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

2. Shader Principles

Shader Types

When to Write Custom Shaders

• Special effects (water, fire, portals)
• Stylized rendering (toon, sketch)
• Performance optimization
• Unique visual identity

3. 3D Physics

Collision Shapes

Principles

• Simple colliders, complex visuals
• Layer-based filtering
• Raycasting for line-of-sight

4. Camera Systems

Camera Types

Camera Feel

• Frame-rate-independent smoothing; test camera collision and teleports
• Collision avoidance
• Look-ahead for movement
• FOV changes for speed

5. Lighting

Light Types

Performance Consideration

• Real-time shadows are expensive
• Bake when possible
• Shadow cascades for large worlds

6. Level of Detail (LOD)

LOD Strategy

7. Anti-Patterns

Remember: 3D is about illusion. Create the impression of detail, not the detail itself.

When to Use

Use when implementing or profiling a 3D rendering pipeline, shaders, colliders, cameras, lighting or level-of-detail transitions.

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.

Verification

Treat tables as design starting points, not guarantees. Prototype the selected mechanic, test accessibility and recovery paths, and measure frame timing, memory and behavior on target hardware before claiming completion. Store submission and licensing requirements must be checked against current official platform documentation.