Another Source: The Book of Shaders

For more information then presented here, see “WTF Is?” series on Youtube

Any material node may be converted into a parameter that is revealed in subsequent instances of the master material / blueprint for real time updates.

Material Functions may be created to simplify final material creations using functions customized by the user that are complex and repeatable.

Essential Functions

  1. Scalar (“1” + LMB): A scalar value (between 0 and 1).
  2. Panner (“P” + LMB): A node that pans the input TextureSample based on time and speed.
  3. Saturate: A math function (not artist function). This is a better performing version of the Clamp function.
  4. Power: Power will multiply a function against itself to the power of a scalar value input. Useful for things such as controlling saturation and clamping.
  5. Lerp: Linear Interpolate; Outputs the resulting combination of two input functions based on a mask input “alpha”.
  6. TextureCoordinate (TexCoord): TextureCoordinate is the combination of two gradients (one in the X axis, one in the Y axis) that creates a unique identifying color for every position on the TextureCoordinate map (UV map).
  7. ComponentMask: A component mask is used to isolate (select) one (or more) individual channels of a Vector3 or TextureSample or TextureCoordinate input.
  8. TextureSample: A node that allows a texture to be used when creating materials.
  9. Add (“A” + LMB): Adds two different functions together and outputs the result. Very simple.
  10. Multiply (“M” + LMB): Multiplies two different functions together and outputs the result. Simple.
  11. Append: Adds a vector to another vector. E.g., Appending two scalars together creates a Vector2 function.
  12. Vector2 (“2” + LMB): A texture function that creates a XY (R,G) image.