Baked vs realtime

Learn the difference between baked and realtime lighting.

Baked and Realtime

Lights can be computed in two ways: Realtime and Baked. A realtime light is recomputed every frame and reacts to moving objects at once. A baked light is computed once before the game starts and written to a lightmap file.

isik.lightmapBakeType = LightmapBakeType.Realtime;
isik.lightmapBakeType = LightmapBakeType.Baked;

A baked light does not change during the game but runs much faster.

Lightmap

A lightmap is the texture where baked light and shadows are stored. Baked light is written to this texture and only read during the game. This way, no matter how complex the scene is, light calculations do not slow down the game.

isik.lightmapBakeType = LightmapBakeType.Baked;
// result: Lightmap file

Baked suits unchanging objects, Realtime suits moving ones.

Exercise Set the light mode

In a class named IsikModu, define a public string mod field with the value "Realtime" and add an int kare field. In the Start method, set the mod value to "Baked" and print the text "Pisirme modu: " joined with mod using Debug.Log. In the Update method, increase the kare counter by one every frame.

Show example solution

using UnityEngine;

public class IsikModu : MonoBehaviour
{
    public string mod = "Realtime";
    int kare;

    void Start()
    {
        mod = "Baked";
        Debug.Log("Pisirme modu: " + mod);
    }

    void Update()
    {
        kare++;
    }
}

Test yourself

If the shadow of a character moving during the game must change immediately, which light computation should be used?
- Lightmap file
- Ambient light
- Realtime light
- Baked light
Show answer

Realtime light — A realtime light is recomputed every frame, so the shadows of moving objects update at once.

Make the light baked

isik.lightmapBakeType = LightmapBakeType.____;

Show answer

isik.lightmapBakeType = LightmapBakeType.Baked;

Light computation types

Realtime ışık

Recomputed every frame
Baked ışık

Computed once before the game starts
Lightmap

The texture that stores baked light
Hareketli nesne

Uses realtime light

Next lesson: Lightmap baking

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