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Download free on itch.ioUnity Editor · VFX Vault · Free
VFX Vault
VFX Vault brings a catalog into your Editor: scan your project, browse with thumbnails, and preview effects in context. Built for large libraries and third-party asset packs.
Unity Editor
Built for speed
A Unity Editor window that stays out of your way. Search, filter, preview, and wire assets into your scene without leaving the editor.
Core Features
WHAT MAKES IT
DIFFERENT
SEARCH AND FILTER
Search text, the active category, and Favorites mode work together to narrow the card grid. The window caches filtered results and schedules refreshes so the UI stays responsive on large libraries.
Responsive UITHUMBNAILS AND GRID
The thumbnail system renders off-screen previews and saves PNGs under the generated asset folder. Rebuild thumbnails after big imports, and use manual or automatic page sizing so the grid fits your layout.
Visual browsingSIDEBAR AND CATALOG
A persistent ScriptableObject catalog is the source of truth: GUIDs, paths, categories, tags, favorites, and thumbnail hashes. The sidebar mirrors that tree so you can organize assets the way your project thinks.
ScriptableObjectFAVORITES AND TAGS
Mark effects you reach for constantly, edit tags from the inspector, and assign entries to category nodes. That metadata lives in the catalog and survives Editor restarts.
Stays savedINSPECTOR PREVIEW
The inspector loads the selected prefab into a hidden preview rig with orbit, pan, zoom, and playback controls. Tune preview quality when an effect is heavy. Low and Medium trim pixel scale to keep the Editor smooth.
InteractiveSCAN AND RESCAN
The scanner discovers supported prefabs, refreshes catalog entries, and a pending-import banner nudges you to rescan when new VFX content lands so changes are never silent surprises.
Project-awareWorkflow
HOW IT WORKS
01
WINDOW OPENS
The tool loads or creates the catalog asset, builds the UI Toolkit layout, and applies the packaged stylesheet so the three-column workspace matches the dark editor chrome you already use.
02
SCANNER RUNS
Supported prefabs are picked up by the project scan. Each match becomes or updates a catalog entry tied to your project's GUIDs and paths.
03
CATALOG DRIVES UI
Entries carry metadata such as category, tags, favorite state, and thumbnail hashes, and the tool reads directly from that serialized database for instant browsing.
04
THUMBNAILS GENERATE
Off-screen preview renders produce PNG thumbnails on disk, giving every card a consistent visual read without loading the full effect until you select it.
05
PREVIEW SESSION
Selecting an asset spins up the inspector preview session inside a hidden environment so you can orbit the effect, scrub time, and validate motion before committing it to a scene.
06
METADATA PERSISTS
Favorites, category assignments, and tags write back to the catalog ScriptableObject, so the library you curate in-session is the same one you open tomorrow.
Download
Get VFX Vault
VFX Vault is free. Grab the Unity package from itch.io below—same catalog-driven workflow, no payment step.
FAQ
Common Questions
What does VFX Vault index today?
VFX Vault currently indexes prefab assets that contain a ParticleSystem component. VFX Graph assets are not active in this version, and prefabs without a particle system are skipped by the scanner.
Why doesn't my prefab appear?
Confirm it is a prefab, includes a ParticleSystem, has been picked up by a rescan, and is not hidden by the current search string, category filter, or Favorites-only mode.
Thumbnails look blank or stale. Now what?
Refresh the entry or rebuild thumbnails for the category or the entire library. The generator writes PNGs under the generated asset folder whenever hashes change.
New package content is still missing?
Check the pending-import banner: it intentionally waits for you to rescan. Also verify imported prefabs actually contain ParticleSystems that the scanner is configured to include.
The inspector preview slows my machine.
Lower preview quality to Low or Medium. Those modes reduce preview pixel scale so heavy effects stay usable while you browse.
Categories shifted after a rescan.
The scanner applies package-root-aware seeding. Existing assignments usually stick, but newly discovered content may land in different folders based on the latest rules.
Is VFX Vault a separate desktop app?
No. It is a Unity Editor window built with UI Toolkit. The catalog is a ScriptableObject in your project, and VFX Vault reads that serialized data directly.
How much does it cost and how does licensing work?
VFX Vault is free. Download it from itch.io at no charge; updates ship there too. Use it under the license terms shown with the download—this site’s License page is a plain-language summary, not a substitute for those terms.
Ready to begin?
Your VFX
awaits
Stop hunting prefabs in the Project window. Rescan, favorite, and preview VFX in VFX Vault—one catalog-driven tool.