GPU Instancing not working with Sprite Renderer?

Unity Engine
1

I achieved GPU Instancing to work with Mesh Renderer but i’m not sure why it is breaking with Sprite Renderers and the only message i’m getting in the Frame Debugger is:

Non-instanced properties set for instanced shader.

Shader:

Shader "GPU Instancing Sprite"
{
    Properties
    {
        _MainTex ("Texture", 2D) = "white" {}
        _Blend ("Blend", float) = 0
        [PerRendererData] _AlphaTex ("External Alpha", 2D) = "white" {}
    }
    SubShader
    {
        Tags
        {
            "Queue" = "Transparent"
            "IgnoreProjector" = "True"
            "RenderType" = "Transparent"
            "PreviewType" = "Plane"
            "CanUseSpriteAtlas" = "True"
        }

        ZWrite Off
        Blend One OneMinusSrcAlpha
     
        Pass
        {         
            CGPROGRAM
            #pragma vertex vert
            #pragma fragment frag
            #pragma fragmentoption ARB_precision_hint_fastest
            #pragma multi_compile_instancing

            #include "UnityCG.cginc"
         
            fixed4 _MainTex_ST;
            sampler2D_half _AlphaTex;
            sampler2D_half _MainTex;

            UNITY_INSTANCING_BUFFER_START (Props)
                UNITY_DEFINE_INSTANCED_PROP (fixed, _Blend)
            UNITY_INSTANCING_BUFFER_END (Props)

            struct Input
            {
                fixed3 vertex : POSITION;
                fixed2 uv0 : TEXCOORD0;
                UNITY_VERTEX_INPUT_INSTANCE_ID
            };

            struct Output
            {
                fixed4 pos : SV_POSITION;
                fixed2 uv0 : TEXCOORD0;
                UNITY_VERTEX_INPUT_INSTANCE_ID
            };

            Output vert (Input i)
            {     
                Output o;

                UNITY_SETUP_INSTANCE_ID (i);
                UNITY_TRANSFER_INSTANCE_ID (i, o);

                o.pos = UnityObjectToClipPos (i.vertex);
                o.uv0 = TRANSFORM_TEX (i.uv0, _MainTex);

                return o;
            }

            fixed4 frag (Output i) : SV_target
            {
                UNITY_SETUP_INSTANCE_ID (i);

                fixed4 tex = tex2D (_MainTex, i.uv0);

                tex.rgb = lerp (fixed3 (0, 0, 0), tex.rgb, UNITY_ACCESS_INSTANCED_PROP (Props, _Blend));
                tex.rgb *= tex.a;

                return tex;
            }
            ENDCG
        }
    }
}

using System.Collections;
using UnityEngine;

[RequireComponent (typeof (SpriteRenderer))]
[DisallowMultipleComponent]
public sealed class ColorReveal : MonoBehaviour
{
    IEnumerator Start ()
    {
        float _duration = Random.Range (5f, 10f);
        SpriteRenderer _thisRenderer = GetComponent<SpriteRenderer> ();
        MaterialPropertyBlock _propertyBlock = new MaterialPropertyBlock ();
        _thisRenderer.GetPropertyBlock (_propertyBlock);
        for (float _t = 0; _t < _duration; _t += Time.deltaTime)
        {
            float _step = _t / _duration;
            _propertyBlock.SetFloat ("_Blend", _step);
            _thisRenderer.SetPropertyBlock (_propertyBlock);
            yield return null;
        }
        _propertyBlock.SetFloat ("_Blend", 1);
        _thisRenderer.SetPropertyBlock (_propertyBlock);
    }
}

With Mesh Renderers if _Blend value was not equal between different instances it still was working. Frame debugger showed only 1 instanced group.

With Sprite Renderers it’s only working if _Blend value is equal in all of the instances. For example with my script when the lerp finishes _Blend equals = 1 in all sprites so they get instanced correctly.

But while they are lerping they instancing breaks, frame debugger show all as separated batches.

Any ideas why this might be happening?

1 Like
2

I have the same problem. Instancing working with quad mesh but not working with sprites. Does someone know why it doesn’t work on sprites?

3

Sounds like this bug

1 Like
4

Yup, sprite renderers seem to be incompatible with GPU instancing.

1 Like
5

Having the same problem. Apparently a bug. Don’t know why it can be marked “won’t fix”