Yining Karl Li
@yiningkarlli.bsky.social
Rendering Engineer at Disney Animation working on Disney's Hyperion Renderer. Previously at Pixar, Dreamworks, Cornell, Penn. Views here are my own.
https://www.yiningkarlli.com
https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@yiningkarlli
https://www.yiningkarlli.com
https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@yiningkarlli
Pinned
Yining Karl Li
@yiningkarlli.bsky.social
· Oct 30
Hello everyone! If you already know me, good to see you here!
If you don't know me: I'm a rendering engineer at Disney Animation working on our Hyperion Renderer. I've worked on every Disney Animation film since Zootopia. I post mostly about cool computer graphics and programming stuff.
If you don't know me: I'm a rendering engineer at Disney Animation working on our Hyperion Renderer. I've worked on every Disney Animation film since Zootopia. I post mostly about cool computer graphics and programming stuff.
TIL that there's an app for managing multiple versions of Xcode, and the app is called Xcodes, and I'm sharing it simply because the name amuses me so much. 10/10 A++ no notes on the name.
github.com/XcodesOrg/Xc...
github.com/XcodesOrg/Xc...
GitHub - XcodesOrg/XcodesApp: The easiest way to install and switch between multiple versions of Xcode - with a mouse click.
The easiest way to install and switch between multiple versions of Xcode - with a mouse click. - GitHub - XcodesOrg/XcodesApp: The easiest way to install and switch between multiple versions of Xc...
github.com
February 13, 2026 at 10:04 PM
TIL that there's an app for managing multiple versions of Xcode, and the app is called Xcodes, and I'm sharing it simply because the name amuses me so much. 10/10 A++ no notes on the name.
github.com/XcodesOrg/Xc...
github.com/XcodesOrg/Xc...
We had a raven at the studio this week for art reference. Backlit jet black birds wreak havoc with autofocus; I had to manually pull focus for these photos.
Working at a place with a state-of-the-art supercomputer and a world-class drawing studio under the same roof is fun. 😀
Working at a place with a state-of-the-art supercomputer and a world-class drawing studio under the same roof is fun. 😀
February 13, 2026 at 9:06 AM
We had a raven at the studio this week for art reference. Backlit jet black birds wreak havoc with autofocus; I had to manually pull focus for these photos.
Working at a place with a state-of-the-art supercomputer and a world-class drawing studio under the same roof is fun. 😀
Working at a place with a state-of-the-art supercomputer and a world-class drawing studio under the same roof is fun. 😀
This is the most beautiful blog post I've ever seen. Really interesting post about a topic I know very little about, wrapped up in drop-dead gorgeous visuals and interaction design. IMO this is an example of the best of what the Internet can be.
searchingforbirds.visualcinnamon.com
searchingforbirds.visualcinnamon.com
Searching for Birds
An interactive story about the birds that capture our curiosity, told through data, visuals and illustrations
searchingforbirds.visualcinnamon.com
February 12, 2026 at 7:17 PM
This is the most beautiful blog post I've ever seen. Really interesting post about a topic I know very little about, wrapped up in drop-dead gorgeous visuals and interaction design. IMO this is an example of the best of what the Internet can be.
searchingforbirds.visualcinnamon.com
searchingforbirds.visualcinnamon.com
Every other team's mascot cheers from the sidelines. Our mascot plays every position except catcher (Dave, don't be a coward; let Kiké catch), turns into Babe Ruth in the postseason, and makes World Series clinching plays in the outfield.
February 12, 2026 at 6:41 PM
Every other team's mascot cheers from the sidelines. Our mascot plays every position except catcher (Dave, don't be a coward; let Kiké catch), turns into Babe Ruth in the postseason, and makes World Series clinching plays in the outfield.
Now that the Super Bowl is over and the NFL season behind us, we can turn our attention back to the thing that actually matters:
Pitchers and catchers are reporting spring training this week; baseball is back babyyyyyyy.
Pitchers and catchers are reporting spring training this week; baseball is back babyyyyyyy.
February 9, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Now that the Super Bowl is over and the NFL season behind us, we can turn our attention back to the thing that actually matters:
Pitchers and catchers are reporting spring training this week; baseball is back babyyyyyyy.
Pitchers and catchers are reporting spring training this week; baseball is back babyyyyyyy.
Other than the Lady Gaga part, I understood maybe 5-10 words total in the Bad Bunny half time show and I still think it was one of the best half times of the past decade. Insanely cool visuals, insanely catchy music. Also after living in LA for a decade, I knew what piragua is!
February 9, 2026 at 9:13 AM
Other than the Lady Gaga part, I understood maybe 5-10 words total in the Bad Bunny half time show and I still think it was one of the best half times of the past decade. Insanely cool visuals, insanely catchy music. Also after living in LA for a decade, I knew what piragua is!
Five words nobody would have expected in a zillion years before last year: “Super Bowl Champion Sam Darnold”.
By far the best underdog story in the NFL in a while, and there have been some great ones recently.
By far the best underdog story in the NFL in a while, and there have been some great ones recently.
February 9, 2026 at 3:29 AM
Five words nobody would have expected in a zillion years before last year: “Super Bowl Champion Sam Darnold”.
By far the best underdog story in the NFL in a while, and there have been some great ones recently.
By far the best underdog story in the NFL in a while, and there have been some great ones recently.
Here's a long super fascinating video about how Apple's F1 movie was shot. The logistics around this movie were crazy, and this is the largest amount of custom one-off cameras I've heard of on a show in a while. Also DJI Ronins absolutely everywhere!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jor...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jor...
Cinematographer of F1 Movie Tells The Truth.
YouTube video by MAKE. ART. NOW.
www.youtube.com
February 7, 2026 at 5:59 AM
Here's a long super fascinating video about how Apple's F1 movie was shot. The logistics around this movie were crazy, and this is the largest amount of custom one-off cameras I've heard of on a show in a while. Also DJI Ronins absolutely everywhere!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jor...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jor...
I've always wanted a Jurassic Park movie where nothing bad happens and everyone just has a great day. Well Comcast basically made exactly I wanted for their Super Bowl commercial. Some sketchy AI de-aging work on Sam O'Neill aside, this is pretty great:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnnc...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnnc...
Jurassic Park … Works (Extended) | Big Game Commercial 2026 | Xfinity
YouTube video by Jurassic World
www.youtube.com
February 3, 2026 at 9:25 PM
I've always wanted a Jurassic Park movie where nothing bad happens and everyone just has a great day. Well Comcast basically made exactly I wanted for their Super Bowl commercial. Some sketchy AI de-aging work on Sam O'Neill aside, this is pretty great:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnnc...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnnc...
So Hasselblad has a Youtube shorts feed that is just all really nice videos of people using the CFV 100C with old film cameras like the 202FA or 500CM, and this is just very very unfortunate for me because now I really want to get a CFV 100C and a 500CM.
www.youtube.com/shorts/Pe7ht...
www.youtube.com/shorts/Pe7ht...
Digital Results From a Film Camera | 202FA & CFV 100C
YouTube video by Hasselblad
www.youtube.com
February 3, 2026 at 8:39 AM
So Hasselblad has a Youtube shorts feed that is just all really nice videos of people using the CFV 100C with old film cameras like the 202FA or 500CM, and this is just very very unfortunate for me because now I really want to get a CFV 100C and a 500CM.
www.youtube.com/shorts/Pe7ht...
www.youtube.com/shorts/Pe7ht...
Adobe is killing off Animate (formerly part of Flash). Multiple generations of animators and game devs got their start using Flash/Animate. ToonBoom Harmony and Blender Grease Pencil are powerful alternatives, but there’s nothing quite like ol’ Animate.
helpx.adobe.com/animate/kb/e...
helpx.adobe.com/animate/kb/e...
helpx.adobe.com
February 2, 2026 at 11:06 PM
Adobe is killing off Animate (formerly part of Flash). Multiple generations of animators and game devs got their start using Flash/Animate. ToonBoom Harmony and Blender Grease Pencil are powerful alternatives, but there’s nothing quite like ol’ Animate.
helpx.adobe.com/animate/kb/e...
helpx.adobe.com/animate/kb/e...
Reposted by Yining Karl Li
I'm finally writing up how Nanite Tessellation works. The first few blogs posts are up. More will be coming.
graphicrants.blogspot.com/2026/02/nani...
graphicrants.blogspot.com/2026/02/nani...
Nanite Tessellation
Nanite Tessellation, aka Nanite Dynamic Tessellation, aka Nanite Dynamic Displacement was the next major feature I worked on after Nanite it...
graphicrants.blogspot.com
February 2, 2026 at 2:40 AM
I'm finally writing up how Nanite Tessellation works. The first few blogs posts are up. More will be coming.
graphicrants.blogspot.com/2026/02/nani...
graphicrants.blogspot.com/2026/02/nani...
TIL there's now a modern Minecraft world exporter that has a bunch of optimization settings, built-in LOD support, and exports USD files. It's by @stoutnl.bsky.social . This thing is super awesome!
github.com/BramStoutPro...
github.com/BramStoutPro...
GitHub - BramStoutProductions/MiEx: A modern Minecraft and Hytale Exporter
A modern Minecraft and Hytale Exporter. Contribute to BramStoutProductions/MiEx development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
February 2, 2026 at 12:45 AM
TIL there's now a modern Minecraft world exporter that has a bunch of optimization settings, built-in LOD support, and exports USD files. It's by @stoutnl.bsky.social . This thing is super awesome!
github.com/BramStoutPro...
github.com/BramStoutPro...
Is it really feasible to try to write a SwiftUI app compiled entirely using CMake, without needing to open Xcode? Or is this generally just a bad idea?
February 1, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Is it really feasible to try to write a SwiftUI app compiled entirely using CMake, without needing to open Xcode? Or is this generally just a bad idea?
Reposted by Yining Karl Li
Firmly believe this would serve multiple needs.
January 29, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Firmly believe this would serve multiple needs.
So @halideapp.bsky.social Mk III includes a new aspect ratio selector, including a super fun 65:24 XPAN format! But this has me debating with myself: should I continue using 4:3 for iPhone pics to utilize the entire sensor, or should I switch to DSLR-style 3:2 to match my big cameras?
January 30, 2026 at 8:48 AM
So @halideapp.bsky.social Mk III includes a new aspect ratio selector, including a super fun 65:24 XPAN format! But this has me debating with myself: should I continue using 4:3 for iPhone pics to utilize the entire sensor, or should I switch to DSLR-style 3:2 to match my big cameras?
lol bold of them to assume in their diagram that studio pipelines don’t sometimes have backwards-flowing arrows.
Every studio’s pipeline is different.
Some are clean. Some are inherited. Some are… complicated. 🧩
Our job isn’t to change how you work; it’s to fit into it. 🤝
From linear builds to deeply custom, multi-platform workflows,
we integrate where you are and help you ship with confidence. 🚀
#GameDev
Some are clean. Some are inherited. Some are… complicated. 🧩
Our job isn’t to change how you work; it’s to fit into it. 🤝
From linear builds to deeply custom, multi-platform workflows,
we integrate where you are and help you ship with confidence. 🚀
#GameDev
January 29, 2026 at 8:46 PM
lol bold of them to assume in their diagram that studio pipelines don’t sometimes have backwards-flowing arrows.
Holy cow this is huge news. Makes me very optimistic that Apple will be able to right the ship with their recent design issues.
Some big personal news: I’ve joined the Design Team at Apple.
So excited to work with the very best team in the world on my favorite products. ✌️
So excited to work with the very best team in the world on my favorite products. ✌️
January 29, 2026 at 2:07 AM
Holy cow this is huge news. Makes me very optimistic that Apple will be able to right the ship with their recent design issues.
Have you ever wanted to play Doom on your earbuds? If so, good news for you: this guy ported Doom to run on an earbud over a serial connection:
doombuds.com
doombuds.com
DOOMBUDS
doombuds.com
January 25, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Have you ever wanted to play Doom on your earbuds? If so, good news for you: this guy ported Doom to run on an earbud over a serial connection:
doombuds.com
doombuds.com
Actually the real puzzler in the whole Claude Code TUI 16 ms rendering thing is: defenders who are coming out being like "well it has to be built on a web stack"... uh... browsers run at a 120fps no problem as well, and that's web tech, and that's doing way more than a TUI?
You might be doing it wrong if you have garbage collection of any sort in a rendering pipeline.
Claude Code’s TUI struggling to hit 60fps (and the devs not knowing how silly comparing Claude Code with a game engine is) certainly hints that most of Claude Code is probably written using Claude Code.
Claude Code’s TUI struggling to hit 60fps (and the devs not knowing how silly comparing Claude Code with a game engine is) certainly hints that most of Claude Code is probably written using Claude Code.
January 24, 2026 at 8:18 AM
Actually the real puzzler in the whole Claude Code TUI 16 ms rendering thing is: defenders who are coming out being like "well it has to be built on a web stack"... uh... browsers run at a 120fps no problem as well, and that's web tech, and that's doing way more than a TUI?
You might be doing it wrong if you have garbage collection of any sort in a rendering pipeline.
Claude Code’s TUI struggling to hit 60fps (and the devs not knowing how silly comparing Claude Code with a game engine is) certainly hints that most of Claude Code is probably written using Claude Code.
Claude Code’s TUI struggling to hit 60fps (and the devs not knowing how silly comparing Claude Code with a game engine is) certainly hints that most of Claude Code is probably written using Claude Code.
January 23, 2026 at 4:04 PM
You might be doing it wrong if you have garbage collection of any sort in a rendering pipeline.
Claude Code’s TUI struggling to hit 60fps (and the devs not knowing how silly comparing Claude Code with a game engine is) certainly hints that most of Claude Code is probably written using Claude Code.
Claude Code’s TUI struggling to hit 60fps (and the devs not knowing how silly comparing Claude Code with a game engine is) certainly hints that most of Claude Code is probably written using Claude Code.
I’m amazed that Apple hasn’t partnered with anyone to do commercial IMAX films on Vision Pro yet. There is an IMAX app that is mostly nature docs, which is still cool, but for me being able to see Oppenheimer/Dune/Sinners in 1.43:1 IMAX would convince me to buy a Vision Pro.
January 23, 2026 at 3:03 PM
I’m amazed that Apple hasn’t partnered with anyone to do commercial IMAX films on Vision Pro yet. There is an IMAX app that is mostly nature docs, which is still cool, but for me being able to see Oppenheimer/Dune/Sinners in 1.43:1 IMAX would convince me to buy a Vision Pro.
PSA: for SIGGRAPH 2026, the Talks track has been updated to allow extended abstracts to be _three_ pages long, an upgrade from the old two page format. This is fantastic news; cramming everything into two pages was always a huge challenge for every talk I've ever submitted.
January 20, 2026 at 6:32 PM
PSA: for SIGGRAPH 2026, the Talks track has been updated to allow extended abstracts to be _three_ pages long, an upgrade from the old two page format. This is fantastic news; cramming everything into two pages was always a huge challenge for every talk I've ever submitted.
Fun fact: when Werner Heisenberg invented the first workable formulation of quantum mechanics, he straight up did not know what matrices were and had to independently reinvent matrix algebra. He was stuck on an island in the North Sea with no math books.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrix_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrix_...
January 20, 2026 at 4:45 PM
Fun fact: when Werner Heisenberg invented the first workable formulation of quantum mechanics, he straight up did not know what matrices were and had to independently reinvent matrix algebra. He was stuck on an island in the North Sea with no math books.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrix_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrix_...
Zootopia 2 is now Disney’s highest grossing animated film of all time. Thanks to everyone who went to see it; it means the world to all of us who worked on the film!
January 18, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Zootopia 2 is now Disney’s highest grossing animated film of all time. Thanks to everyone who went to see it; it means the world to all of us who worked on the film!