Graphics Shaders


Book Description

Programmable graphics shaders, programs that can be downloaded to a graphics processor (GPU) to carry out operations outside the fixed-function pipeline of earlier standards, have become a key feature of computer graphics. This book is designed to open computer graphics shader programming to the student, whether in a traditional class or on their own. It is intended to complement texts based on fixed-function graphics APIs, specifically OpenGL. It introduces shader programming in general, and specifically the GLSL shader language. It also introduces a flexible, easy-to-use tool, glman, that helps you develop, test, and tune shaders outside an application that would use them.




Graphics Shaders


Book Description

Graphics Shaders: Theory and Practice is intended for a second course in computer graphics at the undergraduate or graduate level, introducing shader programming in general, but focusing on the GLSL shading language. While teaching how to write programmable shaders, the authors also teach and reinforce the fundamentals of computer graphics. The sec




GPU Pro 2


Book Description

This book focuses on advanced rendering techniques that run on the DirectX and/or OpenGL run-time with any shader language available. It includes articles on the latest and greatest techniques in real-time rendering, including MLAA, adaptive volumetric shadow maps, light propagation volumes, wrinkle animations, and much more. The book emphasizes te




Real-Time Shader Programming


Book Description

Now that PC users have entered the realm of programmable hardware, graphics programmers can create 3D images and animations comparable to those produced by RenderMan's procedural programs—-but in real time. Here is a book that will bring this cutting-edge technology to your computer. Beginning with the mathematical basics of vertex and pixel shaders, and building to detailed accounts of programmable shader operations, Real-Time Shader Programming provides the foundation and techniques necessary for replicating popular cinema-style 3D graphics as well as creating your own real-time procedural shaders. A compelling writing style, color illustrations throughout, and scores of online resources make Real-Time Shader Programming an indispensable tutorial/reference for the game developer, graphics programmer, game artist, or visualization programmer, to create countless real-time 3D effects. * Contains a complete reference of the low-level shader language for both DirectX 8 and DirectX 9 * Provides an interactive shader demonstration tool (RenderMonkeyTM) for testing and experimenting * Maintains an updated version of the detailed shader reference section at www.directx.com * Teaches the latest shader programming techniques for high-performance real-time 3D graphics




Practical Shader Development


Book Description

It’s time to stop thinking that shaders are magical. You can use shaders to turn data into stunning visual effects, and get your hands dirty by building your own shader with this step-by-step introduction to shader development for game and graphics developers. Learn how to make shaders that move, tint, light up, and look awesome, all without cracking open a math textbook. Practical Shader Development teaches the theory behind how shaders work. The book also shows you how to apply that theory to create eye-popping visual effects. You’ll learn to profile and optimize those effects to make sure your projects keep running quickly with all their new visuals. You’ll learn good theory, good practices, and without getting bogged down in the math. Author Kyle Halladay explains the fundamentals of shader development through simple examples and hands-on experiments. He teaches you how to find performance issues in shaders you are using and then how to fix them. Kyle explains (and contrasts) how to use the knowledge learned from this book in three of the most popular game engines today. What You'll LearnUnderstand what shaders are and how they work Get up to speed on the nuts and bolts of writing vertex and fragment shaders Utilize color blending and know how blend equations work Know the coordinate spaces used when rendering real-time computer graphics Use simple math to animate characters, simulate lights, and create a wide variety of visual effects Find and fix performance problems in shaders See how three popular game engines (Unity, UE4, Godot) handle shaders Who This Book Is For Programmers who are interested in writing their own shaders but do not know where to start, anyone who has ever seen shader code on a forum and wished they knew how to modify it just a little bit to fit into their own projects, and game developers who are tired of using the default shaders found in the game engines they are using. The book is especially useful for those who have been put off by existing shader tutorials which introduce complex math and graphics theory before ever getting something on the screen.




Advanced Lighting and Materials with Shaders


Book Description

The world around us is filled with subtle lighting effects, but until recently it was not possible to duplicate these real-world effects in computer games because of the limits of consumer graphics hardware. Advanced Lighting and Materials with Shaders explains the principles of lighting theory and discusses how to create realistic lighting that takes full advantage of the capabilities of modern hardware. Topics include the physics of light, raytracing and related techniques, objects and materials, lighting and reflectance models, implementing lights in shaders, spherical harmonic lighting, spherical harmonics in DirectX, and real-time radiosity.Upon reading this text, you will understand the underlying physics of light and energy; learn about the visual features of different materials and how they can be modeled for real-time graphics; find out about the different lighting models; discover how real-time techniques compare to ray tracing; learn to use the provided shader implementations to implement lights and realistic materials in real time.Accompanying CD-ROM includes all the code in the book with resources (models, textures, probes, etc.) needed to run the programs, along with the SDKs and libraries needed to build the programs and luminance Radiosity Studio, an advanced radiosity program.




Unity 5.x Shaders and Effects Cookbook


Book Description

Master the art of Shader programming to bring life to your Unity projects About This Book This book will help you master the technique of physically based shading in Unity 5 to add realism to your game quickly through precise recipes From an eminent author, this book offers you the fine technicalities of professional post-processing effects for stunning results This book will help you master Shader programming through easy-to-follow examples to create stunning visual effects that can be used in 3D games and high quality graphics. Who This Book Is For Unity Effects and Shader Cookbook is written for developers who want to create their first Shaders in Unity 5 or wish to take their game to a whole new level by adding professional post-processing effects. A solid understanding of Unity is required. What You Will Learn Understand physically based rendering to fit the aesthetic of your game Enter the world of post-processing effects to make your game look visually stunning Add life to your materials, complementing Shader programming with interactive scripts Design efficient Shaders for mobile platforms without sacrificing their realism Use state-of-the-art techniques such as volumetric explosions and fur shading Build your knowledge by understanding how Shader models have evolved and how you can create your own Discover what goes into the structure of Shaders and why lighting works the way it does Master the math and algorithms behind the most used lighting models In Detail Since their introduction to Unity, Shaders have been notoriously difficult to understand and implement in games: complex mathematics have always stood in the way of creating your own Shaders and attaining that level of realism you crave. With Shaders, you can transform your game into a highly polished, refined product with Unity's post-processing effects. Unity Shaders and Effects Cookbook is the first of its kind to bring you the secrets of creating Shaders for Unity3D—guiding you through the process of understanding vectors, how lighting is constructed with them, and also how textures are used to create complex effects without the heavy math. We'll start with essential lighting and finishing up by creating stunning screen Effects just like those in high quality 3D and mobile games. You'll discover techniques including normal mapping, image-based lighting, and how to animate your models inside a Shader. We'll explore the secrets behind some of the most powerful techniques, such as physically based rendering! With Unity Shaders and Effects Cookbook, what seems like a dark art today will be second nature by tomorrow. Style and approach The recipes in this book contain step-by-step instructions, complemented by screenshots and code, and real-world examples.




Become a Unity Shaders Guru


Book Description

Discover the new URP render pipeline, the Shader Graph tool, and a range of advanced shading techniques in this part-color guide to bring out the beauty of your 2D/3D game projects Key Features Discover the new shader tools such as URP and Shader Graph to work in HLSL code or with visual node-based editing Learn advanced tricks to optimize your rendering pipeline Explore various concepts to create a variety of 2D and 3D game shaders Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook Book DescriptionDo you really know all the ins-and-outs of Unity shaders? It’s time to step up your Unity game and dive into the new URP render pipeline, the Shader Graph tool, and advanced shading techniques to bring out the beauty of your 2D/3D game projects! Become a Unity Shaders Guru is here to help you transition from the built-in render pipeline to the SRP pipelines and learn the latest shading tools. With it, you’ll dive deeper into Unity shaders by understanding the essential concepts through practical examples. First, you’ll discover how to create a simple shading model in the Unity built-in render pipeline, and then in the Unity URP render pipeline and Shader Graph while learning about the practical applications of both. You’ll explore common game shader techniques, ranging from interior mapping to adding neon outlines on a sprite or simulating the wobble of a fish. You’ll also learn about alternative rendering techniques, like Ray Marching. By the end of this book, you’ll have learned to create a wide variety of 2D and 3D shaders with Unity’s URP pipeline (both in HLSL code and with the Shader Graph tool), and be well-versed with some optimization tricks to make your games friendly for low-tier devices as well.What you will learn Understand the main differences between the legacy render pipeline and the SRP Create shaders in Unity with HLSL code and the Shader Graph 10 tool Implement common game shaders for VFX, animation, procedural generation, and more Experiment with offloading work from the CPU to the GPU Identify different optimization tools and their uses Discover useful URP shaders and re-adapt them in your projects Who this book is for This book is for technical artists who have worked with Unity and want to get a deeper understanding of Unity’s render pipelines and its visual node-based editing tool. Seasoned game developers who are looking for reference shaders using the recent URP render pipeline will also find this book useful. A basic level of programming experience in HLSL, Unity, its layout, and its basic usage is a must.




Writing mental ray® Shaders


Book Description

An increasing number of artists and programmers in visual effects and broadcast production now use mental ray, a high performance rendering engine for generating photorealistic images. This book details the aesthetics of rendering with mental ray. It describes the varieties of shader programming from the point of view of increasing perceptual complexity: from color to the output of the final image. It includes many example shaders, including the simplest shader possible in each category that can serve as a starting point for further customization.




Essential Mathematics for Games and Interactive Applications


Book Description

Essential Mathematics for Games and Interactive Applications, 2nd edition presents the core mathematics necessary for sophisticated 3D graphics and interactive physical simulations. The book begins with linear algebra and matrix multiplication and expands on this foundation to cover such topics as color and lighting, interpolation, animation and basic game physics. Essential Mathematics focuses on the issues of 3D game development important to programmers and includes optimization guidance throughout. The new edition Windows code will now use Visual Studio.NET. There will also be DirectX support provided, along with OpenGL - due to its cross-platform nature. Programmers will find more concrete examples included in this edition, as well as additional information on tuning, optimization and robustness. The book has a companion CD-ROM with exercises and a test bank for the academic secondary market, and for main market: code examples built around a shared code base, including a math library covering all the topics presented in the book, a core vector/matrix math engine, and libraries to support basic 3D rendering and interaction.