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

[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]

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.

 

[PAKtrik64]

I don't think the N64 used cube maps for this type of texture. Instead they overlayed a black and white cloud or streak texture (like this texture used on the master sword in OoT), and overlayed it on top of the base texture.

Then, instead of mapping that texture with normal UVs, they use the surface’s orientation relative to the camera (its normal direction) as if they were UVs. This way, when you rotate the object or the camera, the texture appears to slide.
Here;s a screenshot of the shader I found someone using in Unreal engine for the same effect, this time for the Mirror Shield:

I was able to recreate this set up in Blender like so, and it gave me the desired results like in the OP's first example with the Perfect Dark logo etc:

 

[Ikagura]

I don't think the N64 used cube maps for this type of texture. Instead they overlayed a black and white cloud or streak texture (like this texture used on the master sword in OoT), and overlayed it on top of the base texture.
View attachment 115508
Then, instead of mapping that texture with normal UVs, they use the surface’s orientation relative to the camera (its normal direction) as if they were UVs. This way, when you rotate the object or the camera, the texture appears to slide.
Here;s a screenshot of the shader I found someone using in Unreal engine for the same effect, this time for the Mirror Shield: View attachment 115506
I was able to recreate this set up in Blender like so, and it gave me the desired results like in the OP's first example with the Perfect Dark logo etc:
View attachment 115507

I'm quite impressed.

 

[MajesticSiN]

They used magic.
I know this because my uncle worked for Nintendo.