I mentioned Spyro’s skyboxes (also used for portals+seamless level transitions), but it also used VC for the textureless LoD models which allowed incredible draw distance for the era. Random effects mostly resulting from flame breath (soot, glow) but also some other small details (like the level boundary headbutt effect). Lighting too (more obvious in the worlds with bonfires).

Also Crash Bandicoot. Here’s a video on the character design (the vertex animation and spin model is interesting as well).

VC might not be obvious especially when it was just an optimization, though it might be more obvious if it used for a specific effect (like transparency), especially when viewed with modern resolution (+unfiltered textures).

Lots of games from this era have vertex lighting (and it certainly is a cool aesthetic* on its own) but I am much more interested when it’s actually used to significantly reduce texture usage (plus introducing other benefits). In-engine cutscenes and midi soundtracks (or stuff like sfxr) are also good for similar reasons.

* Will be nice to try it when 4.4 finally drops (it re-adds per-vertex shading) especially as it is an actual optimization. I say this as someone who turns pixelation filters off.

If you’re making your own models, another option to somewhat sidestep textures is vertex colors.

At the very simplest objects can be 1* color, though it’s still quite easy to color some details on low-poly models if you keep it in mind when you’re designing your mesh (which going for an aesthetic, is the goal anyway).

Note that per-face VC is an option (in Blender: color attribute>domain:face corner, and then use selection plus the paint mask option right next to where you switched to vertex paint mode). You can also use the Spyro skybox trick to fake hard edges using your mesh.

Lots of simple options with big look changes too (unshaded vs. shaded, matte vs. plastic vs. metal, manually-painted VC shadows).

Adding even multi-use textures onto this, I’m not quite sure on especially as it requires messing at very least fixing the UV map+re-exporting. After that, object scale may be an issue (unless something like triplanar works for you).

I even tried doing my own watercolor stuff, a failed matcap texture (which might be a fault of the shader) and a maybe-fine splatter texture. It seems like going this route is a step up in one (if not multiple) skills to be an improvement rather than reduction over just VC. A generated noise normal map for metal (maybe glass/wood) is a somewhat more viable exception.

* even if you’re using CSG (or say, textmesh) and not interested in VC, it might be a good idea to use a material that allows setting a color per-object via a shader parameter (this can be done via visual shader with ColorParameter plugged into albedo, blend mode can be used to allow grayscale texture like noise). A slight step up from graybox… unless your room is a cave, having color other than gray/white is an easy way to improve the representation enough for it to be playable.

EDIT: Alternatively, you could also just get the colors by using a set of materials like a color palette (stone, wood, grass, dirt, metal?).

Why & where is the video demo? :D

Was going to say something like this, but even a screenshot would be nice. Also, some bullet points on what it does (specific features).

Make Minesweeper

Similar (I don’t know how much more difficult/different it’d be to implement):

Somebody recently made a newer version (free on Itch) called Dragonsweeper. I never really understood the appeal of Minesweeper, but this version makes it click for me (aside from more elements, the math and piece logic allows for more deduction). That, and it probably helps that you can make informed guesses (particularly further into a game) as the mines are not the main focus.

Their version is highly engaging, though does not currently include configuration or even a replay (after win) button.

It’s got me thinking that I want to make my own version, half as an excuse to make polygonal* art.

The first-step oversimplified version of this would be like normal minesweeper, though you:

• sum the value of cells (not just checking if full/empty)
• allow marking with numbers, not just a flag
• have mines be a value of 100 instead of 1
• add smaller-value tiles and a system to pace their removal (some freedom, can still lose here)
• re-sum neighboring tiles when a tile is removed

*= I have done 2D in-engine, 3D via blender+vertex colors, plus general material/shader tinkering.

Is there a proposal for adding an option of sparse speckle* noise to Godot’s generated noise texture?

I’m sure this is easily achieved with a dedicated texture (or two, so the light speckle can be more visible beyond the regular highlighted area), but I don’t seem to be having much luck making or finding it.

*=Most of the original color is untouched but with lighter and darker splotches ideal for a stone texture or to just break up flat color.

Yes, spring of 2444 with my brain in a jar.

Can 3D substitution* animation be exported from Blender? This isn’t easy to search, though what I could find seems like importing animations in general needs more clicks than expected. Even better would be a workflow with greasepencil and geometry nodes (though searching w/Godot leads to a paid tool), especially if that can also be used for vertex colors.

I have my doubts here as the first thing I tried (a custom shader with a 2nd vertex color map hooked up to glow) didn’t work. Though I’m not sure if that was an issue with gltf, Blender, Godot, how I exported it, or something else.

*= Switching visibility to another model rather than using deformation or texturing. If this does not export easily, I guess it’d be easy enough to manually do with Godot’s animation player so long as there aren’t too many frames/animations/states.

Undiagnosed (aside from TTT at home) EDS/POTS here (mild), I biked enough to notice a difference but I didn’t hit the point where it aligned with this post (maybe because I don’t really sweat, stress on my body changes the effect?). Even with inactivity, muscle loss is not an issue for me.

Though the biggest issue with cycling for me is that I don’t really have (m)any destinations, distance makes most trips not viable for what they are (particularly factoring in return trip) or add complication when it comes to hours or weather. Daylight savings ending combined with shorter days ruined it for me, too.

Yes, because of the over-the-top “personally traveled” bit… and it’d likely end with DMCA.

Though looking at just one list of Nintendo’s mass takedown of free fan-games, it seems very likely* it directly resulted in many children being terribly upset (and maybe thinking they’ll be sued/jailed)… even if they made their own assets, just because they included a trademarked term in the title/description for something they just wanted to share with their friends. (I’m sure many did use assets, but we are likely talking about decades-old material here)

So it’s not that big of a stretch, it’s just not guaranteed that we’d hear this much about it.

*= judging by FNAF/sonic crossovers, content/spelling of titles, creepypasta stuff, and likely terrible art if you can still find more than a URL

Both is rule

reactions … are incredibly dark

The mood: El Risitas laughing

Aside from a last resort, for what purpose?

I would rather go the opposite direction: brain stays (mostly) stock but supported by multiple other forms of life. Much more of a gut microbiome, harmless viruses etc add to immune system, mycelium network, microbiome automatically cleans surface.

Swap resources with a tree, filter contaminates from air/water or produce organic compounds, photosynthesis in larger tanks (stationary) or luminescence in organic gel (body).

That’d still just be a copy.

And sounds like “I like the idea of ai, but I want something even less ethical.” Unless it is highly specialized to the point of non-sapience. “Existence? Look buddy, I cook and that’s it. I can contemplate the life cycles of ingredients and I do my best to have a safe kitchen, but beyond that I don’t have the information to think about it.”

[ ✔️ ] Willing to convert, but into a cyborg because the distinction is important… but if I’m being honest I’m basically a defective organic robot, so if you put my canned brain into a metal body with a digital voice I would be indistinguishable from a robot.

That leaves out how public opinion changed after motive was known.

The assassination brought the many social issues with the Unification Church under the spotlight again, as well as tumbled the approval of the ruling party. Under the public pressure, the responsible ministry decided to file a dissolution order against the UC with the Tokyo District Court on 13 October 2023, after nearly a year of investigation of wrongdoings

Japanese people cosplaying Yamagami’s appearance during Abe’s assassination were spotted at events like the rally against Abe’s state funeral. These cosplayers held cardboard signs displaying the leaders they were against: Abe, Ali Khamenei, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping

They need to change the likeness a little.

Elo, who? What? Nooo, he’s… uhh… Æléon 3000! Does it at all resemble a real set of events that happened? I sure hope not, that’d be an interesting coincidence.