The developers behind Bodycam have announced a new shader they have built from scratch to improve the visual fidelity and performance of the game's weapon scopes. The developers announced in a devblog video that the new shader will be arriving with the game's next update, dropping on September 2nd.
The new shader reportedly solves two problems with weapon optic rendering in modern video games: performance and visual quality. Common existing rendering techniques for optic rendering either zoom the camera in when scoping in the weapon for a highly performant optical effect, or use picture-in-picture rendering where the game world is rendered a second time in the scope to provide a more real-to-life optical effect. But the latter comes at a heavy performance cost, causing frame rate drops whenever a player uses their weapon scope.
The Bodycam developers' new shader reportedly solves both problems, providing excellent performance and visual fidelity at the same time. The implementation involved building a new shading technique and adding it to Unreal Engine 5's rendering pipeline, dedicated entirely to optic rendering. The devs also implemented a new "advanced optic shader" that features realistic-looking glass, radial distortion, reflections, and dynamic light.
This new shader is just one part of several improvements Bodycam is receiving for its next update. The game is also receiving updated reload animations that show off how calm or stressed the user is in a particular moment, updated ragdoll animations, and drones. The developers also implemented a revamped sound system that takes into account air pressure, walls, and ceilings, causing gunshots to sound unique in every environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Will the new advanced optic shader cause any framerate drops when aiming down sights?
Does the update’s scope shader affect other optical devices in the game, such as drone cameras?
Are there any gameplay changes tied to the new scope visuals, like altered field of view or zoom behavior?
How does the new shader interact with the game’s revamped sound, ragdoll, and reload animation updates?
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If you're unfamiliar with Bodycam, the game is a first-person tactical shooter that simulates the experience of watching real-life bodycam footage. Each player plays the game through their character's bodycam, which exhibits all of the natural effects of real bodycam footage, including camera shake, limited image clarity, and muffled audio.
