Tier 4
Series 306
306C: The Vertex Pulse
"Animation isn't just moving the object; it's bending it. A "Vertex Shader" allows you to manipulate the 3D points of a mesh before they are drawn. A Navigator uses this for flags waving, fish swimming, or breathing UI."
The Concept: Vertex Displacement
We modify the `positionOS` (Object Space Position) in the shader.
* **Sine Wave:** `pos.y += sin(time + pos.x)` creates a wave.
* **Normal Extrusion:** `pos += normal * amount` makes the object fat.
* **Sine Wave:** `pos.y += sin(time + pos.x)` creates a wave.
* **Normal Extrusion:** `pos += normal * amount` makes the object fat.
Red Flag Detected
The AI Trap: "The Mesh Modifier"
You ask the AI: "Make the flag wave in the wind."
// AI-Generated Code: CPU Bottleneck
void Update() {
Mesh mesh = GetComponent<MeshFilter>().mesh;
Vector3[] verts = mesh.vertices;
// Audit Fail: Looping through 10,000 vertices on the CPU every frame.
for(int i=0; i<verts.Length; i++) { ... }
mesh.vertices = verts;
}
This is "Bus Saturation." You are recalculating geometry on the slow CPU and uploading it to the GPU every frame.
Elite Telemetry
Research shows "Elite" teams achieve 15% faster lead times by keeping AI on a "very tight leash."
- Small Batches Solving one problem at a time prevents logic drift.
- Modular Design Localizing the "blast radius" of AI changes.
- Tight Loops Rapid iteration with constant code review.
The Navigator's Correction
Corrective Protocol
// Corrected: Zero CPU Cost // HLSL Vertex Function output.positionOS.y += sin(_Time.y * _Speed + input.positionOS.x);
Your Pilot Command
> A skilled Navigator directs the AI to move Vertices on the GPU.