> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cw-systems.gitbook.io/gas-giant-forge/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cw-systems.gitbook.io/gas-giant-forge/readme.md). # Welcome If you're viewing the offline pdf documentation, view the latest online documentation [**HERE**](https://cw-systems.gitbook.io/gas-giant-forge).

The Ultimate Gas Giant Rendering System

This asset is designed to work in Unity 2021 LTS, Unity 2022 LTS, Unity 2023, and Unity 6, with the Built-In Render Pipeline, URP, and HDRP. This asset includes a volumetric atmosphere and cloud system, and a fluid simulation system.\ All example scenes are in the **"Plugins/CW/Gas Giant Forge/Scenes"** folder. These show you what fully configured gas giants look like.

Fly From Space

Through The Rings

Through The Gas Giant

Realtime Fluid Simulation

## Required Packages {% hint style="danger" %} Your project must have the **Burst** and **Mathematics** and **Collections** packages installed. {% endhint %}
Package Installation Guide ### Open: Window / Package Manager
### Install Package: Burst
### Install Package: Mathematics
### Install Package: Collections
## **Done!** {% hint style="warning" %} If you see this error: {% endhint %}
This means you're using an outdated version of the **Collections** package. In Unity 2021 (and possibly other versions), the Package Manager states that **Collections 1.2.4** is the latest version you can install, but this is incorrect. To update to the latest version and fix this error, you must manually open the **YourProjectFolder/Packages/manifest.json** file. Inside this file, you will see one line that looks like this: ``` "com.unity.collections": "1.2.4", ``` You must change it to version 1.5.2, like this: ``` "com.unity.collections": "1.5.2", ``` In the end the manifest will look like this:
You can now save this manifest.json file, and return to Unity. Unity should then automatically update Collections to the latest version.
## Making Your Own Gas Giant There are two types of gas giants in Gas Giant Forge: 1. **Full Fluid Sim** - The whole gas giant surface is one big fluid simulation. 2. **Slices** - The gas giant is made from thin bands/slices of static textures and small fluid simulations. {% hint style="info" %} Both gas giant types are fundamentally the same. The **Full Fluid Sim** gas giant just has one large fluid sim band/slice, whereas **Slices** comes pre-configured with many bands/slices. Both can be fully customized. {% endhint %} {% tabs %} {% tab title="Full Fluid Sim" %}

Example of a Full Fluid Sim gas giant.

To make your own gas giant from scratch, you can either: * Right click in the **Hierarchy** tab, and select **"CW / Gas Giant Forge / Gas Giant (Full Fluid Sim) (Radius = 500)"**. * Go to the menu bar, and select **"GameObject / CW / Gas Giant Forge / Gas Giant (Full Fluid Sim) (Radius = 500)"**. This will create a new GameObject called **"Gas Giant"** with 2 child GameObjects: * The **"Sky"** GameObject has the **SgtSky** component, which handles rendering of the core atmosphere of the gas giant. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtsky.md). * The **"Sky"** GameObject has the **SgtShadowSphere** component, which casts shadows from the gas giant onto the rings. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtshadowsphere.md). * The **"Cloud"** GameObject has the **SgtCloud** component, which handles rendering of the high altitude clouds that swirl around. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtcloud.md). * The **"Cloud"** GameObject has the **SgtCloudBundle** component, which is a texture atlas that stores all gas giant bands/slices. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtcloudbundle.md). * The **"Cloud"** GameObject has the **SgtGasGiantFluid** component, which runs a fluid simulation that is rendered on the gas giant. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtgasgiantfluid.md). * The "**Rings**" GameObject has the **SgtRingSystem** component, which renders volumetric rings around the gas giant. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtringsystem.md). * The **"Ring"** GameObject has the **SgtRingParticles** component, which renders small asteroid particles inside the volumetric rings. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtringparticles.md). * The **"Ring"** GameObject has the **SgtShadowRing** component, which casts shadows from the rings onto the planet. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtshadowring.md). The gas giant surface is updated using a fluid simulation. To modify its settings, select the **"Cloud"** GameObject, and change the **SgtGasGiantFluid** component's settings. To quickly see results from your changes, you can click the **"Step Simulation x1000"** setting. {% hint style="info" %} The simulation settings are very sensitive, so I recommend changing them by small amounts like 10%. {% endhint %} {% endtab %} {% tab title="Slices" %}

Example of a Slices gas giant.

To make your own gas giant from scratch, you can either: * Right click in the **Hierarchy** tab, and select **"CW / Gas Giant Forge / Gas Giant (Slices) (Radius = 500)"**. * Go to the menu bar, and select **"GameObject / CW / Gas Giant Forge / Gas Giant (Slices) (Radius = 500)"**. This will create a new GameObject called "Gas Giant" with 2 child GameObjects: * The **"Sky"** GameObject has the **SgtSky** component, which handles rendering of the core atmosphere of the gas giant. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtsky.md). * The **"Sky"** GameObject has the **SgtShadowSphere** component, which casts shadows from the gas giant onto the rings. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtshadowsphere.md). * The **"Cloud"** GameObject has the **SgtCloud** component, which handles rendering of the high altitude clouds that swirl around. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtcloud.md). * The "**Rings**" GameObject has the **SgtRingSystem** component, which renders volumetric rings around the gas giant. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtringsystem.md). * The **"Ring"** GameObject has the **SgtRingParticles** component, which renders small particles inside the volumetric rings. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtringparticles.md). * The **"Ring"** GameObject has the **SgtShadowRing** component, which casts shadows from the rings onto the planet. More info [**HERE**](/gas-giant-forge/components/sgtshadowring.md). The gas giant surface is made of many separate texture bands. To modify or add more bands, select the **"Cloud"** GameObject, and change the **SgtCloud** component's **CoverageBands** setting. Each band uses a texture from the **CoverageBundle** setting, which by default contains many different textures. {% endtab %} {% endtabs %} By default, the gas giant has a radius of 100 meters, and the clouds extend 10 meters above the surface. To adjust this, select the **"Sky"** GameObject, and change the **SgtSky** component's **InnerMeshRadius** and **Height** settings. {% hint style="info" %} If you're not sure what **Height** value should be used, a good starting point is to make this 10% of your **InnerMeshRadius** setting. {% endhint %} To change the color of the gas giant, find the **"Cloud"** GameObject and change the **SgtCloud** component's **Color** and **Color2** settings. You can also click the **"Randomize Color Hue"** button to quickly modify them. The core of the gas giant below the clouds is colored by the **"Sky"** GameObject's **SgtSky** component, which cam be controlled with settings like **RayleighColor**.
{% hint style="info" %} You can hover the mouse over any inspector setting, and it will tell you what it does. {% endhint %} ## Required Scene Components {% hint style="warning" %} Your main scene light must have the **SgtLight** component to calculate lighting on the atmosphere and clouds. When you create a new planet, this will automatically be added. {% endhint %} {% hint style="warning" %} Your scene must have the **SgtVolumeManager** component to render the gas giants. When you create a new gas giant, this will automatically be added. {% endhint %} {% hint style="warning" %} Your main camera must have the **SgtVolumeCamera** component to render the gas giants. When you create a new gas giant, this will automatically be added. {% endhint %}