Physically based materials
Metal, clear-coat car paint with flakes, back-lit leaves and cloth, and correct overlapping transparency in the high-definition renderer. Upscaling and multisampling keep edges clean.
Rendering
Write a shader once. It runs in both renderers.
One shader file works in both the standard and the high-definition renderer. The high-definition renderer adds Facet geometry and Solstice lighting, and from the next release both renderers share one tone curve, so a scene looks right in either.
Particle effects
Emitters with eight ready-made presets such as fire, smoke, sparks and dust. Spray and mist come from the water systems automatically.
Also in this area
Facet: detail without triangle budgets
Meshes with millions of triangles draw only the detail the screen can show, so you stop hand-making lower-detail versions. Rocks, trunks and scanned props stay sharp up close and cheap far away. Geometry streams from disk as the camera moves. Available in the high-definition renderer.
Shipped in v0.6.0Write shaders with guard rails
A shader code panel with colors, sliders generated from the code, error hints, a cost meter and a live preview. One shader file works in both the standard and high-definition renderers. From the next release, desktop exports prepare every shader while loading, so play does not stutter the first time an effect appears.
Shipped in v0.6.0Sharp, stable shadows at any distance
Sun shadows are cached and only redrawn where something moved, so wide views stay sharp and cheap. Point and spot lights cast shadows too. On graphics cards with ray tracing, the high-definition renderer can trace shadows, and swaying trees and animated characters show up in them as they move.
Shipped in v0.6.0
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Physical sky and clouds
A sun-driven sky with volumetric clouds, cloud shadows and distance haze. Available in the high-definition renderer. Optional automatic exposure, where the camera adapts like an eye between shade and sunlight, arrives in the next release.
Shipped in v0.6.0Far-away worlds that stay cheap
Distant objects turn into baked billboards and merged stand-ins automatically, so long view distances stay affordable. Available in the high-definition renderer.
Shipped in v0.6.0A good look by default
A scene that sets no exposure or grade gets automatic exposure and a light grade, and both renderers share the same tone curve, so a first scene looks right in either.
Coming in next release
Being built
Sharper terrain and distant forests
More terrain detail, better distant forests, and the standard and high-definition renderers looking alike.
Being built nowSquall: a new effects and fluids system
Squall will bring ribbons, smoke and fluid simulation, authored as data that you and an AI can both edit.
Planned nextLocal exposure
Bright skies and dark interiors both readable in the same view.
Planned nextVolumetric light and better skin
Light shafts through fog and haze, scenes with many lights, and better translucency and skin.
Planned next