Rendering Realities: Water in Video Games

Legendary graphics programmer Sean Barrett shares his remarkable journey — starting in early game development, pushing graphics boundaries at Looking Glass Studios, and later creating the iconic STB libraries. We explore everything from postscript printers to portal engines and pioneering indie game jams. This episode dives deep into the technical craft and creative mindset behind some of the most influential graphics work in gaming history. Join us!

Website:https://nothings.org/

Thief engine post: https://nothings.org/gamedev/thief_rendering.html

Github: https://github.com/nothings

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nothings.bsky.social

X: https://x.com/nothings

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/silverspaceship/videos

Wookash Podcast

Show links: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lukasz-sciga

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7tExkDJcI6vvmpCguX8Ygd

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wookash-podcast/id1683109481

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9J9u3apteD0EuFjzRpt71w

RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/dd7643a4/podcast/rss

X: https://x.com/wookash_podcast

00:00 Intro

00:41 Early programming & MUDs

08:50 Wildest printer software

39:32 Joining Looking Glass

57:31 Terra Nova rendering tricks

01:18:41 THIEF GRAPHICS ENGINE BEGINS

01:36:44 Portal and cells

02:51:30 Perspective projection mapping

03:05:56 THIEF GRAPHICS ENGINE ENDS

03:16:08 First Indie Game Jams

03:42:57 LEGENDARY STB LIBRARIES

04:59:44 Outro