3D Game Development
Principles for 3D game systems.
1. Rendering Pipeline
Stages
1. Vertex Processing → Transform geometry
2. Rasterization → Convert to pixels
3. Fragment Processing → Color pixels
4. Output → To screen
Optimization Principles
| Technique |
Purpose |
| Frustum culling |
Don't render off-screen |
| Occlusion culling |
Don't render hidden |
| LOD |
Less detail at distance |
| Batching |
Combine draw calls |
2. Shader Principles
Shader Types
| Type |
Purpose |
| Vertex |
Position, normals |
| Fragment/Pixel |
Color, lighting |
| Compute |
General computation |
When to Write Custom Shaders
- Special effects (water, fire, portals)
- Stylized rendering (toon, sketch)
- Performance optimization
- Unique visual identity
3. 3D Physics
Collision Shapes
| Shape |
Use Case |
| Box |
Buildings, crates |
| Sphere |
Balls, quick checks |
| Capsule |
Characters |
| Mesh |
Terrain (expensive) |
Principles
- Simple colliders, complex visuals
- Layer-based filtering
- Raycasting for line-of-sight
4. Camera Systems
Camera Types
| Type |
Use |
| Third-person |
Action, adventure |
| First-person |
Immersive, FPS |
| Isometric |
Strategy, RPG |
| Orbital |
Inspection, editors |
Camera Feel
- Smooth following (lerp)
- Collision avoidance
- Look-ahead for movement
- FOV changes for speed
5. Lighting
Light Types
| Type |
Use |
| Directional |
Sun, moon |
| Point |
Lamps, torches |
| Spot |
Flashlight, stage |
| Ambient |
Base illumination |
Performance Consideration
- Real-time shadows are expensive
- Bake when possible
- Shadow cascades for large worlds
6. Level of Detail (LOD)
LOD Strategy
| Distance |
Model |
| Near |
Full detail |
| Medium |
50% triangles |
| Far |
25% or billboard |
7. Anti-Patterns
| ❌ Don't |
✅ Do |
| Mesh colliders everywhere |
Simple shapes |
| Real-time shadows on mobile |
Baked or blob shadows |
| One LOD for all distances |
Distance-based LOD |
| Unoptimized shaders |
Profile and simplify |
Remember: 3D is about illusion. Create the impression of detail, not the detail itself.
When to Use
3D game development principles. Rendering, shaders, physics, cameras.
Covers: 3D Game Development, Rendering Pipeline, Stages, Optimization Principles, Shader Principles.
1---2name: 3d-games3description: 3D game development principles. Rendering, shaders, physics, cameras.4license: MIT5---6# 3D Game Development78> Principles for 3D game systems.910---1112## 1. Rendering Pipeline1314### Stages1516```171. Vertex Processing → Transform geometry182. Rasterization → Convert to pixels193. Fragment Processing → Color pixels204. Output → To screen21```2223### Optimization Principles2425| Technique | Purpose |26|-----------|---------|27| **Frustum culling** | Don't render off-screen |28| **Occlusion culling** | Don't render hidden |29| **LOD** | Less detail at distance |30| **Batching** | Combine draw calls |3132---3334## 2. Shader Principles3536### Shader Types3738| Type | Purpose |39|------|---------|40| **Vertex** | Position, normals |41| **Fragment/Pixel** | Color, lighting |42| **Compute** | General computation |4344### When to Write Custom Shaders4546- Special effects (water, fire, portals)47- Stylized rendering (toon, sketch)48- Performance optimization49- Unique visual identity5051---5253## 3. 3D Physics5455### Collision Shapes5657| Shape | Use Case |58|-------|----------|59| **Box** | Buildings, crates |60| **Sphere** | Balls, quick checks |61| **Capsule** | Characters |62| **Mesh** | Terrain (expensive) |6364### Principles6566- Simple colliders, complex visuals67- Layer-based filtering68- Raycasting for line-of-sight6970---7172## 4. Camera Systems7374### Camera Types7576| Type | Use |77|------|-----|78| **Third-person** | Action, adventure |79| **First-person** | Immersive, FPS |80| **Isometric** | Strategy, RPG |81| **Orbital** | Inspection, editors |8283### Camera Feel8485- Smooth following (lerp)86- Collision avoidance87- Look-ahead for movement88- FOV changes for speed8990---9192## 5. Lighting9394### Light Types9596| Type | Use |97|------|-----|98| **Directional** | Sun, moon |99| **Point** | Lamps, torches |100| **Spot** | Flashlight, stage |101| **Ambient** | Base illumination |102103### Performance Consideration104105- Real-time shadows are expensive106- Bake when possible107- Shadow cascades for large worlds108109---110111## 6. Level of Detail (LOD)112113### LOD Strategy114115| Distance | Model |116|----------|-------|117| Near | Full detail |118| Medium | 50% triangles |119| Far | 25% or billboard |120121---122123## 7. Anti-Patterns124125| ❌ Don't | ✅ Do |126|----------|-------|127| Mesh colliders everywhere | Simple shapes |128| Real-time shadows on mobile | Baked or blob shadows |129| One LOD for all distances | Distance-based LOD |130| Unoptimized shaders | Profile and simplify |131132---133134> **Remember:** 3D is about illusion. Create the impression of detail, not the detail itself.135136## When to Use1371383D game development principles. Rendering, shaders, physics, cameras.139140Covers: 3D Game Development, Rendering Pipeline, Stages, Optimization Principles, Shader Principles.
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