Game Vfx Mesh Workflow

Workflows

Builds game VFX with mesh shell + scrolling texture + engine animation (dead model, live texture, engine math). Covers 2.5D billboard rules, 631 color, point-line-surface layering, ink-wash grading, and Godot ShaderMaterial/Tween patterns. Use when implementing skills, magic, heal, or combat VFX in Godot, choosing VFX tech route, or when the user mentions 降维打击, Mesh+贴图, UV scroll, Kenney, AI texture, 631配色, 点线面, or水墨特效.

Install

openclaw skills install game-vfx-mesh-workflow

Game VFX: Mesh + Texture + Engine Math

Core Philosophy

3D 软件造壳，AI/贴图画皮，引擎赋魂。

VFX ≈ 简单 Mesh（塑料外壳）× 滚动贴图（活涂装）× 引擎数学（缩放/旋转/淡出/错开）

Do not render finished FX in DCC or rely on TyFlow/Houdini for indie iteration. Do not replace textures with pure procedural noise2d() unless prototyping.

Standard Pipeline

Step	Input	Output
1. Mesh	CC0 VFX pack or Godot primitives (Plane/Cylinder/Torus)	UV-ready shell
2. Texture	AI seamless noise or CC0 sprite sheet (Kenney placeholder)	Alpha/mask + detail
3. Shader	`sampler2D` + UV scroll + style grade	Visible texture shape
4. Code	Tween scale / rotation / intensity / stagger	Timed performance
5. Anchor	Node under Player at feet (y≈0) or chest	Correct bind point

AI Texture Prompt Hints

Generate seamless, high-contrast masks suitable for UV scroll:

seamless jade ink wash noise, high contrast alpha, tileable, 512x512, no background
seamless magic energy noise, soft core bright edges dark, tileable
Avoid illustrative single-frame art; need tileable mask/energy maps.

Drop into assets/textures/vfx/ and assign to albedo_texture in shader.

Composition: 点 · 线 · 面

Element	Role	Mesh	Texture examples
面	Base area, 60% main color	Horizontal plane, large billboard	circle, smoke, magic
线	Direction, trail, ink stroke	Thin billboard, ground trace plane	slash, trace, scratch
点	Accent sparkle, scatter	Small billboards	star, spark

Layer with staggered delays (0.05–0.18s). Never spawn everything at t=0.

Color: 631 Rule + Contrast

Share	Role	Usage
60%	Main attribute color	Pool, rings, body aura
30%	Secondary (adjacent hue)	Mist, inner glow, edge wash
10%	Accent (warm/high sat)	Gold stars, white core flash

Ink black (墨痕) is not part of 631 area — use as contrast edge (like bubble black rims): small coverage, high opacity.

Extended formula (fluid/magic):

主色冷色大面积 + 辅色邻近/弱对比 + 微面积色散高光 + 极小面积点缀色

For ink-wash projects: main = jade/teal; secondary = blue-purple mist; accent = warm gold; ink = near-black.

2.5D / Fixed Camera Rules (Critical)

Orthographic oblique camera (e.g. offset (20, 22.5, 20)) breaks many free-3D assumptions.

Do	Don't
Horizontal `PlaneMesh` for ground FX	Vertical ring only visible as line
Billboard planes for body FX (`look_at` camera)	Cylinder/Torus body (shows caps, hides UV)
Texture discard on low alpha (`if mask < 0.025: discard`)	Uniform green fog without texture shape
Texture drives mask; shader tints	Procedural ring `mask *= ring` covering texture
`blend_mix` + ink grade for main layers	Full-scene neon `blend_add`
`blend_add` only for accent/core layer
Anchor ground at `y ≈ -0.93` (feet), slightly above ground plane	Same Y as ground (z-fight)

Billboard facing (Godot 4):

node.look_at(camera.global_position, Vector3.UP)
node.rotate_object_local(Vector3.RIGHT, -PI * 0.5)
node.rotate_object_local(Vector3.FORWARD, yaw_offset)

Godot Implementation Pattern

Shader Split (3 materials max)

Shader	Render	Purpose
`heal_vfx_layer.gdshader`	`blend_mix`	Main layers: 4-tone grade, UV scroll, optional expand
`heal_vfx_ink.gdshader`	`blend_mix`	Black ink strokes/splashes
`heal_vfx_add.gdshader`	`blend_add`	Gold/white accent only

Key uniforms: albedo_texture, scroll_speed, effect_time, intensity, expand_progress, tone_dark/mid/bright/accent.

Script Structure (`heal_mesh_effect.gd` reference)

HealEffect (Node3D, y=1.0 on Player)
├── Ground: pool + rings (horizontal planes)
├── Body: twirl billboards ×2 crossed yaw
├── Mist: secondary billboard (30%)
├── Ink: splashes, strokes, traces, rising flecks
└── Accent: core add + star billboards (10%)

API: trigger_heal() with cooldown; _process updates effect_time + billboard facing.

Tween Rules

# CORRECT — lambda passes float to intensity
_tween.tween_method(func(v): mat.set_shader_parameter("intensity", v), 0.0, 2.0, 0.3)

# WRONG — bind appends args; float hits wrong parameter
_tween.tween_method(_set_intensity.bind(mat), 0.0, 2.0, 0.3)  # breaks in GDScript 4

Return type for tween_method: MethodTweener, not Tween.

Typed arrays for texture pick:

const SPARK_TEX: Array[Texture2D] = [TEX_A, TEX_B, TEX_C]
var tex: Texture2D = SPARK_TEX[i % 3]

New Skill Checklist

Before shipping a VFX, verify:

Texture visible in isolation (not hidden by procedural mask / fresnel kill)
Body elements face camera in 2.5D
631 color balance readable on project background
Ink/contrast layer present if style is ink-wash
Staggered layer timing
preload() textures; sync effect_time on all materials
No dependency on sky/SDFGI/volumetric fog for this project style
Headless load / in-game Q test passes

Anti-Patterns (Learned in game02)

Failed approach	Why
GPUParticles + Kenney without billboard	Side-on quads invisible in 2.5D
Cylinder aura	Top cap reads as geometry, not texture
Pure noise shaders	No craft; flat green fog
Procedural ring × texture	Texture shape lost
Stacking 10+ layers same hue	Monotone, no 631
`Tween.bind()` for multi-arg setters	Runtime type errors

Reference Implementation (game02)

Asset	Path
Effect script	`scripts/heal_mesh_effect.gd`
Layer shader	`shaders/heal_vfx_layer.gdshader`
Ink shader	`shaders/heal_vfx_ink.gdshader`
Add shader	`shaders/heal_vfx_add.gdshader`
Textures (placeholder)	`addons/kenney_particle_pack/`
Scene hook	`Player/HealEffect` in `scenes/main_3d.tscn`

Kenney mapping for heal: smoke_06 pool, circle_05 ring, twirl_02 body, light_03 halo, magic_02 mist, magic_04 core, star/spark accent, scratch/scorch/slash/trace ink.

For extended pitfalls and environment constraints, see reference.md.