Futuristic Jet Thruster

Jet thruster shader that utilizes a tube trail mesh.

Instructions:

1. Create MeshInstance3D and set to TubeTrailMesh.
2. Play with TubeTrailMesh settings for your desired length.
3. Cap Top and Cap Bottom if desired.
4. Insert Curve as shown in screenshots.
5. Create new ShaderMaterial.
6. Set as Surface Material Override in mesh.
7. Create a new shader and set to Shader property.
8. In Shader Parameters, create a new Noise Texture.
9. Check Seamless.
10. Check Color Ramp and play with colors as desired for streaky flame colors.
11. Create new FastNoiseLite (Perlin recommended) and play with Frequency values.
12. Play with emission color and energy. Higher energy values will look more convincing, around ~20.0.
13. Adjust alpha threshold values if you want some invisible areas in the noise texture.
14. Play with scroll speed for thruster strength.

*** If you’re using a post process shader or any shader that may break emissive material, try setting the Render Priority in the ShaderMaterial properties to something above 0 ***

Shader code

shader_type spatial;

render_mode depth_draw_always, blend_mix;

uniform vec4 main_color: source_color;
uniform sampler2D noise_texture: source_color;
uniform vec4 emission : source_color = vec4(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
uniform float emission_energy = 1.0;
uniform float scroll_speed = 1.0;
uniform float alpha_threshold = 0.0;
uniform bool use_threshold = false;
uniform bool invert_boost_direction = false;

void fragment() {
	vec2 moving_uv = UV;
	vec4 noise = texture(noise_texture, moving_uv);
	
	if (invert_boost_direction) {
		moving_uv.y += TIME * scroll_speed;
	} else{
		moving_uv.y -= TIME * scroll_speed;
	}
	
	float noise_value = texture(noise_texture, moving_uv).r;

	ALBEDO = main_color.rgb;
	EMISSION = emission.rgb * emission_energy * noise.rgb;
	float alpha = main_color.a * noise_value;

	if (use_threshold && alpha < alpha_threshold) {
		discard;
	} else {
		ALPHA = alpha;
	}
}

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