Production guide
Unity roughness vs smoothness
Convert roughness correctly when a Unity shader expects smoothness.
Production problem
Many Unity shaders use smoothness, which is the inverse of roughness; sending roughness directly can flip the material response.
Decision checklist
- Check whether the material slot expects roughness or smoothness.
- Invert roughness when feeding a smoothness input.
- Keep AO and height as linear data maps.
Common failure cases
- A rough concrete can become glossy if roughness is treated as smoothness.
- Normal maps must still use Unity Normal map import type.
Production FAQ
Is smoothness equal to roughness?
No. Smoothness is usually 1 minus roughness.
Where should smoothness be packed?
It depends on the Unity shader or pipeline, so confirm URP/HDRP material requirements.