Camera Static Effect

Questions & Answers
1

I want to make like a noise/static effect on screen simulating like you would be watching through a video camera. How would one be able to achieve these kind of effects with Unity Free?

3

The most efficient method would be with a custom shader. The second most efficient method is likely to be a set of images animated on plane or a GUITexture in front of the camera. You will find code here to animate a set of images.

[http://wiki.unity3d.com/index.php?title=Texture_swap_animator][1]

A less efficient method is to dynamically calculate changes in a texture:

  • Create a Quad (Game Object > Create Other > Quad).
  • Move the Quad directly in front of the camera just in front of the camera and just in front of the near clip plane of the camera
  • Make the Quad a child of the camera
  • Create a material using the Unlit/Transparent shader and apply it to the Quad (no need for a texture)
  • Add the script below to the Quad.
#pragma strict

var lineFrequency = 5;
var updateFrequency = 5.0;

private var tex : Texture2D;
private var pixels : Color32[];
private var mat : Material;

function Start () {
	mat = renderer.material;
	tex = new Texture2D(255, 255);
	var c32 = Color32(0, 0, 0, 0);
	pixels = tex.GetPixels32();
	for (var i = 0; i < pixels.Length; i++) {
		pixels *= c32;*

  • }*

  • tex.SetPixels32(pixels);*

  • tex.Apply();*

  • mat.mainTexture = tex;*

  • InvokeRepeating(“UpdateStatic”, 0.0, 1.0/updateFrequency);*
    }

function UpdateStatic() {

  • for (var i = 0; i < pixels.Length; i++) {*
  •  if ((((i / tex.width ) % lineFrequency) == 0 ))*

_ pixels*.a = Random.Range(85, 101.0);_
_ else*_
_ pixels*.a = Random.Range(0, 25);
 }*_

* tex.SetPixels32(pixels);*
* tex.Apply();*
* mat.mainTexture = tex;*
}
There are a number of things here to play with to get the effect the way you want:
- The size of the texture and the line frequency will effect the softness/hardness of the lines…and will also have an impact on efficiency.
- The Random.Range() calls determines the look of the static for both lines and non-line areas.
- 'updateFrequency determines the rate at which the static refreshes.
[1]: http://wiki.unity3d.com/index.php?title=Texture_swap_animator

2

In here, this person explains how to create a Slender game in detail using Unity Free version.

He speaks in Portuguese but it’s pretty much clear how he does that, so here you go.