Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts

#1

Post by chunkles » Fri, Feb 27, 2026, 6:24 PM UTC

Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts
redblobgames.com

Re: Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts

#2

Post by adzm » Fri, Feb 27, 2026, 8:02 PM UTC

The article in question, https://www.redblobgames.com/articles/sdf-fonts/ is really neat as well, especially the interactive demonstrations

Re: Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts

#3

Post by bob1029 » Fri, Feb 27, 2026, 8:29 PM UTC

Valve originally devised this technique in 2007:

https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/apps/valve/2007/SIGGRAPH2007...

Re: Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts

#4

Post by amitp » Fri, Feb 27, 2026, 8:51 PM UTC

bob1029 wrote: post #3

Valve originally devised this technique in 2007: https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/apps/valve/2007/SIGGRAPH2007...

I originally had that near the top but in one of the rewrites I moved the papers to the end — https://www.redblobgames.com/articles/sdf-fonts/#appendix

Re: Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts

#5

Post by amitp » Fri, Feb 27, 2026, 9:41 PM UTC

adzm wrote: post #2

The article in question, https://www.redblobgames.com/articles/sdf-fonts/ is really neat as well, especially the interactive demonstrations

Thanks!

Re: Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts

#6

Post by jjkaczor » Fri, Feb 27, 2026, 10:38 PM UTC

Oh thank-you for the reminder to check Amit's site again! (been following since the BBS and SolarRealms days...)

Re: Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts

#7

Post by socalgal2 » Sat, Feb 28, 2026, 4:43 AM UTC

adzm wrote: post #2

The article in question, https://www.redblobgames.com/articles/sdf-fonts/ is really neat as well, especially the interactive demonstrations

That seems off a little. Here's GPU accelerated vector text, in perspective where as the article claims no

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/...

Re: Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts

#8

Post by iTokio » Sat, Feb 28, 2026, 7:59 AM UTC

socalgal2 wrote: post #7

adzm wrote: post #2

The article in question, https://www.redblobgames.com/articles/sdf-fonts/ is really neat as well, especially the interactive demonstrations

That seems off a little. Here's GPU accelerated vector text, in perspective where as the article claims no https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/...

Indeed, but the author left a note:

> there are newer GPU-accelerated font rendering systems that use the vectors. I have not yet explored these.

Re: Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts

#9

Post by bananaboy » Sat, Feb 28, 2026, 8:26 AM UTC

jjkaczor wrote: post #6

Oh thank-you for the reminder to check Amit's site again! (been following since the BBS and SolarRealms days...)

I’m always pleasantly surprised when I’m reminded that he and his brother made SRE and BRE. I love hearing that folks from those days are still making great things.

Re: Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts

#10

Post by mcraiha » Sat, Feb 28, 2026, 4:46 PM UTC

Are there any games that use SDF for 2D character (player, enemies, objects etc.) rendering?