Integrations

OpenVAT includes example integrations for multiple real-time engines. These are intended as templates to help get you started and may require adjustment for your specific production needs. Feel free to contact me with questions or suggestions for better engine workflows.

Unity

Method 1: Engine Tools (UnityPackage - Recommended for custom shader flexibility)

• Download the engine tools and shaders unitypackage here
• Install the UnityPackage to your project

Method 2: OpenVAT-Unity (Package Manager)

• Open Unity’s Package Manager and click Add from Git URL.
• Paste: https://github.com/sharpen3d/openvat-unity.git

• Once either method is installed, open the setup window from Tools > OpenVAT.
• Export your VAT from Blender using the OpenVAT Extension, and import the entire folder (including .json sidecar) into your Unity Assets folder.
• Set the Folder Path field in the OpenVAT window to the location of this folder, e.g. Assets/MyObject.


• Optional: Add any available PBR textures — base color, roughness, metalness, normal, emission, and AO — using standardized filenames (see README).
• Click Process OpenVAT Content to generate a prefab and material with looping animation at default speed.


• Adjust shader settings and animation parameters as needed — toggle animated, define frame range, add custom surface detail, etc.

Note: Tangent-Space normal maps may not work properly because of normals deformation via VAT - this is a known limitation of the current system.

Unreal Engine 5

Currently supports forward rendering only. A custom Vertex Factory system is in development for next-gen VAT integration- which will allow for better performance and use of deferred renderers. Improved Niagara support is also planned.

Watch the OpenVAT Unreal v1.0.3 Walkthrough on Youtube

• Download and extract the contents of OpenVAT-Engine_Tools/Unreal5 from the GitHub repo.
• Drop the folder into your project’s Content directory using your system file explorer (not the Unreal editor UI).
• Import your VAT texture and set compression (import settings) to RGB16 for correct decoding.


• Currently built for Unreal Engine 5 only. This package is not compatible with Unreal 4.

Note: If lit VATs and shadows appear "sticky" or incorrect, enable forward rendering. Deferred rendering can cause lighting artifacts with vertex-driven meshes. This limitation is planned to be mitigated with future compute shader handling

Godot

Godot GLSL templates are available in OpenVAT-Engine_Tools/Godot on GitHub. This does not include a plugin or automatic importer — just manually enter the frame count and value min/max in the provided shader.

Download the latest GLSL implementation here

TikTok Effect House

As an experimental test, OpenVAT includes a compatible VAT shader for TikTok’s Effect House platform. This can be found under OpenVAT-Engine_Tools/EffectHouse and may be helpful for creating animated 3D effects on mobile.