The trick is vertex colors
I’ve found this claim from a dev that the RAM pack was for “vertex lighting” https://imgur.com/a/dk64-truth-ENjggIj; is that essentially vertex colors? E.g., I am asking if they basically needed the RAM pack for the monkey-tits.
Plus: Rare were the absolute masters of vertex colors on the N64. The ground in Banjo Kazooie was AFAIK textured gray with only vertex colors making it green for grass, etc.
Can you explain what vertex coloring does? Like does it create a color gradient between vertecies? And how does this help with making… “things” round?
It just overlays a color on a vertex. This results in…
Like does it create a color gradient between vertecies?
bingo.
They used clever coloring to create the shadow/light effects which where way too advanced for the N64 if you did it the “conventional” way.
They aren’t actually round. Look at the edges on her right breast against the dark background compared to how round her left breast looks. The mesh itself is quite angular still (though perhaps not as bad as Lora Croft), but the shader is using the colour’s attached to each vertex to create a gradient that gives the impression of a smooth surface.
