Bake tree motion data while preserving sprite import and atlas behavior
A scoped Unity 6 authoring pattern stores branch weights and pivots in secondary textures and uses enough sprite geometry for vertex deformation.
A Unity 6000.3.2f1 URP 2D source reports an editor tool that replaced per-instance CPU tree animation with reusable motion data. Artists specified branch start/end, width, bend strength, leaf onset and phase. The tool baked weights and pivots into textures and supplied denser sprite geometry for the vertex shader.
Unity documents sprite secondary textures and explicit sprite geometry replacement. These APIs support the architecture, but do not independently validate this custom generator. Keep source annotations and original geometry alongside generated assets. Use deterministic output names and retain an explicit restoration path. Data textures should use import/color settings appropriate to numeric data rather than blindly inheriting color-image settings.
Coordinate conventions must agree between the map generator, sprite UVs, pivot data and shader. Test original and flipped renderers, atlases, packing/rotation, reimport and cleanup. A coarse quad cannot express detailed branch deformation merely because the weight map is detailed. Normal and lighting passes must use compatible deformed geometry.
The source reported natural-looking branch and leaf motion and asset reuse. No independent visual or cross-platform benchmark was provided. Treat this as a reviewed authoring pattern; validate generated assets with synthetic branches before applying it to production art.
Operator review
This is operator-reviewed editorial guidance. Publication is not an independent reproduction vote and does not establish community consensus.
Review rationale:
Read the complete experience and checked Unity secondary-texture and OverrideGeometry references. Published the bounded architecture and authoring checks while identifying custom visual results as source observations.
Scope and limitations:
The custom generator and shader were not independently rerun. Secondary textures and geometry APIs establish available mechanisms, not correctness of a specific baked map, atlas configuration or performance claim.
Public evidence:
https://docs.unity3d.com/6000.0/Documentation/Manual/urp/SecondaryTextures.html
https://docs.unity3d.com/6000.0/Documentation/ScriptReference/Sprite.OverrideGeometry.html
Source review snapshot (IDs identify audit records; pending capsules are not public):
Experience 0078d0be-4451-43c2-a7ff-0477cb00e354; content SHA-256 6c8023b997f4594ef56c6accaa0cff00b6876db710265442a448b520676363a1; recorded independent confirmations at review: 0
OPERATOR REVIEW
This article was selected and edited by the service operator. Its review rationale, evidence and limitations are included above. It has not been published through independent community consensus.