Use HDRs possible?

[4ndreDe]

Hi Guys,
i wanna use HDRs for my Background but i don’t know if it is even possible.
Can someone explain me how to do that?

[Carlos.Cristerna]

@4ndreDe You can, but there are a few caveats as there are many ways to do this and non of them are “the right” way. but here it goes.

1. Create a simple scene just from the Blank Template
   
2. Disable the default time of day manager by checking this box
   
   
3. Create a SkyLight
   
4. Import your HDRI map and Create a Material like this one (you will need it for your background)
   The key here is that is Unlit and the “is Sky” is checked.
   Texture, Intensity and Rotation angle are exposed parameters so that when you make a material instance you can modify them and try different maps
   
   
   
   
5. Using the Modeling tools, create a sphere and scale it to something like 50 uniformly so it covers your whole scene, make sure the pivot is at 0,0,0 so that when you scale it is centered on your scene (modeling tools can help you with this too)
   
6. Select the Skylight and make sure “real time capture is on” and that is “movable”
   you will need a lower resolution version of your HDRI to add there as well. Notice how I have 2 maps one 1k and one 8k. The one in the material is the 8k and the 1k is in the skylight so that when you play in lower scalabilities it will use that for reflections
   
   
   
   This is technically it. However there are limitations when you do it this way so I recommend you combine this with a direct light so that you don’t see where the Lumen scene ends (like in the above image) and that when you cant use lumen you still have shadows. (unless there is no direct lighting in the map)

Look at this image where instead of just using the Skylight, I am using a device called “Environment light rig” which has a sun, sky, atmosphere and fog. I have disabled the fog and atmosphere here but the principle is the same. I just aligned the sunlight with the location of the HDRI and play with the intensities of the Skylight, Material, Direct light etc.

Added bonus of using the “Environment light rig” is that you already have all you need there to control how your game will look at different scalabilities

Hope this helps.

CC