I’m looking for ideas how to best accomplish this:
I have a 3D character rotating on the screen and a row of buttons to the right. Each button is labeled with the name of a part on the character. When the button is selected by the user, I’d like the character to rotate to a preset position that displays that part and then highlight it.
I’m thinking that I’ll rotate the character through a simple looping bit of code.
Then when a button is clicked, I’ll lerp from the the character’s current rotation, to a pre-set rotation. Then to highlight the part, I’ll make visible a second mesh with a translucent, self illuminated color.
I think I can make this work, any other or better ideas? I’m looking for maximum “cool” factor here. 
If you look at the new Shaders demos, there is something that does the highlighting you’re looking for, you just swap materials for the part to the highlighter version when the button is pressed.
Thanks Jeff, I knew I saw that someplace. Thanks! Any other ideas on the rotation part? This is a pretty mundane thing, and I’m looking for other ideas that might make it look just a bit cooler.
Thanks!
I just gave the shader replacement demo a try and ran into a problem. It requires a fairly sophisticated graphics card (shader model 2.0 or better) so I don’t think I want to risk using it. Too bad because that would make it oh so easy to set up.
So I’m back to the second mesh idea, use a semi-transparent shader and reverse the normals on the mesh… unless someone’s got a better idea! 
Without SM2+, you won’t have a way to do it.
Also, Unity does not support sophisticated shaders, as it does not compile SM4 at all. Don’t even know if SM3 can now be enforced with 2.1
SM2 is worlds from sophisticated.
SM2 for “visual effects” only definitely shouldn’t be a problem at least if you don’t intend to target stone age systems. but then you will have to handle other much more restricting things than shader. Especially RAM and VRAM restrictions
Ok, I’m not really up to date on what the low end graphics cards can and cannot do. If I’m trying to hit the “masses” (ie. Joe Schmoe the guy who wants to play this thing at the office while the boss is not watching, but he’s not a “dedicated” gamer), can I safely assume everyone’s got a graphics card capable of SM 2.0?
If you intend to create a game: yes
If you intend to create a browser game to be played while people should work in bureau: no, those system likely come with intel or worse
But I don’t see how higher visuals would be needed for that userbase as well
they are used to browser games, flash games or at worst Excel games