Quick Start

Quick Start

Get Global Snow running in your URP scene in a few minutes.

Step 1 - Import the Package

Import Global Snow & Rain 3 into a project that uses the Universal Render Pipeline.

Step 2 - Enable Deferred Rendering

Global Snow needs the Deferred or Deferred+ rendering path:

1. Select the Universal Renderer asset used by your URP asset.
2. In the Inspector, set Rendering Path to Deferred (or Deferred+).

On Unity 6.0 to 6.3, also check that Compatibility Mode (Render Graph Disabled) is off in Project Settings > Graphics. Global Snow runs only on the Render Graph.

Step 3 - Add the Render Feature

1. With the Universal Renderer asset selected, click Add Renderer Feature.
2. Select Global Snow Render Feature from the list.

If the renderer also has Screen Space Ambient Occlusion, keep Global Snow above it in the Renderer Features list. Otherwise objects buried in the Snow Accumulation show through the SSAO shading.

Step 4 - Add the Component to the Camera

1. Select your main camera in the Hierarchy.
2. Click Add Component and search for Global Snow.
3. Attach the component. It needs a Camera on the same GameObject.

Step 5 - Check the Sun

Global Snow uses a directional light for the snow lighting. It picks the first directional light it finds, so check that the Sun field in the Weather block points to your main directional light.

Step 6 - Add the Receivers and Look at the Scene

The Snow Accumulation in Snow Appearance gives the snow a real thickness, but only on the objects in its Receivers list, which starts empty. Press Add Terrains to add the terrains of the open scenes, and open List Receivers to drag other ground objects such as roads or roofs into the list. See Receivers.

The snow shows in the Game View and, by default, also in the Scene View. If the inspector shows a red message, follow it: it tells you when the URP asset, the Render Feature or the deferred path is missing, when Render Graph Compatibility Mode is on, or when Screen Space Ambient Occlusion is above Global Snow, with a button that fixes the order.

Step 7 - Customize

From here you can:

• Use the Weather block: Temperature and Intensity set what falls and how much, from light snow to rain storms, Snow sets the snow on the ground and Puddles the standing water. Fine-tune Snowfall, Snow Dust, Frost, Rain and the other effects in their foldouts.
• Pick a Performance Level: Best, Medium, Fastest or Custom.
• Adjust Minimum Altitude in the Coverage foldout to set where the snow starts.
• Enable Footprints and Deep Marks in Footprints & Marks, and add the Global Snow Interaction component to your characters. Deep Marks dig into the Snow Accumulation, so the ground must be in the Receivers.
• Save your settings in a Profile with the Create button next to the Profile field.

Demo Scene

Open ForestDemo in the Demo folder and press Play. The camera starts on Kyle. Use W A S D to walk, and press T to switch between following Kyle and a free camera. See Demo Scenes for all the controls.

Next Steps

• Setup Guide - Render Feature configuration and Render Graph notes.
• Parameters - full inspector reference.
• Rain & Water - rain, puddles and running drops.