Particle Effect For UGUI (UI Particle)
===
This plugin provide a component to render particle effect for uGUI in Unity 2018.2 or later.
The particle rendering is maskable and sortable, without Camera, RenderTexture or Canvas.
[](https://openupm.com/packages/com.coffee.ui-particle/)
[](https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI/releases)
[](https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI/releases) [](https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI/blob/master/LICENSE.txt)
[](http://makeapullrequest.com)
<< [Description](#Description) | [Demo](#demo) | [Installation](#installation) | [Usage](#usage) | [Development Note](#development-note) | [Change log](https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI/blob/upm/CHANGELOG.md) >>
## Description
This plugin uses new APIs `MeshBake/MashTrailBake` (added with Unity 2018.2) to render particles by CanvasRenderer.
You can mask and sort particles for uGUI without Camera, RenderTexture, Canvas.
Compares this "Baking mesh" approach with the conventional approach:
[Performance test results](https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI/issues/193#issuecomment-1160028374)
|Approach|Good|Bad|Screenshot|
|-|-|-|-|
|Baking mesh
**\(UIParticle\)**|Rendered as is.
Maskable.
Sortable.
Less objects.|[Not support `TEXCOORD*.zw` components for custom vertex stream](https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI/issues/191#issuecomment-1043409186)|
|
|Do nothing|Rendered as is.|**Looks like a glitch.**
Not maskable.
Not sortable.|
|
|Convert particle to UIVertex
[\(UIParticleSystem\)](https://forum.unity.com/threads/free-script-particle-systems-in-ui-screen-space-overlay.406862/)|Maskable.
Sortable.
Less objects.|**Adjustment is difficult.**
Requires UI shaders.
Difficult to adjust scale.
Force hierarchy scalling.
Simulation results are incorrect.
Trail, rotation of transform, time scaling are not supported.
Generate heavy GC every frame.|
|
|Use Canvas to sort|Rendered as is.
Sortable.|**You must to manage sorting orders.**
Not maskable.
More batches.|
|
|Use RenderTexture|Maskable.
Sortable.|**Requires Camera and RenderTexture.**
Difficult to adjust position and size.
Quality depends on the RenderTexture's setting.|
|
|Approach|FPS on Editor|FPS on iPhone6|FPS on Xperia XZ|
|--|--|--|--|
|Particle System|43|57|22|
|UIParticleSystem|4|3|0 (unmeasurable)|
|Sorting By Canvas|43|44|18|
|UIParticle|17|12|4|
|UIParticle with MeshSharing|44|45|30|
#### Features
* Easy to use: the package is out-of-the-box
* Sort particle effects and UI by sibling index
* No Camera, RenderTexture or Canvas are required
* Masking by Mask or RectMask2D
* Support Trail module
* Support CanvasGroup alpha
* No allocations
* Support overlay, camera space and world space
* Support changing material property with AnimationClip (AnimatableProperty)
* [4.0.0+] Support 8+ materials
* [4.0.0+] Correct world space particle position when changing window size for standalone platforms (Windows, MacOSX and Linux)
* [4.0.0+] Adaptive scaling for UI
* [4.0.0+] Mesh sharing group to improve performance
* [4.0.0+] Particle attractor component
* [4.1.0+] Relative/Absolute particle position mode
## Demo
* [WebGL Demo](https://mob-sakai.github.io/demos/UIParticle_Demo/index.html)
> 
* [WebGL Demo (Cartoon FX & War FX)](https://mob-sakai.github.io/Demos/ParticleEffectForUGUI_CFX)
* [Cartoon FX Free][CFX] & [War FX][WFX] (by [Jean Moreno (JMO)][JMO]) with UIParticle
> 
[CFX]: https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/vfx/particles/cartoon-fx-free-109565
[WFX]: https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/vfx/particles/war-fx-5669
[JMO]: https://assetstore.unity.com/publishers/1669
## Installation
### Requirement
### Using OpenUPM
This package is available on [OpenUPM](https://openupm.com).
You can install it via [openupm-cli](https://github.com/openupm/openupm-cli).
```
openupm add com.coffee.ui-particle
```
### Using Git
Find the manifest.json file in the Packages folder of your project and add a line to `dependencies` field.
* `"com.coffee.ui-particle": "https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI.git"`
To update the package, change suffix `#{version}` to the target version.
* `"com.coffee.ui-particle": "https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI.git#4.0.0",`
Or, use [UpmGitExtension](https://github.com/mob-sakai/UpmGitExtension) to install and update the package.
### For Unity 2018.2
Unity 2018.2 supports embedded packages.
1. Download a source code zip file from [Releases](https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI/releases) page
2. Extract it
3. Import it under `Packages` directory in your Unity project
## How to play demo
### For Unity 2019.1 or later
1. Open `Package Manager` window
2. Select `UI Particle` package in package list
3. Click `Import Sample` button
4. The demo project is imported into `Assets/Samples/UI Particle/{version}/Demo`
5. Open `UIParticle_Demo` scene and play it
### For Unity 2018.4 or earlier
1. Select `Assets/Samples/UI Particle Demo` from menu
2. The demo project is imported into `Assets/Samples/UI Particle/{version}/Demo`
3. Open `UIParticle_Demo` scene and play it
### About `Cartoon FX & War Fx Demo`
* It requires free assets ([Cartoon FX Free][CFX] & [War FX][WFX])
* by [Jean Moreno (JMO)][JMO]
## Usage
### UIParticle component
`UIParticle` controls the ParticleSystems that is attached to its own game objects and child game objects.
| Properties | Description |
| -- | -- |
| Maskable | Does this graphic allow masking. |
| Ignore Canvas Scale | Ignore the scale of the root canvas.
This prevents it from displaying small even in hierarchy scaling mode of `ParticleSystem`. |
| Scale | Scale the rendering.
When the `3D` toggle is enabled, 3D scale (x,y,z) is supported. |
| Animatable Properties | If you want update material properties (e.g. `_MainTex_ST`, `_Color`) in AnimationClip, use this to mark the changes. |
| Mesh Sharing | Particle simulation results are shared within the same group.
A large number of the same effects can be displayed with a small load.
When the `Random` toggle is enabled, it will be grouped randomaly. |
| Absolute Mode | The particles will be emitted at the ParticleSystem position.
Move the UIParticle/ParticleSystem to move the particle. |
| Rendering Order | The ParticleSystems to be rendered.
You can change the rendering order and the materials. |
NOTE: Press `Refresh` button to reconstruct rendering order based on children ParticleSystem's sorting order and z position.
### Basically usage
1. Select `Game Object/UI/ParticleSystem` to create UIParticle with a ParticleSystem.
2. Adjust the ParticleSystem as you like.
### With your existing ParticleSystem prefab
1. Select `Game Object/UI/ParticleSystem (Empty)` to create UIParticle.
2. Drag & drop your ParticleSystem prefab on UIParticle.
### With `Mask` or `RectMask2D` component
If you want to mask particles, set a stencil supported shader (such as `UI/UIAdditive`) to material for ParticleSystem.
If you use some custom shaders, see [How to make a custom shader to support Mask/RectMask2D component](#how-to-make-a-custom-shader-to-support-maskrectmask2d-component) section.
### Script usage
```cs
// Instant ParticleSystem prefab with UIParticle on runtime.
var go = GameObject.Instantiate(prefab);
var uiParticle = go.AddComponent();
// Control by ParticleSystem.
particleSystem.Play();
particleSystem.Emit(10);
// Control by UIParticle.
uiParticle.Play();
uiParticle.Stop();
```
### UIParticleAttractor component
`UIParticleAttractor` attracts particles generated by the specified ParticleSystem.
| Properties | Description |
| -- | -- |
| Particle System | Attracts particles generated by the specified particle system. |
| Distination Radius | Once the particle is within the radius, the particle lifetime will become 0 and `OnAttracted` will be called. |
| Delay Rate | Delay to start attracting.
It is a percentage of the particle's start lifetime. |
| Max Speed | Maximum speed of attracting.
If this value is too small, attracting may not be completed by the end of the lifetime and `OnAttracted` may not be called. |
| Movement | Attracting movement type. (Linear, Smooth, Sphere) |
| OnAttracted | An event called when attracting is complete (per particle). |
## Development Note
### Shader Limitation
UIParticles are based on UIVertex.
Therefore, only xy components is available for each UV in the shader. (zw components will be ignored).
So unfortunately UIParticles will not work well with some shaders.
When using custom vertex streams, you can fill zw components with "unnecessary" data.
https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI/issues/191
- If you need a simple Additive shader, use the `UI/Additive` shader instead.
- If you need a simple alpha-blend shader, use the `UI/Default` shader instead.
### Overheads
UIParticle has some overheads and the batching depends on uGUI.
When improving performance, keep the following in mind:
- If you are displaying a large number of the same effect, consider `Mesh Sharing` feature in [UIParticle Component](#uiparticle-component).
- If you don't like the uniform output, consider `Random Group` feature.
- If you are using multiple materials, you will have more draw calls.
- Consider single material, atlasing the sprites, and using `Sprite` mode in the `Texture Sheet Animation` module in ParticleSystem.
### How to make a custom shader to support Mask/RectMask2D component
Shader tips
```ShaderLab
Shader "Your/Custom/Shader"
{
Properties
{
// ...
// #### required for Mask ####
_StencilComp ("Stencil Comparison", Float) = 8
_Stencil ("Stencil ID", Float) = 0
_StencilOp ("Stencil Operation", Float) = 0
_StencilWriteMask ("Stencil Write Mask", Float) = 255
_StencilReadMask ("Stencil Read Mask", Float) = 255
_ColorMask ("Color Mask", Float) = 15
[Toggle(UNITY_UI_ALPHACLIP)] _UseUIAlphaClip ("Use Alpha Clip", Float) = 0
}
SubShader
{
Tags
{
// ...
}
// #### required for Mask ####
Stencil
{
Ref [_Stencil]
Comp [_StencilComp]
Pass [_StencilOp]
ReadMask [_StencilReadMask]
WriteMask [_StencilWriteMask]
}
ColorMask [_ColorMask]
// ...
Pass
{
// ...
// #### required for RectMask2D ####
#include "UnityUI.cginc"
#pragma multi_compile __ UNITY_UI_CLIP_RECT
float4 _ClipRect;
// #### required for Mask ####
#pragma multi_compile __ UNITY_UI_ALPHACLIP
struct appdata_t
{
// ...
};
struct v2f
{
// ...
// #### required for RectMask2D ####
float4 worldPosition : TEXCOORD1;
};
v2f vert(appdata_t v)
{
v2f OUT;
// ...
// #### required for RectMask2D ####
OUT.worldPosition = v.vertex;
return OUT;
}
fixed4 frag(v2f IN) : SV_Target
{
// ...
// #### required for RectMask2D ####
#ifdef UNITY_UI_CLIP_RECT
color.a *= UnityGet2DClipping(IN.worldPosition.xy, _ClipRect);
#endif
// #### required for Mask ####
#ifdef UNITY_UI_ALPHACLIP
clip (color.a - 0.001);
#endif
return color;
}
ENDCG
}
}
}
```
## Contributing
### Issues
Issues are very valuable to this project.
- Ideas are a valuable source of contributions others can make
- Problems show where this project is lacking
- With a question you show where contributors can improve the user experience
### Pull Requests
Pull requests are, a great way to get your ideas into this repository.
See [CONTRIBUTING.md](/../../blob/develop/CONTRIBUTING.md).
### Support
This is an open source project that I am developing in my spare time.
If you like it, please support me.
With your support, I can spend more time on development. :)
[](https://www.patreon.com/join/mob_sakai?)
[](https://github.com/users/mob-sakai/sponsorship)
## License
* MIT
## Author
*  [mob-sakai](https://github.com/mob-sakai) [](https://twitter.com/intent/follow?screen_name=mob_sakai) 
## See Also
* GitHub page : https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI
* Releases : https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI/releases
* Issue tracker : https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI/issues
* Change log : https://github.com/mob-sakai/ParticleEffectForUGUI/blob/upm/CHANGELOG.md