Fallout 4 – The Mushroom Case
3 months ago
- #visual-effects
- #game-development
- #shader-techniques
- Bethesda's Fallout 4 uses texture animation on particles to create realistic mushroom-like explosion clouds.
- Older games used simple particles and fullscreen effects, lacking the complex movement seen in real-life explosions.
- Fallout 3 combined geometry and particles with UV animation for detailed explosion effects.
- Fallout 4 improved upon this by using gradient mapping to colorize smoke and fire dynamically over time.
- The technique involves using a 2D texture for gradient mapping, sampling different lines based on particle lifetime.
- Battlefield 4's trailer showcased advanced explosion effects, possibly pre-rendered with simulation software like FumeFx.
- Fallout 4's explosion effects are loop-able and use alpha channel manipulation for opacity control.
- The shader technique allows for dynamic color and opacity changes over the particle's lifetime.
- Feedback from the community highlights the usefulness and ingenuity of the technique.