Overview The Environment resource controls the rendering environment of your scene, including background, ambient lighting, fog, sky, and post-processing effects. It’s used with WorldEnvironment nodes to define the visual atmosphere.
WorldEnvironment node Add environmental settings to your scene:
var world_env = WorldEnvironment . new () var environment = Environment . new () world_env . environment = environment add_child ( world_env )
Only one WorldEnvironment should be active per scene. If multiple exist, the one highest in the scene tree takes priority.
Background modes Configure how the background is rendered:
Sky background var environment = Environment . new () environment . background_mode = Environment . BG_SKY # Create sky var sky = Sky . new () var sky_material = ProceduralSkyMaterial . new () sky_material . sky_top_color = Color ( 0.1 , 0.3 , 0.8 ) sky_material . sky_horizon_color = Color ( 0.6 , 0.7 , 0.9 ) sky_material . ground_bottom_color = Color ( 0.1 , 0.1 , 0.1 ) sky_material . ground_horizon_color = Color ( 0.4 , 0.4 , 0.4 ) sky . sky_material = sky_material environment . sky = sky
Color background environment . background_mode = Environment . BG_COLOR environment . background_color = Color ( 0.2 , 0.2 , 0.3 )
Canvas background environment . background_mode = Environment . BG_CANVAS environment . background_canvas_max_layer = 100
Keep background environment . background_mode = Environment . BG_KEEP # Preserves whatever was rendered previously
Camera feed background environment . background_mode = Environment . BG_CAMERA_FEED environment . background_camera_feed_id = 1 # Useful for AR applications
Sky types ProceduralSkyMaterial Generate sky procedurally:
var sky_material = ProceduralSkyMaterial . new () sky_material . sky_top_color = Color ( 0.1 , 0.3 , 0.8 ) sky_material . sky_horizon_color = Color ( 0.6 , 0.7 , 0.9 ) sky_material . sky_curve = 0.15 sky_material . ground_bottom_color = Color ( 0.1 , 0.1 , 0.1 ) sky_material . ground_horizon_color = Color ( 0.4 , 0.4 , 0.4 ) sky_material . ground_curve = 0.02 sky_material . sun_angle_max = 30.0 sky_material . sun_curve = 0.15
PanoramaSkyMaterial Use an HDR panorama image:
var sky_material = PanoramaSkyMaterial . new () sky_material . panorama = preload ( "res://hdri/sky.hdr" ) sky_material . filter = true
PhysicalSkyMaterial Physically-based atmospheric scattering:
var sky_material = PhysicalSkyMaterial . new () sky_material . rayleigh_coefficient = 2.0 sky_material . rayleigh_color = Color ( 0.26 , 0.41 , 0.58 ) sky_material . mie_coefficient = 0.005 sky_material . mie_eccentricity = 0.8 sky_material . mie_color = Color ( 0.63 , 0.77 , 0.92 ) sky_material . turbidity = 10.0 sky_material . sun_disk_scale = 1.0 sky_material . ground_color = Color ( 0.1 , 0.07 , 0.034 )
PhysicalSkyMaterial provides the most realistic sky but is more computationally expensive than ProceduralSkyMaterial.
Ambient light Control ambient lighting in the scene:
# Ambient light from sky environment . ambient_light_source = Environment . AMBIENT_SOURCE_SKY environment . ambient_light_sky_contribution = 1.0 # Custom ambient light color environment . ambient_light_source = Environment . AMBIENT_SOURCE_COLOR environment . ambient_light_color = Color ( 0.2 , 0.2 , 0.25 ) environment . ambient_light_energy = 1.0
Ambient light sources
Ambient light matches the background color or sky.
No ambient light. Only direct lighting affects objects.
Use a solid color for ambient light.
Sample the sky for ambient light (most realistic).
Fog Add atmospheric fog to your scene:
Volumetric fog environment . volumetric_fog_enabled = true environment . volumetric_fog_density = 0.01 environment . volumetric_fog_albedo = Color ( 0.9 , 0.9 , 0.9 ) environment . volumetric_fog_emission = Color . BLACK environment . volumetric_fog_emission_energy = 0.0 environment . volumetric_fog_gi_inject = 1.0 environment . volumetric_fog_anisotropy = 0.2 environment . volumetric_fog_length = 64.0 environment . volumetric_fog_detail_spread = 2.0
Depth fog environment . fog_mode = Environment . FOG_MODE_DEPTH environment . fog_light_color = Color ( 0.5 , 0.6 , 0.7 ) environment . fog_light_energy = 1.0 environment . fog_sun_scatter = 0.0 environment . fog_density = 0.01 environment . fog_aerial_perspective = 0.0 environment . fog_sky_affect = 1.0 # Depth range environment . fog_depth_begin = 10.0 environment . fog_depth_end = 100.0 environment . fog_depth_curve = 1.0
Exponential fog environment . fog_mode = Environment . FOG_MODE_EXPONENTIAL environment . fog_density = 0.001 environment . fog_light_color = Color ( 0.7 , 0.7 , 0.8 )
Volumetric fog is expensive. Use it sparingly and adjust the detail settings for better performance.
Tonemapping Control HDR to LDR conversion:
# Tonemap mode environment . tonemap_mode = Environment . TONE_MAPPER_FILMIC # Options: LINEAR, REINHARD, FILMIC, ACES # Exposure environment . tonemap_exposure = 1.0 environment . tonemap_white = 1.0
Auto exposure environment . auto_exposure_enabled = true environment . auto_exposure_min_sensitivity = 0.0 environment . auto_exposure_max_sensitivity = 800.0 environment . auto_exposure_speed = 0.5 environment . auto_exposure_scale = 1.0
Glow (bloom) Add bloom/glow effects:
environment . glow_enabled = true environment . glow_intensity = 0.8 environment . glow_strength = 1.0 environment . glow_bloom = 0.0 environment . glow_blend_mode = Environment . GLOW_BLEND_MODE_ADDITIVE # Configure glow levels (7 levels available) environment . set_glow_level ( 0 , 0.0 ) # Finest detail environment . set_glow_level ( 1 , 0.0 ) environment . set_glow_level ( 2 , 1.0 ) environment . set_glow_level ( 3 , 0.0 ) environment . set_glow_level ( 4 , 1.0 ) environment . set_glow_level ( 5 , 0.0 ) environment . set_glow_level ( 6 , 0.0 ) # Coarsest detail # HDR settings environment . glow_hdr_threshold = 1.0 environment . glow_hdr_scale = 2.0
Enable only the glow levels you need. Each enabled level adds processing cost.
Screen-space reflections (SSR) environment . ssr_enabled = true environment . ssr_max_steps = 64 environment . ssr_fade_in = 0.15 environment . ssr_fade_out = 2.0 environment . ssr_depth_tolerance = 0.2
SSR is only available with the Forward+ renderer.
Screen-space ambient occlusion (SSAO) environment . ssao_enabled = true environment . ssao_radius = 1.0 environment . ssao_intensity = 2.0 environment . ssao_power = 1.5 environment . ssao_detail = 0.5 environment . ssao_horizon = 0.06 environment . ssao_sharpness = 0.98 environment . ssao_light_affect = 0.0 environment . ssao_ao_channel_affect = 0.0
Screen-space indirect lighting (SSIL) environment . ssil_enabled = true environment . ssil_radius = 5.0 environment . ssil_intensity = 1.0 environment . ssil_sharpness = 0.98 environment . ssil_normal_rejection = 1.0
Adjustments Final color adjustments:
environment . adjustment_enabled = true environment . adjustment_brightness = 1.0 environment . adjustment_contrast = 1.0 environment . adjustment_saturation = 1.0 # Color correction LUT var lut_texture = preload ( "res://luts/color_grade.png" ) environment . adjustment_color_correction = lut_texture
Depth of field (DOF) DOF Far environment . dof_blur_far_enabled = true environment . dof_blur_far_distance = 10.0 environment . dof_blur_far_transition = 5.0 environment . dof_blur_far_amount = 0.1
DOF Near environment . dof_blur_near_enabled = true environment . dof_blur_near_distance = 2.0 environment . dof_blur_near_transition = 1.0 environment . dof_blur_near_amount = 0.1
DOF quality # Global DOF settings (project settings) ProjectSettings . set_setting ( "rendering/environment/depth_of_field/depth_of_field_bokeh_shape" , 1 ) ProjectSettings . set_setting ( "rendering/environment/depth_of_field/depth_of_field_bokeh_quality" , 2 ) ProjectSettings . set_setting ( "rendering/environment/depth_of_field/depth_of_field_use_jitter" , false )
Global illumination SDFGI (Signed Distance Field GI) environment . sdfgi_enabled = true environment . sdfgi_cascades = 6 environment . sdfgi_min_cell_size = 0.2 environment . sdfgi_use_occlusion = true environment . sdfgi_bounce_feedback = 0.5 environment . sdfgi_read_sky_light = true environment . sdfgi_energy = 1.0 environment . sdfgi_normal_bias = 1.1 environment . sdfgi_probe_bias = 1.1
SDFGI is only available with the Forward+ renderer and provides real-time global illumination.
VoxelGI # Create VoxelGI node var voxel_gi = VoxelGI . new () voxel_gi . size = Vector3 ( 20 , 10 , 20 ) voxel_gi . subdiv = VoxelGI . SUBDIV_256 add_child ( voxel_gi ) # Bake GI data voxel_gi . bake ()
Camera attributes Override per-camera settings:
var camera_attributes = CameraAttributesPractical . new () camera_attributes . dof_blur_far_enabled = true camera_attributes . dof_blur_far_distance = 20.0 camera_attributes . auto_exposure_enabled = true var camera = Camera3D . new () camera . attributes = camera_attributes
Common environment presets Outdoor daytime var env = Environment . new () env . background_mode = Environment . BG_SKY var sky = Sky . new () var sky_mat = ProceduralSkyMaterial . new () sky_mat . sky_top_color = Color ( 0.1 , 0.3 , 0.8 ) sky_mat . sky_horizon_color = Color ( 0.6 , 0.7 , 0.9 ) sky . sky_material = sky_mat env . sky = sky env . ambient_light_source = Environment . AMBIENT_SOURCE_SKY env . tonemap_mode = Environment . TONE_MAPPER_FILMIC env . tonemap_exposure = 1.0
Indoor scene var env = Environment . new () env . background_mode = Environment . BG_COLOR env . background_color = Color ( 0.1 , 0.1 , 0.15 ) env . ambient_light_source = Environment . AMBIENT_SOURCE_COLOR env . ambient_light_color = Color ( 0.2 , 0.2 , 0.25 ) env . ambient_light_energy = 0.5
Foggy atmosphere var env = Environment . new () env . fog_mode = Environment . FOG_MODE_EXPONENTIAL env . fog_density = 0.01 env . fog_light_color = Color ( 0.7 , 0.7 , 0.8 ) env . fog_light_energy = 1.0
Stylized/cartoon var env = Environment . new () env . background_mode = Environment . BG_COLOR env . background_color = Color ( 0.4 , 0.6 , 0.9 ) env . ambient_light_source = Environment . AMBIENT_SOURCE_COLOR env . ambient_light_color = Color ( 0.5 , 0.5 , 0.5 ) env . tonemap_mode = Environment . TONE_MAPPER_LINEAR env . adjustment_enabled = true env . adjustment_saturation = 1.3 env . adjustment_contrast = 1.1
Disable unused effects Turn off SSAO, SSR, and volumetric fog when not needed.
Adjust quality settings Lower quality settings in project settings for better performance.
Use simpler sky types ProceduralSkyMaterial is faster than PhysicalSkyMaterial.
Limit glow levels Enable only necessary glow levels to reduce blur passes.
Dynamic environment changes func transition_to_night ( duration : float ): var tween = create_tween () # Animate sky colors var sky_mat = environment . sky . sky_material as ProceduralSkyMaterial tween . parallel (). tween_property ( sky_mat , "sky_top_color" , Color ( 0.01 , 0.01 , 0.05 ), duration ) tween . parallel (). tween_property ( sky_mat , "ground_bottom_color" , Color ( 0.05 , 0.05 , 0.05 ), duration ) # Animate ambient light tween . parallel (). tween_property ( environment , "ambient_light_energy" , 0.2 , duration )
Next steps
Shaders Create custom shader effects
Particles Add particle systems
