How was that "metal reflection" effect done back on the N64 (and late 90's PC games)?

[Ikagura Ikagura]

I really am fond of that effect before we got specular reflection on material and advanced shaders like Phong's.

How was it done and is it easy to produce by indie devs?

 

[moonbits]

cube maps, planar reflections,
and it's piss easy to do that nowadays

 

[Don Patch]

It's an aesthetic for sure! Love it!

 

[legsrjust4show]

Love that it was answered right away.

This effect still looks pretty good even today.

 

[Carlnshake]

cube maps, planar reflections,
and it's piss easy to do that nowadays

So it was magic. Pictured above, Shigeru Miyamoto working on Mario64

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

cube maps, planar reflections,
and it's piss easy to do that nowadays

Noted.

It's an aesthetic for sure! Love it!

Love that it was answered right away.

This effect still looks pretty good even today.

Same and agreed.

 

[ciro64]

 

[Esidemoken]

View attachment 85119
So it was magic. Pictured above, Shigeru Miyamoto working on Mario64

The funny thing is that the texture they used for Metal Mario has nothing to do with metal

https://existentialismandmakeup.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F625995309645004801

 

[Carlnshake]

The funny thing is that the texture they used for Metal Mario has nothing to do with metal

https://existentialismandmakeup.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F625995309645004801

That is crazy. I love little "secrets"/behind the scenes stuff like this

 

[trickybus]

The funny thing is that the texture they used for Metal Mario has nothing to do with metal

https://existentialismandmakeup.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F625995309645004801

FYI the reflection image from Smash 64's Metal Mario uses a different JPEG that hasn't been identified yet.