ReShade is an advanced post-processing injector for games and video software. It allows users to apply a wide range of visual effects to games in real-time, enhancing graphics and customizing the visual experience. ReShade is highly customizable and supports a vast array of shaders and effects.

Pros

• Highly customizable with a wide range of visual effects and shaders
• Compatible with a large number of games and graphics APIs
• Active community creating and sharing custom shaders
• Minimal performance impact when configured properly

Cons

• Can be complex to set up and configure for beginners
• Some online games may consider it a cheat tool and ban its usage
• Potential compatibility issues with certain games or graphics drivers
• May cause performance drops in resource-intensive games when using multiple effects

Code Examples

ReShade is not primarily a code library, but rather a tool for injecting shaders into games. However, it does provide an API for developers to create custom shaders. Here are a few examples of ReShade shader code:

Basic color adjustment shader:

#include "ReShade.fxh"

uniform float Saturation < 
    ui_type = "slider";
    ui_min = 0.0; ui_max = 2.0;
> = 1.0;

float3 SaturationPass(float4 position : SV_Position, float2 texcoord : TexCoord) : SV_Target
{
    float3 color = tex2D(ReShade::BackBuffer, texcoord).rgb;
    float luma = dot(color, float3(0.2126, 0.7152, 0.0722));
    return lerp(luma, color, Saturation);
}

technique Saturation
{
    pass
    {
        VertexShader = PostProcessVS;
        PixelShader = SaturationPass;
    }
}

Simple vignette effect:

#include "ReShade.fxh"

uniform float VignetteStrength <
    ui_type = "slider";
    ui_min = 0.0; ui_max = 1.0;
> = 0.5;

float4 VignettePass(float4 position : SV_Position, float2 texcoord : TexCoord) : SV_Target
{
    float4 color = tex2D(ReShade::BackBuffer, texcoord);
    float2 center = float2(0.5, 0.5);
    float dist = distance(texcoord, center);
    color.rgb *= 1.0 - (dist * VignetteStrength);
    return color;
}

technique Vignette
{
    pass
    {
        VertexShader = PostProcessVS;
        PixelShader = VignettePass;
    }
}

Getting Started

To use ReShade:

1. Download the latest version from the official website.
2. Run the installer and select the game executable you want to enhance.
3. Choose the appropriate rendering API for your game.
4. Select the effects you want to use from the provided list.
5. Launch the game and press the "Home" key to access the ReShade overlay.
6. Customize and toggle effects as desired using the overlay menu.

For shader developers, refer to the ReShade documentation for API details and shader development guidelines.