render-debugginglisted

# Render Debugging ## Purpose Visual artifacts are debugged the same way as any other defect — by isolating the stage where reality diverges from intent — but the tools are different: the frame debugger, the GPU capture, and the renderer's debug views. The failure mode this skill prevents is toggling settings until the artifact goes away. That frequently hides the artifact somewhere else, and it teaches nothing about the cause. ## When to use - An object is invisible, black, white, magenta, or the wrong colour. - Surfaces flicker or z-fight. - Transparent objects render in the wrong order or vanish behind others. - Shadows are missing, detached, acne-striped, or in the wrong place. - The image differs between editor and build, or between platforms. - Something appears only at certain distances, angles, or resolutions. ## When NOT to use - The image is technically correct but artistically unsatisfying. Use `lighting-design`, `materials-and-shaders` or `post-processing`. - The problem is cost rather than appearance. Use `gpu-optimization`. ## Required context | Fact | Why it matters | |---|---| | A screenshot or capture of the artifact | "Looks wrong" cannot be diagnosed | | Whether it reproduces in the editor, a build, or both | Narrows the cause dramatically | | Whether it is platform-specific | Points at precision, feature support, or compression | | What changed recently | Rendering regressions usually have a first bad commit | | Renderer, pipeline and version |