First I’d like to say hello, this is my first time in the Unity forums and I’m excited to learn more about the software.
I’ve been looking for documentation focusing on optimization of 3d games for integrated graphics PC’s and one particular question I have what I wasn’t immediately able to find an answer for via the search box is… Whether or not Integrated Chips typically support normal maps, and if they do, what’s a smart limit to resolution/number of maps?
I hope this isn’t too broad a question, and naturally I understand there’s a wide variety of integrated chipsets on the market, but for now let’s assume I mean on either Motherboard based integrated of the Core 2 era all the way up to i5 cpu integrated solutions.
Thanks alot.
~Matt
P.S. I did find this article, but it makes little mention of shaders…
Intel Integrated with Shader Model 2.0 and above can definitely support it. It’s not super fast, but nothing is on Intel integrated. My last game used mostly 512x512 textures, if that’s anything to go by, and ran at playable speeds on Intel SM2.0 chips, even with dynamic shadows enabled. That wasn’t made in Unity, mind.
Thank you for the reply, that helps. Normal map usage will be limited in the level I’m working on, mostly to help with making geometry look a bit more organic. There are a lot of flowing concrete shapes in the architecture and smooth vertex just isn’t quite doing it for me in some cases.
The PowerVR SGX 535 Core which the iPad and 3GS uses is actually in one of the intel integrated chipets, and they can do normal mapping, at playable speeds.
