[Bf-funboard] Explanation Parallax Mapping

Hendrik Lober hendrik.lober at yahoo.de
Mon Mar 26 10:19:58 CEST 2012


Parallax Mapping does not replace anything. Basically its normal mapping combined with height mapping.
The information stored in the height map define where a flat surface is able to "overlap itself" or rather which parts would occlude others for a flat camera angle. since the height map is a grey scale image, a parallax map typically is a normal map with height information stored in the alpha channel.

Steep Parallax Mapping or Relief Mapping is now able to compute correct silhouettes of the virtually displaced surface and render them as alpha transparency. an object rendered with relief mapping even displaces the shadows which it's receiving thus creating the impression of a high-poly surface. I'm not sure if ray mirror will provide correct results since the displaced surface should not be able to reflect itself.

i recommend this paper:
http://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=parallax%20mapping%20pdf&source=web&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CDQQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdeveloper.amd.com%2Fmedia%2Fgpu_assets%2FTatarchuk-ParallaxOcclusionMapping-Sketch-print.pdf&ei=-yVwT9eyAsTLswbEzdG9Ag&usg=AFQjCNGUsITFey_d9P2YnQ1lzEunulawqQ&cad=rja


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