Mastering Tessellation Shaders in Unity! Easy LoD, Curved Triangles, Height Maps | Game Dev Tutorial

✔️ Tutorial tested in Unity URP 2020.3, 2021.3

Hi! Tessellation shaders are advanced shaders which can subdivide triangles in a mesh, creating new vertices. You can move these around for a variety of cool effects! This tutorial aims to give you a deep understanding of tessellation shaders in Unity by first explaining how to write your own and then showcasing several algorithms which use them. Some effects include advance culling, dynamic level of detail, curved triangles, smoothed silhouettes, height map rendering, and procedural meshes.

📚 If you prefer reading, check out the written version of this tutorial here:
►   / mastering-tessellation-shaders-and-their-m...  

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💻 Script reference:
► Tessellation factors simple shader: https://gist.github.com/NedMakesGames...
► Complete tessellation sample shader: https://gist.github.com/NedMakesGames...

⏲️ Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:46 Tutorial scope
2:10 What is tessellation?
3:32 Anatomy of a tessellation shader
7:15 The hull function
9:03 The patch constant function
10:11 The domain function
11:05 Tessellation factors
12:57 Partitioning modes
13:59 Optimizing with culling
14:29 Frustum culling
15:37 Winding/backface culling
17:01 Culling tolerance
17:31 Dynamic tessellation factors
19:09 Screen space factors
19:56 Camera depth factors
20:45 Mesh data factors
21:39 Deformed patches factors
22:20 Curved triangles and smoothed silhouettes
23:10 Phong tessellation
24:52 Refining models for curved triangles
25:46 PN triangles
28:47 Quadratic normal interpolation
31:18 Height map displacement
32:45 Normals from height maps
34:24 Procedural height maps
36:08 Wrap up and credits

🎖️ Credits, references and further reading:
• Lee Rosevere: Music for Podcasts - https://leerosevere.bandcamp.com/
• Austin Newman: Transition woosh - https://austinmakesfilms.sellfy.store...
• Samcro spm: 3D Sword and Shield Game Ready model - https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/...
• SHULDYAKOV: 3D model Cat Low Polygon Art Farm Animal Free VR / AR / low-poly - https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/...
• Lennart Demes: Fabric 060 - https://ambientcg.com/view?id=Fabric060 and Rocks 022 - https://ambientcg.com/view?id=Rocks022
• Iñigo Quilez: Noise - Gradient - 3D - Deriv - https://www.shadertoy.com/view/4dffRH
• Scratchapixel: Perlin Noise - https://www.scratchapixel.com/lessons... and Geometry - https://www.scratchapixel.com/lessons...
• Freya Holmér: The Beauty of Bézier Curves -    • The Beauty of Bézier Curves  
• kjpargeter: Detailed wireframe terrain landscape in black and white - https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/d...
• OpenClipart-Vectors: Wireframe Human Head - https://pixabay.com/vectors/head-wire...
• CatLikeCoding: Flat and Wireframe Shading, Tessellation, and Surface Displacement - https://catlikecoding.com/unity/tutor...
• Alex Vlachos, Jörg Peter, Chas Boyd, Jason L. Mitchell: Curved PN Triangles - https://alex.vlachos.com/graphics/Cur...
• Tamy Boubekeur, Marc Alexa: Phong Tessellation - http://www.klayge.org/material/4_0/Ph...
• Alan Wolfe: Bézier Triangles - https://blog.demofox.org/2019/12/07/b...
• Fabian Giesen: View frustum culling - https://fgiesen.wordpress.com/2010/10...

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