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Scene setup checklist — minimum viable scene with lighting, post-processing, and physics
Scene Setup Checklist for New Projects
A quick reference for the components every new s&box scene typically needs.
Minimum Viable Scene
CODE
Scene
├── Sun (DirectionalLight) — main lighting
├── Sky (SkyBox2D) — sky rendering + indirect lighting
├── Ambient (AmbientLight) — fill light, prevents pure black shadows
├── PostProcess (PostProcessVolume) — tonemapping at minimum
├── Player (prefab) — CharacterController + Camera
└── Floor (block mesh + BoxCollider)Lighting
CSHARP
// Sun
var sun = sunGo.Components.Create<DirectionalLight>();
sun.LightColor = Color.FromHex( "#FFF5E0" );
sun.Brightness = 3f;
sun.ShadowsEnabled = true;
// Sky — set SkyIndirectLighting = true so sky contributes to GI
var sky = skyGo.Components.Create<SkyBox2D>();
sky.SkyIndirectLighting = true;
// Ambient fill
var ambient = ambientGo.Components.Create<AmbientLight>();
ambient.LightColor = Color.FromHex( "#404060" );Post-Processing (Minimum)
CSHARP
var pp = ppGo.Components.Create<PostProcessVolume>();
pp.BlendWeight = 1f;
pp.BlendDistance = 0f; // global
ppGo.Components.Create<Tonemapping>().Mode = Tonemapping.ToneMode.ACES;Physics Floor
CSHARP
// Block mesh + collider
var floor = Scene.CreateObject();
floor.Name = "Floor";
floor.Components.Create<BoxCollider>().Size = new Vector3( 2000, 2000, 16 );Common Gotchas
- No ambient light → shadows are pure black, looks wrong
- No tonemapping → HDR lighting blows out to white
- SkyIndirectLighting = false → outdoor scenes look flat
- Missing BoxCollider on floor → player falls through
- Camera not set as IsMainCamera → nothing renders
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