Pixel Portals in Godot: A Stylized Take Inspired by Binbun3
by Vicente C.
Published |
94
A few days ago, technical artist Nojoule shared a set of pixel-style portal effects made in Godot. The result leans into a pixel-art look, with sharp edges and broken patterns instead of a smooth surface.
It takes inspiration from Binbun3’s portal VFX, but goes in its own direction, building on ideas Nojoule has explored in previous shader experiments. After a short exchange, Nojoule shared how the effect was put together and what gives it its final look.
I made these pixel art style portal vfx for godot. The shaders are free and you can get them on my itchio page!https://t.co/Cp7miwC48c#gamedev #indiedev #godotengine #pixelart #vfx pic.twitter.com/qT5T6QvMDH
— Nojoule (@nojoule) March 20, 2026
Parallax Depth
The portal uses a parallax setup to create depth inside what is still a flat surface.
Instead of a single texture, multiple layers are offset slightly based on the view direction. This gives the impression that the portal has volume, even though everything is still rendered on a plane. If you’ve seen Binbun’s version, this part will feel familiar, as it follows a similar idea.
Double Dithering
A big part of the look comes from what Nojoule calls double dithering.
The idea is based on combining two dithering passes with a small offset. Instead of a clean gradient, this creates broken, stepped patterns with rough edges that shift depending on distance and falloff.
In practice, this is what gives the portal its jagged outline and the layered patterns inside it. Nojoule previously explored this technique in a standalone shader, where it’s used for things like transparency and masking.
That same approach is reused here, but applied to shape the portal itself.
That same approach is reused here, but applied to shape the portal itself.
(Video from Nojoule’s double dithering shader)
Pixel Outlines
The outlines are handled directly in the shader by sampling neighboring pixels.
To keep them stable, the UVs are quantized before the checks happen. This prevents the outlines from shifting when the viewport resolution changes, which is important for keeping the pixel-art look consistent.
To keep them stable, the UVs are quantized before the checks happen. This prevents the outlines from shifting when the viewport resolution changes, which is important for keeping the pixel-art look consistent.
Made some pixelart for a new asset I'm working on!#pixelart #gamedev #indiedev pic.twitter.com/JjiyVEZTxn
— Nojoule (@nojoule) March 16, 2026
Stencil Setup
The portal is masked using a stencil buffer, so it only shows up inside a defined area. This helps keep it separated from the rest of the scene. Nojoule’s VFX pack includes a simple example of this setup.
Part of a Shader Pack
Nojoule mentioned that this effect is part of a downloadable pack for Godot 4.6. The free version includes:
- All shaders
- Two example scenes (basic setup and stencil version)
There is also a paid version with extra textures and more preset variations, along with additional scenes. You can find the pack here: https://nojoule.itch.io/pixel-portals
For more of Nojoule’s work, you can check their pages below. They share shader experiments and other VFX from time to time, along with updates to their projects.
- Itch.io page:https://nojoule.itch.io/
- X profile:https://x.com/nojoule
Nojoule also mentioned they are currently working as a freelance technical artist and are open to commissions or studio work:
- Website: https://nojoule.com/
Interested in learning more?
If you’re interested in the technical side of game development, The Unity Dev Bundle brings together six books covering shaders, math, procedural shapes, editor tools, and character customization in Unity.
It includes titles like The Unity Shaders Bible and Mastering Compute Shaders in Unity 6, and is aimed at developers and technical artists looking to build a stronger foundation and expand into more advanced graphics and systems.
Limited Time: Unity Bundle for $49.99 ✨ https://t.co/1eA8907m5M#indiedev #gamedev #unity3d pic.twitter.com/IxPTiEbupg
— Shaders Bible Series (@ushadersbible) March 23, 2026
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