Unity VFX Graph - Stylized Laser Beam Tutorial

Summary of the Unity VFX Graph Stylized Laser Beam Tutorial

The video is a tutorial on creating a stylized, animated laser/electric beam in Unity using VFX Graph, along with supporting assets made in Blender/Krita and materials/shaders made in Shader Graph. It also explains how to extend the base effect with additional beam layers (electric/dark/background) and add extra particle detail (sparks and an initial flash).

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Main workflow / features

1) Set up the VFX Graph beam (core beam)

• Start with an empty GameObject and create a VFX Graph (e.g., vfx graph – stylized beam).
• Modify the particle behavior to:
  • Use Single burst (remove constant emission; set count to 1).
  • Use Mesh output instead of a default quad/capsule.
  • Use Set Lifetime controlled by a Blackboard float property named duration (default ~3 seconds).
  • Disable velocity (the beam stays static except for scaling/texture animation).
• Build a custom mesh plane for the beam, exported from Blender as FBX:
  • Create a plane and adjust UV orientation (rotate so UVs run left-to-right with the mesh).
  • Ensure predictable scaling by using cursor/3D cursor workflows so the beam scales from the correct pivot.
  • In Unity:
    • Set mesh scale factor (e.g., 100).
    • Assign the mesh to the VFX Graph output particle mesh.
• Fix camera-facing behavior:
  • Use an Orient block set to a fixed axis to keep the beam correctly oriented relative to the camera, with Z treated specially.
• Animate beam dimensions with Set Scale over Life:
  • Use curves/keys so the beam:
    • Grows in length (Y) from ~0 near the start to full, then shrinks toward the end of lifetime.
    • Controls thickness (X) with a separate curve so it tapers over time.
  • Ensure the composition is Multiply so scaling combines correctly.

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2) Create the beam texture (Krita)

• Create a square canvas (e.g., 2048×2048).
• Paint a stylized stripe/shape using Krita brushes:
  • Use Wrap Mode (toggle via Shift+W) for seamless texture authoring.
  • Use Erase and Smudge-style tools to refine edges and add internal distortion.
• Export as PNG and import into Unity.
• In Unity:
  • Enable alpha transparency.
  • Assign it as the beam material’s main texture.

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3) Shader Graph laser material (scrolling + masking + dissolve + distortion)

• Create a Shader Graph targeting Visual Effect usage:
  • Unlit
  • Alpha clipping enabled
• Typical shader properties include:
  • Color (HDR, full opacity)
  • Mask texture (fade control)
  • Main texture (Krita beam texture)
  • Vector2 speed for texture scrolling
  • Parameters for alpha clip/dissolve, distortion amount, and distortion speed/scale
• Key shader behavior:
  • Sample mask texture and main texture, then multiply them so start/end fade works.
  • Use Tiling and Offset + Time to scroll the texture.
  • Add mask-driven fade to soften the beginning/end of the laser.
  • Support dissolving using an alpha clip threshold (0–1 slider).
  • Add distortion:
    • Use a noise texture with tiling/offset.
    • Lerp between normal UVs (no distortion) and distorted UVs (full distortion).
    • Animate distortion using time × distortion speed (optionally negative to reverse direction).
• In VFX Graph:
  • Assign the shader to the output particle.
  • If needed, enable non-experimental operator/blocks visibility so shader-related options appear.

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4) Create a beam mask texture (Krita) for fade ends

• Generate a 512×512 texture using the Gradient tool:
  • Opacity: 0 at start → near full in the middle (~60%) → 0 at end.
• Export two versions:
  • One with black background (useful for alpha/additive workflows)
  • Another without black background (for alpha transparency blending workflows)
• In Unity:
  • Assign the appropriate mask variant depending on blend mode.
• The mask ensures the beam fades at the start and end.

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Extending the look: multiple beam layers

5) Add distortion/exaggeration + electric variant

• Duplicate the beam shader/particle setup:
  • Change color (e.g., to blue).
  • Increase alpha erosion via alpha clip.
  • Increase distortion amount (tuned to the texture created).
• Result: a more “electric” feel.

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6) Add a dark background layer

• Duplicate again for a dark tint layer:
  • Set blend mode = Alpha.
  • Use a dark red color.
• Fix common issues:
  • If the mask shows black edges, use the transparent mask export (no black background).
  • Adjust render order:
    • In the VFX Graph inspector, change “beam dark” ordering so it renders behind other layers (push it earlier).

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7) Tuning blend modes and proportions

• The tutorial highlights adjusting scalar values like beam width/intensity:
  • Reduce widths and balance alpha/brightness to keep good proportions.

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Adding extra detail with particle systems

8) Stretched particles / sparks along the beam

• Create a separate particle system inside the VFX Graph.
• Configure:
  • Loop count/duration to match the beam timing.
  • Constant spawn rate (e.g., 40).
  • Use Z-axis velocity to create streaks (e.g., 20–40).
  • Short lifetime (~0.2–0.45).
  • Position arc (circle) bounds with adjusted radius.
  • Additive blend mode.
  • Size control:
    • Random X/Y scale range.
    • Orient block + Set Scale over life (often Multiply composition).
    • Curve shrinking from large to small.
  • Orange glow via Set Color with brightness multiplier.
• Output: sparks streaming quickly along the beam.

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9) Initial flash at the beam start

• Add another short-lived additive particle layer:
  • Additive blend mode; optionally enable soft particles for better fading against geometry.
  • Random size (e.g., 2.5–5).
  • Very short lifetime (~0.1–0.2).
  • Multiply composition with a bright orange color.
• Result: a bright flash at the laser start.

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Source / speakers (end)

• Main speaker: the channel creator (tutorial narration, e.g., “guys… let’s jump right into it”).
• Sources/tools used (non-human):
  • Unity VFX Graph
  • Unity Shader Graph
  • Blender (FBX mesh plane)
  • Krita (textures and masks)