UVCS Review Guide

How to Compare Unity Scenes Between UVCS Changesets

To compare a Unity scene between UVCS changesets, identify the two changeset IDs, list changed files with cm diff, load the exact scene revisions, and review object, hierarchy, component, property, and reference changes rather than treating the .unity file as ordinary text.

Quick changeset comparison workflow

1. Find the source and destination changesets in the UVCS Changesets view or Branch Explorer.
2. Confirm that both revisions belong to the intended repository and branch context.
3. List changed files before opening a detailed diff.
4. Filter the result to .unity and related .prefab, .asset, .mat, and .meta changes.
5. Review the exact scene revisions with Unity-aware structure.
6. Record high-risk changes for the code review or merge owner.

Use cm diff for the file-level answer

The UVCS CLI accepts changeset specifications. The first source is shown on the left and the second on the right:

cm diff cs:120 cs:145 --changed --repositorypaths

To narrow the comparison to one scene, pass its repository path:

cm diff cs:120 cs:145 /Assets/Scenes/World.unity

This tells you that the file changed and can open the configured file diff. It does not by itself explain whether a YAML block represents a renamed GameObject, a moved Transform, a changed reference, or an override.

Review the scene as Unity structure

MergeSight changeset-based Unity scene review uses concrete UVCS changesets as comparison sources. Select both changesets in Review Mode, filter the changed asset list, and inspect the scene diff tree.

Prioritize these categories:

• Added and removed GameObjects: verify intentional level content changes.
• Reparented or reordered objects: confirm hierarchy and root order.
• Component changes: identify added, removed, or modified behaviors.
• Property values: inspect transforms, flags, serialized fields, and material assignments.
• References: resolve GUIDs and fileIDs to understandable targets.
• Prefab instances: distinguish source updates from instance overrides.

Questions the reviewer should answer

Know the comparison limits

Changeset comparison explains the difference between two snapshots. It does not automatically show the common ancestor needed for a conflict decision. If the comparison is preparation for a merge, switch to a 3-way Base / destination / source workflow when a conflict appears.

Also review related files. A scene can look unchanged while a referenced prefab, material, ScriptableObject, or .meta file changes its behavior.

FAQ

How do I compare two changesets in Unity Version Control?

Use cm diff with two changeset specifications, for example cm diff cs:120 cs:145, or select both concrete changesets in a review tool that can load UVCS sources.

Can UVCS compare one Unity scene between changesets?

Yes. Add the scene path to cm diff or select the asset after loading the two changesets. For meaningful review, inspect hierarchy, components, properties, references, and prefab context.

Is a changeset diff the same as a 3-way merge?

No. A two-source diff shows what changed between snapshots. A 3-way merge also includes their common base so the tool can distinguish one-sided edits from conflicts.

Can MergeSight compare UVCS changesets?

Yes. MergeSight Review Mode can list concrete UVCS changesets through the cm client and compare supported text-serialized Unity assets semantically.

Summary

Start with cm diff

Confirm the exact changesets and list the Unity assets that changed.

Open semantic context

Translate YAML churn into GameObjects, hierarchy, properties, overrides, and references.

Escalate to 3-way

Use Base, destination, and source when the task becomes conflict resolution.

A useful scene review explains the Unity change and its impact, not merely the existence of different text lines.

Next step

If the changeset contains prefabs, continue with the UVCS prefab review checklist.