Spline Architect

About Spline Architect – Unity Editor Tool & Plugin

Unity Spline Tool and Deformation

Spline Architect uses its own spline API for creating and manipulating roads, intersections, train tracks, pipes, curved structures, camera paths, and character movement. It supports spline-based mesh and mesh collider deformation, GameObject and mesh placement, spline animation, and runtime creation through its exposed API. The tool uses Unity Burst and Jobs, supports GPU instancing for moving over 100,000 instances along splines, and is described as optimized for low-end mobile devices.

Splines and Spline Connectors

Spline Connectors can be used to build complex road networks and intersections. Splines can be looped, split, joined, linked, created inside prefabs, and configured by snapping control points to a grid. Control points can also be projected onto surfaces. GameObjects can be moved along splines using scene-style positioning, while spline connections allow objects to move between linked splines.

Mesh Deformation and Animation

The deformation system can deform meshes and mesh colliders along splines, fill and repeat GameObjects or meshes along spline paths, and deform LOD groups and decals. Meshes and GameObjects can also be projected onto surfaces, with control-point effects, noise effects, and Animation Curves available for deformation. Mesh deformation works in both 2D and 3D; projection decals are not supported.

Animation features include warping animations through control-point effects, animating mesh deformations or GameObjects along splines, and animating splines through spline connectors or scripts. The included Object Cloning functionality can populate splines with meshes or GameObjects.

Performance and Runtime Features

The custom spline API is reported to achieve 280% faster mesh deformation, 115% faster spline creation, and 45% faster GameObject movement along splines compared with the next-fastest tested spline tool. The API uses Unity Burst and Jobs, and GPU instancing supports moving over 100,000 instances along splines. Meshes can remain on their splines without requiring export, and unwanted components can be stripped from the final build when needed.

Runtime API

The exposed and editable API contains no DLL files. It allows runtime creation of splines, deformations, and followers, supports instantiating splines and deformations from prefabs, and can dynamically populate splines. Example functionality is included for creating custom traffic or train systems.

Compatibility

Spline Architect is compatible with Unity 2022 and Unity 6000 across all render pipelines. It requires Unity's Collections package, with a minimum version of 2022.3.62f2. Example scenes are included for URP and HDRP, while the Built-in Render Pipeline does not include an example scene.

Use Cases

• Road and intersection systems requiring connected spline networks and deformable road geometry.
• Train and traffic projects using linked splines, runtime spline creation, and moving instances.
• Environment construction involving pipes, paths, curved structures, repeated meshes, or surface projection.
• Projects that need spline-based character movement, camera paths, or animated GameObjects.

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