Click or drag to resize
DigitalRunePredefined Effects

DigitalRune Graphics contains several predefined effects (see also Pre-Built Content). This topic contains a list of all included effects.

This topic contains the following sections:

About predefined effects

The effects listed in this topic can be used to render models. (This topic does not contain effects used for post-processing or other render passes.)

Supported features:

  • Diffuse color/texture
  • Specular color/texture
  • Specular power
  • Morphing (up to 5 morph targets)
  • Mesh skinning (up to 72 bones)
  • Normal map
  • Emissive map (The emissive mask is stored in the alpha channel of the specular texture.)
  • Alpha test (The alpha mask is stored in the alpha channel of the diffuse texture.)
  • Screen-door transparency

The tables below list the supported combinations. New variants or combinations can be added as needed. The existing effects can also be used as a reference implementation for writing custom effects. The source code of these effects is included in the DigitalRune Engine.

G-buffer pass

In the "GBuffer" pass a light pre-pass renderer renders the models into the G-Buffer. The G-buffer stores depth, normal, and specular power of each pixel. The following effects can be used for the G-buffer pass:

Effect

Morphing

Mesh Skinning

Normal Map

Alpha Test

Screen-Door Transparency

DigitalRune/Materials/GBuffer

DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferSkinned

X

DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferMorphSkinned

X

X

DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferNormal

X

DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferNormalSkinned

X

X

DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferNormalMorphSkinned

X

X

X

DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferAlphaTest

X

DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferAlphaTestNormal

X

X

DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferTransparent

X

DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferNormalTransparent

X

X

These effects use the following effect parameters:

Parameter

Type

Description

Used By

SpecularPower

float

The specular power (a.k.a. specular exponent).

GBuffer, GBufferAlphaTest, GBufferSkinned, GBufferMorphSkinned, GBufferNormal, GBufferAlphaTestNormal, GBufferNormalSkinned, GBufferMorphNormalSkinned, GBufferNormalTransparent, GBufferTransparent

DiffuseTexture

Texture

The diffuse texture (RGB) with alpha (A).

GBufferAlphaTest, GBufferAlphaTestNormal

NormalTexture

Texture

The normal map.

GBufferNormal, GBufferAlphaTestNormal, GBufferNormalSkinned, GBufferMorphNormalSkinned, GBufferNormalTransparent,

ReferenceAlpha

float

The reference alpha for alpha testing.

GBufferAlphaTest, GBufferAlphaTestNormal,

InstanceAlpha

float

The opacity value for screen-door transparency.

GBufferNormalTransparent, GBufferTransparent

Material pass (deferred lighting)

In the "Material" pass a light pre-pass renderer combines the material properties (diffuse color, specular color, etc.) with the light information (diffuse light, specular light) stored in the light buffer. The following effects can be used for the Material pass:

Effect

Morphing

Mesh Skinning

Alpha Test

Emissive Map

Screen-Door Transparency

DigitalRune/Materials/Material

DigitalRune/Materials/MaterialSkinned

X

DigitalRune/Materials/MaterialMorphSkinned

X

X

DigitalRune/Materials/MaterialAlphaTest

X

DigitalRune/Materials/MaterialAlphaTestEmissive

X

X

DigitalRune/Materials/MaterialEmissive

X

DigitalRune/Materials/MaterialEmissiveSkinned

X

X

DigitalRune/Materials/MaterialTransparent

X

These effects use the following effect parameters:

Parameter

Type

Description

Used By

DiffuseColor

float3

The diffuse material color.

Material, MaterialAlphaTest, MaterialAlphaTestEmissive, MaterialEmissive, MaterialEmissiveSkinned, MaterialMorphSkinned MaterialSkinned, MaterialTransparent

SpecularColor

float3

The specular material color.

Material, MaterialAlphaTest, MaterialAlphaTestEmissive, MaterialEmissive, MaterialEmissiveSkinned, MaterialMorphSkinned MaterialSkinned, MaterialTransparent

EmissiveColor

float3

The emissive material color.

MaterialAlphaTestEmissive, MaterialEmissive, MaterialEmissiveSkinned,

DiffuseTexture

Texture

The diffuse texture (RGB) with optional alpha (A).

Material, MaterialAlphaTest, MaterialAlphaTestEmissive, MaterialEmissive, MaterialEmissiveSkinned, MaterialMorphSkinned MaterialSkinned, MaterialTransparent

SpecularTexture

Texture

The specular texture (RGB) with optional emissive mask (A).

Material, MaterialAlphaTest, MaterialAlphaTestEmissive, MaterialEmissive, MaterialEmissiveSkinned, MaterialMorphSkinned MaterialSkinned, MaterialTransparent

ReferenceAlpha

float

The reference alpha for alpha testing.

MaterialAlphaTest, MaterialAlphaTestEmissive,

InstanceAlpha

float

The opacity value for screen-door transparency.

MaterialTransparent

Shadow map pass

In the "ShadowMap" pass the shadow-casting models are rendered into the shadow map. The following effects can be used for the shadow map pass:

Effect

Morphing

Mesh Skinning

Alpha Test

DigitalRune/Materials/ShadowMap

DigitalRune/Materials/ShadowMapSkinned

X

DigitalRune/Materials/ShadowMapMorphSkinned

X

X

DigitalRune/Materials/ShadowMapAlphaTest

X

DigitalRune/Materials/ShadowMapAlphaTestSkinned

X

X

These effects use the following effect parameters:

Parameter

Type

Description

Used By

DiffuseTexture

Texture

The diffuse texture (RGB) and alpha mask (A).

ShadowMapAlphaTest, ShadowMapAlphaTestSkinned

ReferenceAlpha

float

The reference alpha for alpha testing.

ShadowMapAlphaTest, ShadowMapAlphaTestSkinned

Alpha-blend pass and forward rendering

The "AlphaBlend" pass uses normal forward rendering to render models which can be transparent. The following effects can be used for forward rendering and alpha-blending:

Effect

Description

DigitalRune/Materials/Forward

Renders a model with diffuse and specular texture. The effect supports 1 ambient light, 1 one directional light and 1 fog effect.

DigitalRune/Materials/ForwardTwoSided

Renders a model with diffuse and specular texture. The effect supports 1 ambient light, 1 one directional light and 1 fog effect. The model is rendered in two passes: First the back-sides are rendered, then the front-sides are rendered.

These effects use the following effect parameters:

Parameter

Type

Description

Used By

DiffuseColor

float3

The diffuse material color.

Forward, ForwardTwoSided

SpecularColor

float3

The specular material color.

Forward, ForwardTwoSided

SpecularPower

float

The specular power (a.k.a. specular exponent).

Forward, ForwardTwoSided

DiffuseTexture

Texture

The diffuse texture (RGB) and alpha (A).

Forward, ForwardTwoSided

SpecularTexture

Texture

The specular texture.

Forward, ForwardTwoSided

Alpha

float

The opacity of the mesh.

Forward, ForwardTwoSided

Occluder pass

The "Occluder" pass is a special pass that is used to render meshes into the occlusion buffer for occlusion culling. An example is given in: OcclusionBuffer

Caution note Caution

Most meshes are too complex to be used as occluders. It is recommended to use occlusion proxies (see class Occluder) instead.

Effect

Mesh Skinning

DigitalRune/Materials/Occluder

DigitalRune/Materials/OccluderSkinned

X

These effects do not require effect parameters.

MatCap effects

Material capture effects ("MatCap") render an object by sampling a surface material texture using the normal vector.

Effect

Mesh Skinning

Normal Map

DigitalRune/Materials/Matcap

DigitalRune/Materials/MatcapSkinned

X

DigitalRune/Materials/MatcapNormal

X

DigitalRune/Materials/MatcapNormalSkinned

X

X

These effects use the following effect parameters:

Parameter

Type

Description

Used By

MatcapTexture

Texture

The material capture texture.

Matcap, MatcapNormal, MatcapNormalSkinned, MatcapSkinned

NormalTexture

Texture

The normal map.

MatcapNormal, MatcapNormalSkinned

XNA stock effects

The XNA stock effects are also supported:

AlphaTestEffect

The XNA AlphaTestEffect.

This effect uses the following effect parameters:

Parameter

Type

Description

Alpha

float

The material alpha.

DiffuseColor

float3

The diffuse material color.

Texture

Texture

The diffuse texture.

ReferenceAlpha

int

The reference alpha for alpha testing.

VertexColorEnabled

bool

A value indicating whether vertex colors are enabled.

BasicEffect

The XNA BasicEffect.

This effect uses the following effect parameters:

Parameter

Type

Description

Alpha

float

The material alpha.

DiffuseColor

float3

The diffuse material color.

EmissiveColor

float3

The emissive material color.

SpecularColor

float3

The specular material color.

SpecularPower

float

The specular power (a.k.a. specular exponent).

Texture

Texture

The diffuse texture.

VertexColorEnabled

bool

A value indicating whether vertex colors are enabled.

DualTextureEffect

The XNA DualTextureEffect.

This effect uses the following effect parameters:

Parameter

Type

Description

Alpha

float

The material alpha.

DiffuseColor

float3

The diffuse material color.

Texture

Texture

The base texture.

Texture2

Texture

The overlay texture.

VertexColorEnabled

bool

A value indicating whether vertex colors are enabled.

EnvironmentMapEffect

The XNA EnvironmentMapEffect.

This effect uses the following effect parameters:

Parameter

Type

Description

Alpha

float

The material alpha.

DiffuseColor

float3

The diffuse material color.

EmissiveColor

float3

The emissive material color.

EnironmentMapSpecular

float3

The specular light color which is multiplied by the environment map alpha and added to the material. (Used to simulate specular highlights.)

EnvironmentMapAmount

float

The amount of the environment map color that will be blended with the base texture.

FresnelFactor

float

The Fresnel factor used for environment map blending.

Texture

Texture

The diffuse texture.

EnvironmentMap

TextureCube

The environment map texture.

SkinnedEffect

The XNA SkinnedEffect.

This effect uses the following effect parameters:

Parameter

Type

Description

Alpha

float

The material alpha.

DiffuseColor

float3

The diffuse material color.

EmissiveColor

float3

The emissive material color.

SpecularColor

float3

The specular material color.

SpecularPower

float

The specular power (a.k.a. specular exponent).

Texture

Texture

The diffuse texture.

WeightsPerVertex

int

The number of skinning weights per vertex (max 4).

Decal effects

Decals are similar to models. They are also rendered using materials. However, decals need to be rendered with different vertex and pixel shaders and therefore require different effects.

The following effects can be used for decals:

Effect

Description

DigitalRune/Decals/GBuffer

Equivalent to DigitalRune/Materials/GBuffer.

DigitalRune/Decals/GBufferAlphaTest

Equivalent to DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferAlphaTest.

DigitalRune/Decals/GBufferAlphaTestNormal

Equivalent to DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferAlphaTestNormal.

DigitalRune/Decals/GBufferNormal

Equivalent to DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferNormal.

DigitalRune/Decals/Material

Equivalent to DigitalRune/Materials/Material.

DigitalRune/Decals/MaterialAlphaTest

Equivalent to DigitalRune/Materials/MaterialAlphaTest.

DigitalRune/Decals/MaterialAlphaTestEmissive

Equivalent to DigitalRune/Materials/MaterialAlphaTestEmissive.

DigitalRune/Decals/MaterialEmissive

Equivalent to DigitalRune/Materials/MaterialEmissive.

Example usage

Here is an example which shows how these effects can be used in a material definition file.

Copy
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Material>
  <Pass Name="Default" Effect="SkinnedEffect" Profile="Any">
    <Parameter Name="DiffuseColor" Value="1,1,1" />
    <Parameter Name="SpecularColor" Value="0.1,0.1,0.1" />
    <Parameter Name="SpecularPower" Value="10" />
    <Texture Name="Texture" File="upBodyC.tga" />
  </Pass>
  <Pass Name="ShadowMap" Effect="DigitalRune/Materials/ShadowMapSkinned" Profile="HiDef" />
  <Pass Name="GBuffer" Effect="DigitalRune/Materials/GBufferNormalSkinned" Profile="HiDef">
    <Parameter Name="SpecularPower" Value="10" />
    <Texture Name="NormalTexture" Format="Normal" File="upBodyN.tga" />
  </Pass>
  <Pass Name="Material" Effect="DigitalRune/Materials/MaterialSkinned" Profile="HiDef">
    <Parameter Name="DiffuseColor" Value="1,1,1" />
    <Parameter Name="SpecularColor" Value="1,1,1" />
    <Texture Name="DiffuseTexture" File="upBodyC.tga" />
    <Texture Name="SpecularTexture" File="upBodyS.tga" />
  </Pass>
</Material>