Graphics Programming weekly - Issue 144 — August 9, 2020


LunarG Releases Enhanced Vulkan Configurator in new SDKs

  • Vulkan SDK release contains a graphics vkconfig tool to allow users to configure layer settings
  • can be enabled to control which layers are active, filter error messages, etc
  • the SDK now also contains Vulkan Synchronization validation and distributes the DXC compiler for PC, Mac, and Linux


Fire Shader Breakdown

  • the Unity tutorials show how to implement a fire effect using a camera facing quad with shader based noise to wrap a noise texture to create the look


Nonsingular Point Light Attenuation

  • the Siggraph 2020 talk presents the derivation of a point light attenuation that eliminates the singularity as the distance approaches 0
  • achieves this by treating point lights as simplified spherical lights
  • provides comparisons against other solutions


Case Study: Vector Displacement Mapping in Real-Time

  • the article shows an overview of what vertex displacement mapping techniques are and how to generate data using Mudbox for use with Unity


A little clarification on modern shader compile times

  • the article an overview of the complexities with Pipeline management in D3D12 and Vulkan applications
  • showing why many AAA release include long shader compilation steps at application startup time


Perspective! 1: theory side

  • the article shows the theory of perspective projects and discuses perspective distortion


Full Screen Shaders in HDRP, URP, and Built In Renderer

  • the Unity tutorial shows how to write a simple fullscreen heat haze shader an apply in the different rendering pipelines


Eight years at Roblox

  • the article provides at the authors work of the last 8 years
  • this provides a great insight into how large scale engines evolve overtime to solve new requirements and improve


Technically Art: Issue 63 (07.08.2020)

  • collection of tweets related to VFX, shaders, and game art


[UNITY VFX TUTORIAL] Creating a Stylized Magical Barrier in Unity

  • this video tutorial shows how to implement an Overwatch magical shield effect
  • a transparent material with pulsating energy effects
  • the effect is achieved in Unity using the visual amplify node graph system


Thanks to Spencer Sherk for support of this series.


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