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Wave Tiling Options

The Wave Tiling parameter offers six distinct animation patterns, each creating a different visual effect. This page provides detailed information about each pattern to help you choose the right one for your needs.

Overview

Wave Tiling controls the direction and pattern of the shimmer wave movement across your object's surface. Each pattern creates a unique visual style suitable for different scenarios.

Pattern Details

1. Diagonal 1 (Default)

Diagonal 1 Pattern

Description: Classic diagonal sweep across the surface from one side to another.

Visual Characteristics: - Smooth, consistent diagonal movement - Even coverage across the surface - Predictable, professional appearance - Works well on both flat and curved surfaces

Best For: - General-purpose shimmer effects - UI elements (buttons, panels, cards) - Flat surfaces and planes - Item highlights in inventory - First-time setup (good default choice)

Use Cases: 

# Standard collectible item
Wave Tiling: Diagonal 1
Speed: 2.0
Highlight Color: Gold

# UI button hover effect
Wave Tiling: Diagonal 1
Speed: 1.5
Highlight Color: White

2. Diagonal 2

Diagonal 2 Pattern

Description: Reverse diagonal sweep from one side to another. A bit Different from Diagonal 1

Visual Characteristics: - Opposite direction to Diagonal 1 - Same smooth, professional appearance - Creates variety when used alongside Diagonal 1 - Mirror effect for paired objects

Best For: - Creating visual variety among similar objects - Paired or mirrored objects - Alternating patterns on grouped items - Secondary or opposite state indicators

Use Cases: 

# Alternate collectible type
Wave Tiling: Diagonal 2
Speed: 2.0
Highlight Color: Silver

# Left/Right UI panel differentiation
Wave Tiling: Diagonal 2 (right panel)
Wave Tiling: Diagonal 1 (left panel)

3. Diagonal 3

Diagonal 3 Pattern

Description: Alternative diagonal pattern with unique sweep characteristics at a different angle.

Visual Characteristics: - Distinct angle from Diagonal 1 and 2 - Unique visual signature - Less common, more distinctive - Adds subtle variation

Best For: - Creating visual variety without drastic changes - Differentiated objects within same category - Special or unique items - Custom branding/style requirements

Use Cases: 

# Rare item tier
Wave Tiling: Diagonal 3
Speed: 1.5
Highlight Color: Purple

# Special event items
Wave Tiling: Diagonal 3
Speed: 2.2
Highlight Color: Pink

When to Choose: - You've already used Diagonal 1 and 2 - Need a third tier of differentiation - Want something slightly different from standard

4. Bottom To Top

Bottom To Top Pattern

Description: Vertical scanning effect that sweeps from bottom to top.

Visual Characteristics: - Strong vertical movement - Scanning/analyzing appearance - Emphasizes height and vertical dimension - Tech/sci-fi feeling

Best For: - Tall objects and vertical structures - Character models (full-body effects) - Vertical UI elements (progress bars, health bars) - Scanning and analysis effects - Elevator or lift UI - Tower defense highlights

Use Cases: 

# Character power-up activation
Wave Tiling: Bottom To Top
Speed: 3.0
Highlight Color: Cyan
Emission: 0.7

# Sci-fi door scan
Wave Tiling: Bottom To Top
Speed: 4.0
Highlight Color: Blue
Emission: 0.5

# Vertical progress indicator
Wave Tiling: Bottom To Top
Speed: 1.5
Highlight Color: Green

Design Tips: - Perfect for "powering up" animations - Great for vertical reveal effects - Pairs well with blue/cyan colors for tech aesthetic - Use faster speeds for urgent scanning effects

5. Back To Front

Back To Front Pattern

Description: Wave travels from back to front in world space, emphasizing depth.

Visual Characteristics: - Creates depth perception - 3D spatial awareness - Camera-relative effect - Volumetric feeling

Best For: - 3D game objects with significant depth - Objects viewed from a fixed camera angle - Emphasizing object volume and form - Creating depth hierarchy - Foreground/background separation

Use Cases: 

# 3D item showcase
Wave Tiling: Back To Front
Speed: 2.0
Highlight Color: White
Emission: 0.4

# Environmental object highlight
Wave Tiling: Back To Front
Speed: 1.8
Highlight Color: Yellow

When to Choose: - Your objects have noticeable depth (not flat) - Camera position is relatively fixed - You want to emphasize 3D form - Creating a "reveal" effect

Camera Considerations: - Effect appearance depends on camera angle - Works best with consistent camera positioning - May look different from various viewpoints

6. Pulse

Pulse Pattern

Description: Pulsing effect that emanates on full body like heart beat.

Visual Characteristics: - Full glow on specific time intervel - Attention-grabbing - Rhythmic, breathing appearance - Stronger visual presence than directional patterns

Best For: - Quest markers and objectives - Important pickups or collectibles - Alert and warning states - Magical/mystical objects - Energy sources or power cores - Beacon-like highlights - Breathing/living effects

Use Cases: 

# Quest objective marker
Wave Tiling: Pulse
Speed: 2.5
Highlight Color: Bright Yellow
Emission: 0.8

# Magical artifact
Wave Tiling: Pulse
Speed: 1.5
Highlight Color: Purple
Emission: 0.6

# Alert state
Wave Tiling: Pulse
Speed: 4.0
Highlight Color: Red
Emission: 1.0

# Health pickup
Wave Tiling: Pulse
Speed: 2.0
Highlight Color: Green
Emission: 0.5

Design Considerations: - Most attention-grabbing pattern - Use sparingly to maintain impact - Perfect for "most important" objects - Can feel overwhelming if overused

Speed Guidelines for Pulse: - Slow (1.0-1.5): Calm, mystical, ambient - Medium (2.0-2.5): Standard attention-grabbing - Fast (3.0-4.0): Urgent, warning, critical

Use Sparingly

The Pulse effect is very noticeable. Avoid using it on too many objects simultaneously to prevent visual fatigue.

Combining with Other Properties

Pattern + Speed Combinations

Each pattern responds differently to speed changes:

Diagonal Patterns (1, 2, 3): - Slow speed = elegant, premium feel - Fast speed = energetic, action-oriented

Bottom To Top: - Slow speed = deliberate scanning - Fast speed = urgent analysis/warning

Back To Front: - Slow speed = revealing, mysterious - Fast speed = quick highlight sweep

Pulse: - Slow speed = breathing, ambient - Fast speed = alert, critical

Performance Notes

All wave tiling patterns have equivalent performance characteristics:

  • ✅ No performance difference between patterns
  • ✅ Pattern selection is purely aesthetic
  • ✅ Switch patterns freely without performance concern
  • ✅ Can be changed at runtime without cost

Testing and Iteration

  1. Start with Diagonal 1 for baseline
  2. Test in Play Mode to see animation
  3. Try Pulse if more attention is needed
  4. Experiment with others for variety
  5. Consider context (object type, importance)
  6. Test with color and speed combinations
  7. Validate with playtesters for clarity

A/B Testing

When unsure between patterns:

  • Test both with representative players
  • Consider readability and clarity
  • Evaluate attention-grabbing effectiveness
  • Check consistency with game's visual language