---
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-heat-haze
type: mechanic
id: game-mechanics--gm-heat-haze
lang: en
title: Heat haze
summary: Image distortion suggests heated air.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-heat-haze/'
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-heat-haze.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-heat-haze.md
aliases: []
tags:
- Game design techniques
- Immersion
- Visual effects
sourceIds:
- source-7743b657a5c3db15
- source-bd3dd12f113ab817
- source-cc0ec30230945677
- source-476085d46147a389
- source-8050fd55c89b1e2e
- source-897b38eb3e5eca6e
sources:
- id: source-7743b657a5c3db15
title: 'Game Mechanics: Heat haze'
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-bd3dd12f113ab817
title: Doom 3 (2004)
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze/game/doom-3'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-cc0ec30230945677
title: Gothic 3 (2006)
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze/game/gothic-3'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-476085d46147a389
title: Far Cry 2 (2008)
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze/game/far-cry-2'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-8050fd55c89b1e2e
title: 'Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (2008)'
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze/game/mercenaries-2-world-in-flames
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-897b38eb3e5eca6e
title: 'Kingdom Come: Deliverance (2018)'
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze/game/kingdom-come-deliverance'
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: game-mechanics
id: gm-heat-haze
title: Game design techniques
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-heat-haze'
categoryIds:
- gm-category-immersion
- gm-category-visual-effects
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
title: Heat haze
description: Image distortion suggests heated air.
image:
src: images/mechanics/atmosphere-heat-haze.webp
width: 600
height: 334
game: Gothic 3
sourceUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze'
originalUrl: 'https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/gothic_3_heat_haze.webm'
sourceFrameSeconds: 3.7
credit: Piranha Bytes; frame from clip via GameMechanics.org
rights: >-
Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Source host:
GameMechanics.org. Visible source watermarks preserved. All rights
reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
caption: The background shimmers above a torch
alt: 'Gothic 3: The background shimmers above a torch.'
markers:
- x: 45
'y': 37
label: Distortion area above the flame
tips:
- Anchor distortion to the heat source and limit its strength.
examples:
- title: Gothic 3
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages
checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by
gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference
URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film
analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are
upstream attributions, not independent verification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/game-mechanics
---
# Heat haze
id: game-mechanics--gm-heat-haze
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-heat-haze
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-heat-haze/
Image distortion suggests heated air.
## At a glance
[Gothic 3](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Source host: GameMechanics.org. Visible source watermarks preserved. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
[Source recording](https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/gothic_3_heat_haze.webm), 3.7 s
1. Distortion area above the flame
- Anchor distortion to the heat source and limit its strength.
- [Gothic 3](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze)
## How it works
Image distortion suggests heated air.
## Variants
### How the technique works
- Image distortion suggests heated air.
## Context and limits
All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source.
## Connected materials
## Sources and provenance
Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.
- [Game Mechanics: Heat haze](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze) (id: source-7743b657a5c3db15)
- [Doom 3 (2004)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze/game/doom-3) (id: source-bd3dd12f113ab817)
- [Gothic 3 (2006)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze/game/gothic-3) (id: source-cc0ec30230945677)
- [Far Cry 2 (2008)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze/game/far-cry-2) (id: source-476085d46147a389)
- [Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (2008)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze/game/mercenaries-2-world-in-flames) (id: source-8050fd55c89b1e2e)
- [Kingdom Come: Deliverance (2018)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/heat-haze/game/kingdom-come-deliverance) (id: source-897b38eb3e5eca6e)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors