How to Change Shaders During Runtime in Unity Effortlessly

Learn how to `dynamically change shaders` in Unity during runtime with our comprehensive guide. Solve the common issue of shader changes not applying with clear examples and solutions.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/73435726/ asked by the user 'melbel' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/19721120/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/73437200/ provided by the user 'Andrei Nego' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/14264391/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Understanding the Problem: Runtime Shader Change in Unity

As developers creating games with Unity, one common challenge you might encounter is changing a shader during runtime. You may want to change the appearance of your game objects based on gameplay events, such as when a player triggers an action. However, many developers find that their attempts to change shaders dynamically do not produce the expected results. This guide will address this challenge and provide a clear and effective solution.

The Core of the Issue

In the provided code, the intention is to switch between two shaders when a specific event occurs (trigger event). The relevant piece of code looks like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

While it may seem straightforward, issues arise primarily because of how Unity handles materials and shaders.

Solution: Proper Shader Manipulation

To effectively change shaders during runtime, you need to understand that the material itself is dependent on the shader when created. Therefore, simply changing the shader of an existing material won’t yield the desired result. Here’s how to do it properly:

Step 1: Duplicate the Material

Instead of changing the shader directly on the material, you should create a new instance of the material. This way, changes will apply correctly without affecting any other instances that may share the same material. Here’s how you can modify your code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Explanation of the Changes

Material Instance: The key is to create a new material instance every time you want to change the appearance. This prevents unintended changes to materials shared among multiple game objects.

Shader Persistence: By doing this, the appearance of your game object will reflect the shader changes accurately during runtime.

Additional Tips

Instance Materials: When instancing materials, consider performance. Creating new materials may lead to increased memory usage, so manage materials wisely.

Shader Management: Always ensure shaders are correctly linked and available in your project settings. Missing or incorrectly linked shaders can lead to failures in dynamic changes.

Conclusion

Changing shaders dynamically in Unity might seem tricky at first, but understanding how materials interact with shaders simplifies the process. By following the steps outlined above, you can ensure that your game objects reflect the desired changes accurately and efficiently.

Experiment with different shaders and events to see how they can enhance your gameplay experience. Happy coding!