Is there a more efficient way to achieve this effect?

ChrisIceBox

Are these Sorting Layers, or regular GameObject layers?

This sounds like more of a general Unity question, but URP's 2D Renderer has good lighting options - you could try making a light that affects characters but only in the bright areas of the room.

randytaylor

Are these Sorting Layers, or regular GameObject layers?

yes;

you could try making a light that affects characters but only in the bright areas of the room.

in fact, that's what I did, I have different global lights installed on different sorting layers; the question is, is this the right approach or not?

ChrisIceBox

Sound like it to me.