Analytic Volumes
Analytic Volumes define water interaction regions using simple mathematical shapes such as boxes and spheres. They are lightweight, fast, and ideal for most gameplay scenarios.
Common Uses
- Boats and floating objects
- Calm areas inside caves or structures
- Gameplay-triggered water interaction zones
- Fast prototyping
Where to Find Them
- Component:
TidalAnalyticVolume - Attached to: Any GameObject
- Shape: Box, Sphere, Capsule (depending on setup)
How They Work
Analytic volumes evaluate water influence using simple distance checks. Because they do not rely on textures or SDFs, they are extremely cheap to evaluate on the GPU.
These volumes are best suited for:
- Small to medium-sized objects
- Regular, predictable shapes
- Situations where precision is not critical
Best Practice: Use analytic volumes whenever possible.
Only switch to SDF volumes when you need complex geometry support.