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
This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.
Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.
Source: sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills → skills/game-development/3d-games/SKILL.md
Also appears in: sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/plugins/agentic-awesome-skills/skills/game-development/3d-games/SKILL.md, sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/plugins/agentic-awesome-skills-claude/skills/game-development/3d-games/SKILL.md, sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/plugins/agentic-bundle-indie-game-dev/skills/game-development/3d-games/SKILL.md
1---2name: 3d-games3description: 3D game development principles. Rendering, shaders, physics, cameras.4---5
6
7# 3D Game Development
8
9> Principles for 3D game systems.
10
11---
12
13## 1. Rendering Pipeline
14
15### Stages
16
17```
181. Vertex Processing → Transform geometry
192. Rasterization → Convert to pixels
203. Fragment Processing → Color pixels
214. Output → To screen
22```
23
24### Optimization Principles
25
26| Technique | Purpose |
27|-----------|---------|
28| **Frustum culling** | Don't render off-screen |
29| **Occlusion culling** | Don't render hidden |
30| **LOD** | Less detail at distance |
31| **Batching** | Combine draw calls |
32
33---
34
35## 2. Shader Principles
36
37### Shader Types
38
39| Type | Purpose |
40|------|---------|
41| **Vertex** | Position, normals |
42| **Fragment/Pixel** | Color, lighting |
43| **Compute** | General computation |
44
45### When to Write Custom Shaders
46
47- Special effects (water, fire, portals)
48- Stylized rendering (toon, sketch)
49- Performance optimization
50- Unique visual identity
51
52---
53
54## 3. 3D Physics
55
56### Collision Shapes
57
58| Shape | Use Case |
59|-------|----------|
60| **Box** | Buildings, crates |
61| **Sphere** | Balls, quick checks |
62| **Capsule** | Characters |
63| **Mesh** | Terrain (expensive) |
64
65### Principles
66
67- Simple colliders, complex visuals
68- Layer-based filtering
69- Raycasting for line-of-sight
70
71---
72
73## 4. Camera Systems
74
75### Camera Types
76
77| Type | Use |
78|------|-----|
79| **Third-person** | Action, adventure |
80| **First-person** | Immersive, FPS |
81| **Isometric** | Strategy, RPG |
82| **Orbital** | Inspection, editors |
83
84### Camera Feel
85
86- Smooth following (lerp)
87- Collision avoidance
88- Look-ahead for movement
89- FOV changes for speed
90
91---
92
93## 5. Lighting
94
95### Light Types
96
97| Type | Use |
98|------|-----|
99| **Directional** | Sun, moon |
100| **Point** | Lamps, torches |
101| **Spot** | Flashlight, stage |
102| **Ambient** | Base illumination |
103
104### Performance Consideration
105
106- Real-time shadows are expensive
107- Bake when possible
108- Shadow cascades for large worlds
109
110---
111
112## 6. Level of Detail (LOD)
113
114### LOD Strategy
115
116| Distance | Model |
117|----------|-------|
118| Near | Full detail |
119| Medium | 50% triangles |
120| Far | 25% or billboard |
121
122---
123
124## 7. Anti-Patterns
125
126| ❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
127|----------|-------|
128| Mesh colliders everywhere | Simple shapes |
129| Real-time shadows on mobile | Baked or blob shadows |
130| One LOD for all distances | Distance-based LOD |
131| Unoptimized shaders | Profile and simplify |
132
133---
134
135> **Remember:** 3D is about illusion. Create the impression of detail, not the detail itself.
136
137## When to Use
138This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.
139
140## Limitations
141- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
142- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
143- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.
144
145---
146
147**Source:** [`sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills`](https://github.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills) → `skills/game-development/3d-games/SKILL.md`
148
149**Also appears in:** `sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/plugins/agentic-awesome-skills/skills/game-development/3d-games/SKILL.md`, `sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/plugins/agentic-awesome-skills-claude/skills/game-development/3d-games/SKILL.md`, `sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/plugins/agentic-bundle-indie-game-dev/skills/game-development/3d-games/SKILL.md`
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