Soft Memory

Soft Memory

Author Information Developer: IslandAggravating Category: Shaders

About Soft Memory A shader pack meticulously crafted to recreate the essence of childhood nostalgia.

Developer Note and Context I have officially changed my username from McDonaldsWIFI_ig to IslandAggravated. Rest assured, this remains the same developer and the same consistent update schedule; everything continues as before.

Recovering Lost Memories Do you miss those days when everything felt more colorful, brighter, and entirely free of worry? To capture that fleeting feeling, I have analyzed hundreds of nostalgic images and experimented with various rendering patterns. The result is a shader that provides a sense of safety and comfort, closely mimicking the feeling of a cherished childhood memory.

This project is an edit of Mellow Shader by The CMK. I challenged myself to optimize this build on an Intel iGPU to ensure that the shader is accessible and functional on any device. A special thank you to The CMK; you are the GOAT.

Update 1.13 Highlights Version 1.13 introduces a suite of new post-processing effects, including: underwater light shafts, distant heat shimmering (to simulate a hot summer day), water refraction, and an overall improvement to the base color of the water. (Note: Water Refraction may be toggled off in certain promotional shots, but the distortion remains clearly visible in-game.)

Additionally, we have implemented improved cloud rendering.

Visual Modes

Childhood Summer Mode This mode aims to resemble nostalgic summer memories. It reaches its peak performance during sunrise and sunset. By utilizing saturated and vibrant colors, bloom, uneven grain, and a touch of color channel splitting, this mode brings forth what I define as "home."

VHS Mode This mode brings back that specific "Mom said it's my turn on the Xbox" memory. In terms of color, it stands in opposition to the Childhood Summer mode, as it features lower saturation and reduced contrast. If you appreciate the aesthetic of old VHS cameras, this mode is the perfect choice for you, as it faithfully replicates classic tape artifacts.

Quality Presets

• Fast: The most stripped-down version of all four settings. I do not recommend using this preset for regular gameplay unless your priority is maximizing FPS with very simple effects.
• Fancy: Recommended for high FPS, regular gameplay. It features more visual enhancements than the "Fast" preset without enabling every taxing feature, striking a perfect balance between visual quality and performance.
• Fabulous: Recommended for standard gameplay. This preset enables all effects at a reasonable processing tier, offering a superior visual experience compared to the "Fancy" preset.
• Ultra: Recommended exclusively for screenshots or high-quality renders. It does not add new effects; instead, it sets all existing settings to their maximum potential, ensuring a crisp and detailed image. Be careful, as this preset significantly lowers your FPS.

Key Features

• Superior performance, verified through iGPU testing.
• Nostalgic color grading.
• Shooting stars.
• Dynamic shadows.
• Full PBR and specular support.
• Realistic moon.
• Reflections.
• Godrays.
• Authentic VHS visual effects.
• Bloom.
• 2016-style clouds that won't fry your PC.
• Excellent End dimension ambience.
• Many more features worth exploring.