In the video from FrogmanDev, you can see the contrast between a flat texture and one with added cracks for extra depth. To achieve this, the developer manually extruded planes inside the ice, loosely following the crack patterns in the surface texture, so the depth comes entirely from the geometry.

This used to be a pretty common trick in older games, but you don't see it much anymore. As long as it isn't more expensive than a shader variant, it's a really nice touch for authenticity. Here's a deeper breakdown of the ice setup in Blender and how the snow blends into the ice:

The developer made this ice fracture effect for DEEP STATE, a game inspired by classics like GoldenEye 007, Deus Ex, and Resident Evil. It's going for that old-school FPS feel, set in an alternate mid-2000s world where "truth is stranger than fiction".

Below are some WIPs shared by FrogmanDev, wishlist the game on Steam if you like it:

And if you're interested in more complex ice and snow workflows, check out our interviews with Simon Telezhkin, Vladislav Kiselev, and Daniil Spivak, where they break down their techniques.

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