One of the coolest new features seen in the WWDC2023 session video was the addition of a node-based shader system in the new Reality Composer Pro app, and how to use it in RealityKit's spatial experience. Since I have worked with node based renderers like Redshift and have a little experience creating custom shaders (in Three.js via glsl), when I saw Niels Gabel's session on Materials in Reality Composer I was very excited pro. Not only can you create custom surface shaders (similar to fragment shaders) but also geometry modifier shaders (similar to vertex shaders) in a node-based system.
This new node-based way of working really opens the door for creatives who are afraid to write their own Metal code (me lol) so we can make and experiment with custom shaders. All it takes is a little know-how and curiosity to get started...
I plan to dig deeper into how to use this node-based system to create some slightly more complex shaders in a future post, but for now I just want to give a quick overview of how to get started. The first article walks you through creating a boilerplate project in Xcode, opening Reality Composer Pro, and assigning the first node to drive the color on the material.
What do you need:
- Xcode 15.2 Beta (must be installed on a Mac running macOS Ventura)
- Add VisionOS SDK (open via Xcode or download separately)
- Some experience with other 3D DCCs (Cinema 4D, Maya, etc.)
Knowing what helps: - Basic understanding of shaders.
- Experience using the node-based interface.
- some math knowledge