Designing PS1 style assets in the modern era

April 18, 1996

This devlog entry is to share the initial concepts and designs for Chaos Law's PS1 style assets. We are aiming to capture the nostalgic charm of the PlayStation era, we've been experimenting with low-poly models, pixelated textures built from real photos, and a color palette that evokes the classic PS1 aesthetic. The goal is to create a visually unique world that pays homage to the PS1's unique style while incorporating modern techniques to enhance the overall experience.

In Game PS1 Style Rendering

To achieve the PS1 style rendering, we are utilizing a custom shader that mimics the low poly, pixelated look of the original PlayStation. This involves using flat shading techniques, limited color palettes, and intentionally low resolution textures. This uses a combination of vertex and fragment shaders to create the desired visual effect very similar to what you would have expected in an original PS1 game.

Base models

To understand the impact of the affine texture mapping shader, we must first look at the baseline topology and textures of the models. The base models are created with a low polygon count, The textures are photographs we've applied heavy filtering and crushed the resolution down to around 256 x 256 or 128 x 128 depending on the model. The resolution is intentionally low to mimic the limitations of the PS1 hardware, and the heavy filtering helps to create a more pixelated and stylized look.

Fig 1: Raw Geometry (Blender)

Fig 2: Raw Geometry with Texture (Blender)

Fig 3: Raw PC Monitor Geometry (Blender)

Fig 4: Raw PC Monitor Geometry with Texture (Blender)