[GuB-42]

That's a common trick in PC 4k intros.

Despite the apparent variety, most 4k intros rely on a single effect, maybe two. There isn't enough space for more. The only things that change are the parameters.

Interestingly, the technique used here is signed distance field raymarching. A technique that is used by maybe 90% of all 4k intros today.

So basically, write the code in GLSL instead of C, add music, play a bit with the parameters, use a good exe packer like crinkler and you have a nice 4k intro.

[posterboy]

For reference http://www.pouet.net/prodlist.php?order=release&type%5B%5D=4...

The effects make the difference, besides artistic direction, so materials, blur (bokeh), the sdf geometries (often just mere balls and cubes, but perhaps a twister or a nice water surface or a fractal) just for starters. Just from my outside perspective.

[themodelplumber]

That's really cool, in part because it's comforting to hear. :-) Sometimes I feel a bit guilty about how much variety can be had from abusing a single distance function + various texture maps, camera angles and focal settings, environment colors, etc.

[semi-extrinsic]

The signed distance function also finds application in real physics simulations of fluids, where it goes under the name of "level set method". Ron Fedkiw, who's worked a lot on it, is one of very computational physicists who also holds an Academy Award. His homepage is very interesting:

http://physbam.stanford.edu/~fedkiw/