Adding Post-Processing

Today, we’re going to add post-processing to the game. Post-processing allows us to add image effects and filters to our project. To us this, we have to install post-processing from the Unity package manager. We will first need to go to ‘Window’ then ‘Package Manager’ and search for ‘post processing’. Then just click ‘Install’ at the bottom of the window.

Now, in the hierarchy, we need to create a new empty game object and name it ‘Post_Processing_Volume’. Create a new ‘Layer’ named ‘Post Processing’. This is done just like creating a new tag. Click the dropdown, ‘Add Layer’ then, in any of the open spaces type in our layer name. When that is done, set this game object to that layer. After that, we want to add a new component to this game object. We will add ‘Post-process Volume’. Set ‘Is Global’ to active and click ‘New’ next to ‘Profile’. We need to create a new profile to get this to work.

Select ‘Main Camera’ and add a new component to this as well. We will add ‘Post-process Layer’. Change the ‘Volume Layer’ to be your ‘Post Processing’ layer.

Back on our ‘Post_Process_Volume’ game object, we can now add our effects. Let’s add ‘Bloom’ first. Here you can slide the ‘Intensity’ field and see that areas of the scene are becoming brighter. This is what bloom does. I’m setting my intensity level to 1.

Let’s add another effect called ‘Color Grading’. You will see a warning message saying we need to change our color to linear to get the most out of the effect. So let’s change that setting. We will need to go to ‘File’ then ‘Build Settings’. In the bottom left corner is ‘Player Settings’, click that. Under ‘Other Settings’ you will see ‘Color Space’, change that to ‘Linear’. It will take a little bit to recompile the project. Just be patient.

Make sure the ‘Mode’ is on ‘High Definition’ now. Then put ‘Tonemapping’ on ‘ACES’. Slide each of the fields around and see what they all do. Create your own unique feel for your game.