Effects & techniques

In this chapter we present the techniques and algorithms used for compelling storytelling in the context of the StarCraft II© real-time strategy game. We will go over some of the design goals for the technology used to empower our artists for both in- game and "story mode" settings as well as describe how the Blizzard art style influenced the design of the engine. Various aspects of our lighting pipeline will be unveiled, with a strong focus on several techniques making use of deferred buffers for depth, normals, and coloring components. We will show how these deferred buffers were used to implement a variety of effects such as deferred lighting, screen-space ambient occlusion and depth of field effects. Approaches with respect to shadows will also be discussed.