Unity Rendering — 3 — RenderGraph
I am Samuel Asher Rivello, a professional game developer with 25 years of game development experience — over a decade with the Unity and C#. Unity is a powerful and popular suite of tools (Project IDE, Code IDE, and run-time).
Unity Rendering
Rendering is a process that uses computer software to generate a realistic or non-realistic image from a 2D or 3D model. It’s a key step in 3D computer graphics, and is used in many fields, including architecture, video games, and visual effects.
Recap
- Unity Rendering — 1 — Overview : The basics
- Unity Rendering — 2 — URP Pipeline : The deciding factor
Unity RenderGraph
Building Custom Render Pipelines
RenderGraph is a powerful system introduced in Unity for developers to gain finer control over the rendering pipeline. It enables developers to structure complex rendering tasks more efficiently, ensuring high performance and adaptability for custom render passes. This flexibility makes it an essential tool for creating cutting-edge graphics and improving project performance.
Since: Unity 2022
Unity 2022 introduced several enhancements to the RenderGraph API, making it more robust and user-friendly. The new features streamline the process of creating custom passes, debugging, and managing resources. Whether you’re working on a high-end console game or a mobile application, leveraging RenderGraph will empower your project’s graphics quality.
Now: Unity 6
- Explicit Pass Management: Define and manage custom render passes explicitly to control when and how rendering occurs.
- Resource Lifetime Tracking: Automatically track resources like textures and buffers, ensuring they’re only active when needed.
- Enhanced Debugging Tools: New tools and visualizations make it easier to diagnose performance issues in your render pipeline.
- Dependency Graph Visualization: See how different passes interact and depend on each other, making optimization straightforward.
- Seamless Integration with URP & HDRP: Extend existing pipelines with RenderGraph to add custom effects or experimental features.
Getting Started with Unity RenderGraph
Creating a custom render pass involves:
- Defining Resources: Specify textures, buffers, and other resources used in the pass.
- Writing Pass Logic: Implement the graphics logic, such as rendering shadows or custom post-processing.
- Registering the Pass: Add the custom pass to your existing render pipeline.
For more complex scenarios, Unity’s documentation offers in-depth examples on extending the URP or HDRP using RenderGraph.
Code Snippet
You use the SceneGraphAPI to begin customization.
using UnityEngine.Rendering.RenderGraphModule;
public class MyRenderPipeline : RenderPipeline
{
RenderGraph m_RenderGraph;
void InitializeRenderGraph()
{
m_RenderGraph = new RenderGraph(“MyRenderGraph”);
}
void CleanupRenderGraph()
{
m_RenderGraph.Cleanup();
m_RenderGraph = null;
}
}Bonus
The next generation of Unity (e.g. Unity 7 and beyond) may see a convergence of the pipelines.
Historically there was ONE pipeline (Standard Render Pipeline). Then for years there have been TWO major pipelines (URP, HDRP). Next there may be one again.
The skills you learn with RenderGraph will form the foundation of the future.
Conclusion
With RenderGraph, the possibilities are vast — from creating unique visual effects to optimizing the rendering of large scenes. Dive into Unity 2022+ with RenderGraph and unlock the full potential of your custom rendering solutions.
Resources
🦜 Contact
- Samuel Asher Rivello has over 20 years of game dev XP. He is available for remote, contract hire as a game developer and game dev educator.
- Contact Sam today to say hi and discuss your projects!
📜 Articles
- Optimization Portfolio: Maximizing performance
- Rendering Portfolio : ShaderGraph / VFXGraph
- Unity Rendering — 1 — Overview
- Unity Rendering — 2 — URP Pipeline
- Unity Rendering — 3 — RenderGraph
- Unity Rendering — 4 — ShaderGraph
- Unity Rendering — 5 — VFXGraph
- Unity Rendering — 6 — Optimization
