Displacement mapping: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:39, 4 February 2014

Revision as of 07:28, 22 May 2014

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==Meaning of the term in different contexts==

Displacement mapping includes the term mapping which refers to a [[texture mapping|texture map]] being used to [[modulate]] the displacement strength. The displacement direction is usually the local surface normal. Today, many [[Rendering (computer graphics)|renderer]]s allow [[shader|programmable shading]] which can create high quality (multidimensional) [[procedural texture]]s and [[texture synthesis|patterns]] at arbitrary high frequencies. The use of the term mapping becomes arguable then, as no texture map is involved anymore. Therefore, the broader term '''displacement''' is often used today to refer to a super concept that also includes displacement based on a texture map.

Renderers using the [[Reyes rendering|REYES]] [[algorithm]], or similar approaches based on [[micropolygon]]s, have allowed displacement mapping at arbitrary high frequencies since they became available almost 20 years ago.