My 3rd entry in the weekly Shader Series is on Screen Space Reflections. It overviews the meat and potatoes of the shader along with a healthy amount of code samples.
This tutorial covers the fundamentals of implementing screen space reflections in game engines, providing detailed code examples and explanations of the shader implementation.
What is Screen Space Reflections?
Screen Space Reflections (SSR) is a technique that creates realistic reflections by sampling the depth and normal information already available in screen space. Unlike traditional environment mapping, SSR produces reflections that accurately reflect the scene geometry.
Key Benefits
- **Accurate Reflections**: Reflects actual scene geometry instead of pre-baked cubemaps
- **Dynamic**: Updates every frame with scene changes
- **GPU Efficient**: Leverages existing deferred rendering data
- **Realistic**: Works especially well on shiny, reflective surfaces
Implementation Details
The shader implementation involves:
1. Tracing rays in screen space
2. Comparing against depth buffer
3. Fallback to environment mapping
4. Blending for smooth transitions
Let me know what you think of the tutorial formats. I'd love some feedback, and give Virtex a follow to keep up with our shader series and upcoming releases.