# Undertale-Changer Template Rendering Pipeline: URP Configuration and Usage

> Discover how the Undertale-Changer Template leverages Unity's Universal Render Pipeline URP for stunning visuals. Learn URP configuration and usage in this technical guide.

- Repository: [Archived AIk/undertale-changer-template](https://github.com/arch-aik/undertale-changer-template)
- Tags: configuration
- Published: 2026-02-25

---

**The Undertale-Changer Template uses Unity's Universal Render Pipeline (URP) v12.1.8, configured through package manifest dependencies and dedicated project settings assets.**

The Undertale-Changer Template is a Unity-based framework designed for creating Undertale-style games, and its visual architecture relies entirely on Unity's modern **Universal Render Pipeline (URP)**. Understanding how this rendering pipeline is structured within the template is essential for customizing shaders, post-processing effects, and camera behavior. The pipeline configuration is explicitly declared in the project's package manifest and reinforced by URP-specific project settings files.

## How the Rendering Pipeline is Configured

The template's rendering pipeline is definitively established through two critical configuration files that declare and initialize URP support.

### Package Manifest Declaration

In [`Packages/manifest.json`](https://github.com/arch-aik/undertale-changer-template/blob/main/Packages/manifest.json), the project explicitly lists the URP package as a required dependency at lines 13-14:

```json
"com.unity.render-pipelines.universal": "12.1.8"

```

This declaration locks the project to **URP version 12.1.8**, ensuring compatibility with the Universal Render Pipeline's feature set and preventing fallback to Unity's Built-in Render Pipeline. The presence of this package reference is the primary indicator that the template targets URP rather than legacy rendering paths.

### Project Settings Asset

The `ProjectSettings/URPProjectSettings.asset` file provides the operational configuration for the pipeline. Unity automatically generates this asset at lines 1-15 when URP is active, storing pipeline-specific parameters that govern rendering quality, shadow resolution, and post-processing defaults. This file confirms that the template uses URP rather than the High Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP).

## Programming with the URP Rendering Pipeline

When developing within the Undertale-Changer Template, you interact with URP through the `UnityEngine.Rendering.Universal` namespace. The following patterns demonstrate standard URP workflows compatible with this template's architecture.

### Runtime Camera Configuration

To ensure cameras properly utilize the URP rendering pipeline at runtime, reference the current pipeline asset through `GraphicsSettings`:

```csharp
using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.Rendering.Universal;

public class EnableURPCamera : MonoBehaviour
{
    void Awake()
    {
        var cam = GetComponent<Camera>();
        var pipeline = GraphicsSettings.currentRenderPipeline as UniversalRenderPipelineAsset;
        if (pipeline != null)
        {
            // Assign the URP pipeline to the camera (optional, usually automatic)
            cam.renderingPath = RenderingPath.Forward;
        }
    }
}

```

This script validates that `GraphicsSettings.currentRenderPipeline` returns a `UniversalRenderPipelineAsset` instance, confirming the active rendering pipeline before modifying camera properties.

### Dynamic Pipeline Asset Switching

For development builds requiring quality toggles, switch the active URP asset programmatically:

```csharp
using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.Rendering;
using UnityEngine.Rendering.Universal;

public class URPSwitcher : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] private UniversalRenderPipelineAsset urpAsset;

    public void SetURP()
    {
        GraphicsSettings.renderPipelineAsset = urpAsset;
    }
}

```

This approach modifies `GraphicsSettings.renderPipelineAsset` to swap between different URP quality presets (e.g., mobile vs. desktop) while maintaining the Universal Render Pipeline framework.

### Post-Processing Implementation

URP utilizes the Volume component for post-processing. To add effects like Bloom at runtime:

```csharp
using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.Rendering.Universal;

[RequireComponent(typeof(Volume))]
public class AddBloom : MonoBehaviour
{
    void Start()
    {
        var volume = GetComponent<Volume>();
        var bloom = ScriptableObject.CreateInstance<Bloom>();
        bloom.intensity.value = 0.5f;

        volume.profile = ScriptableObject.CreateInstance<VolumeProfile>();
        volume.profile.Add(bloom);
    }
}

```

This pattern creates a `VolumeProfile`, adds a `Bloom` effect instance, and assigns it to the Volume component—all standard URP workflows within this template.

## Key Configuration Files

The rendering pipeline implementation relies on these specific files:

- **[`Packages/manifest.json`](https://github.com/arch-aik/undertale-changer-template/blob/main/Packages/manifest.json)**: Declares the `com.unity.render-pipelines.universal` package dependency at version 12.1.8, establishing URP as the foundational rendering system.
- **`ProjectSettings/URPProjectSettings.asset`**: Contains URP-specific project settings generated by Unity when the pipeline is initialized, storing default renderer settings and quality tiers.

## Summary

- The Undertale-Changer Template implements **Unity's Universal Render Pipeline (URP)** version 12.1.8.
- Pipeline dependencies are declared in [`Packages/manifest.json`](https://github.com/arch-aik/undertale-changer-template/blob/main/Packages/manifest.json) with specific version locking at lines 13-14.
- URP configuration persists in `ProjectSettings/URPProjectSettings.asset` (lines 1-15).
- Scripts interact with URP through the `UnityEngine.Rendering.Universal` namespace.
- Post-processing utilizes the Volume component system specific to URP.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does the Undertale-Changer Template use the Built-in Render Pipeline or HDRP?

No. According to the source code in `arch-aik/undertale-changer-template`, the template exclusively uses the **Universal Render Pipeline (URP)**. The [`Packages/manifest.json`](https://github.com/arch-aik/undertale-changer-template/blob/main/Packages/manifest.json) file lists only `com.unity.render-pipelines.universal` as the rendering pipeline dependency, and no HDRP or Built-in RP packages are referenced.

### What version of URP is installed in the template?

The template uses **URP version 12.1.8**, as explicitly declared in [`Packages/manifest.json`](https://github.com/arch-aik/undertale-changer-template/blob/main/Packages/manifest.json) at lines 13-14. This version corresponds to Unity 2021 LTS feature sets and provides the rendering capabilities used throughout the project.

### Can I migrate the template to use HDRP instead of URP?

While technically possible, migrating would require removing the URP package dependency from [`Packages/manifest.json`](https://github.com/arch-aik/undertale-changer-template/blob/main/Packages/manifest.json), installing the High Definition Render Pipeline package, and regenerating all lighting and material assets. The template's shaders and post-processing volumes are specifically authored for URP and would require conversion to HDRP's material system.

### Where are the URP quality settings stored in this project?

Quality settings and pipeline configuration are stored in **`ProjectSettings/URPProjectSettings.asset`**. This Unity-generated file at lines 1-15 maintains the relationship between the project and its active Universal Render Pipeline assets, including default renderer settings and global illumination parameters.