How can I create a blur effect on text to use as a visual focus mechanism in Godot, and how can I transition it back to clear without losing readability?

Creating a Blur Effect on Text in Godot

To create a blur effect on text in Godot and transition it back to clear, we can use shaders. Shaders are a powerful way to manipulate how elements are rendered on screen.

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Step-by-Step Guide

• Attach a Shader to the Label: First, ensure your text is displayed using a Label or RichTextLabel node. Attach a new ShaderMaterial to this node.
• Create a Shader: In the ShaderMaterial, create a new shader with type canvas_item. This will allow you to manipulate 2D objects, like your text.
• Write the Blur Shader Code: In your shader code, you can create a simple blur effect using multiple texture samples around each pixel and averaging their values. Here’s a simple example of a blur shader code:

shader_type canvas_item;

uniform float blur_amount : hint_range(0.0, 1.0);
void fragment()
{
    vec2 offset = vec2(blur_amount / textureSize(TEXTURE, 0));
    vec4 color = texture(TEXTURE, UV);
    color += texture(TEXTURE, UV + offset) * 0.25;
    color += texture(TEXTURE, UV - offset) * 0.25;
    color += texture(TEXTURE, UV + vec2(offset.x, -offset.y)) * 0.25;
    color += texture(TEXTURE, UV - vec2(offset.x, -offset.y)) * 0.25;
    color /= 2.0;
    COLOR = color;
}

• Implement Transition: To transition the blur effect, you can animate the blur_amount uniform using a Tween node. This allows you to smoothly animate the blur effect, making the text transition gracefully from blurred to clear.
• Maintain Readability: Set the blur effect to apply only when necessary, such as when the player interacts with a specific element or when highlighting UI focus. Use the Tween node to control the transition duration and ease function to ensure readability is maintained throughout the transition.