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5-Minute Quick Start

This guide follows the shortest safe path from an imported package to a working Play Mode test.

About “5 minutes”

The five-minute estimate starts after Unity has finished importing the package and compiling shaders. The first import can take longer depending on the project and PC.

1. Check the project​

  • Open the Unity project that contains your VRChat avatar.
  • Back up the avatar Prefab or project.
  • Confirm that the Console has no existing compile errors.
  • Confirm that Modular Avatar is installed.
  • If updating from v1.0.0–v1.0.2, follow the v1.1 update procedure. Do not Uninstall first or delete the existing RealSweat object or Assets/CookiTools/Generated.

2. Import the package​

Import the UnityPackage for the product you purchased:

  • Base Module for skin sweat
  • Effects Module for falling drops, floor stains, breath, and steam
  • Both packages for Full Pack (Base + Effects), the complete configuration

When using both modules, keep Base and Effects on the same version. v1.0.x and v1.1.x modules cannot be mixed; Setup and avatar build intentionally stop on a version mismatch.

3. Open Setup​

From the Unity top menu, open:

CookiTools > RealSweatSystem Setup／Uninstall

Location of RealSweatSystem Setup and Uninstall in the Unity CookiTools menu

Open Setup from the CookiTools menu. Click an image in this guide to enlarge it.

Keep the Install tab selected, then assign:

  1. Avatar — the avatar root with the VRCAvatarDescriptor.
  2. Body Mesh — the skin-side SkinnedMeshRenderer.
  3. Body Elements — the material Elements/submeshes that represent the skin.
  • Select a child Hierarchy object with a valid skin-side SkinnedMeshRenderer. This field does not accept an .fbx or Mesh asset from the Project window.
  • Select only the skin Elements that should receive surface sweat. Confirm the material name instead of assuming Element 0 is correct.
  • The primary Body Renderer is the scale and default emission reference.
  • Additional SkinnedMeshRenderer targets such as a separate Face are available as an experimental option. Leave them empty for the first test.
  • Effects-only installation still needs the Body Mesh as the particle emission surface, but it does not modify the Body mesh or material.

Use Detect if needed. If auto-detection selects the wrong Renderer, drag the correct Body object into Body Mesh manually.

4. Review the initial settings​

For a new installation, the full Setup defaults are:

Setup labelDefault
Automatic render order (Recommended)On
Sweat Render Queue2455
Follow Body Shadow StrengthOn
Wet Skin Gloss as Sweat IncreasesOn for a new installation; updates preserve the installed material state
Overall Sweat AmountLow amount (Low Load)
Auto ModeOn
Auto Mode SensitivityBalanced — recommended motion-proportional response
Install 3D Feature (Tessellation) (High Load)Off
3D Detail PrecisionSimplified — General Play; used only when 3D support is installed
Tessellation Default OnOff; used only when 3D support is installed
Full-Quality Body Sweat in MirrorsOff
Falling DropsOn when Effects is installed
Enable Floor StainsOn when Effects is installed
Breath PuffsOn when Effects is installed
SteamOn when Effects is installed
3D Particle QualityOff; lightweight 2D particles are used
Water Drop Impact SplashOn only while 3D Particle Quality is selected
Body Steam in MirrorsLow for a new installation
Show My Breath in First PersonOff
Install Steam & Breath Intensity RadialOff
Steam LocationsChest Hollow, Shoulders, Armpits, and Thighs On; Crotch and Feet Off

With automatic render order, the selected Body material must use Render Queue 2454 or lower. Leave these defaults unchanged for the first test unless your avatar requires a documented exception.

Recommended first installation

Leave Install 3D Feature (Tessellation) (High Load) off. No Tess is the normal low-load configuration and is enough to verify the system.

5. Install or update​

Review the selected avatar, Body Mesh, Body Elements, and optional additional targets, then press Setup — Install / Update. Wait for Unity to finish before interacting with the project.

If the tool reports missing tangents, choose Create Safe Copy (Recommended). This creates a RealSweat-only mesh copy and leaves the source model import settings unchanged.

Setup is complete when the tool reports a successful installation and Unity has finished importing the generated assets. Check the Console for new errors before entering Play Mode. Gesture Manager and ordinary Scene/Play Mode are preliminary checks; complete a VRChat Build & Test before the final upload.

6. Test in Play Mode​

Use Gesture Manager or another preview method:

  1. Open the avatar menu and turn Sweat Display on.
  2. Auto Mode is on by default. Turn it off temporarily for the manual test.
  3. Move Sweat % through 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%.
  4. Turn Auto Mode back on and compare tracked body movement with standing still.
  5. Open Effects and check the installed particle controls.
  6. Open Reduce Load and check Hide Surface Sweat, Remote Low Load, VRC Light Volumes, Only Visible to Me, and the optional Droplet Depth control.
  7. Confirm that facial expressions and existing avatar controls still work.
Expected behavior
  • Sweat Display on + Sweat 0% keeps the system ready. This is different from turning Sweat Display off.
  • Manual Mode and Auto Mode use the same Sweat % value. Switching modes preserves the current value.
  • Auto Mode intentionally ignores WASD locomotion and jumping. Use tracked body movement such as dancing or torso motion when testing it.
  • Breath Puffs normally start above about 25% Sweat while the mouth is open. They are intentionally hidden from the wearer's first-person camera.
  • Steam normally begins fading in at about 30% Sweat.
Do not remove it manually

To remove Real Sweat System, do not delete the RealSweat object or Assets/CookiTools/Generated directly. Use the official Uninstall procedure.