Parallax occlusion mapping
Encyclopedia
Parallax occlusion mapping (POM) is an enhancement of the parallax mapping
technique. Parallax occlusion mapping is used to procedurally
create 3D definition in textured surfaces, using a displacement map (similar to a topography map) instead of through the generation of new geometry. This allows developers of 3D
rendering applications to add 3D complexity in textures
, which correctly change relative to perspective
and with self occlusion
in real time
(self-shadowing
is additionally possible), without sacrificing the processor
cycles required to create the same effect with geometry calculations.
Parallax occlusion mapping was first published in 2004 by Zoe Brawley and Natalya Tatarchuk in ShaderX3. Natalya Tatarchuk conducted presentations of the technology at SIGGRAPH
in 2005. It was used in ATI
's 'Toy Shop Demo' to showcase the Radeon X1800's Ultra-Threaded SM 3.0 technology. It is used in video games and rendering engines such as Unigine
, CryEngine 2, and CryEngine 3. It has also been used to create stereoscopic
images from single images.
Parallax mapping
Parallax mapping is an enhancement of the bump mapping or normal mapping techniques applied to textures in 3D rendering applications such as video games...
technique. Parallax occlusion mapping is used to procedurally
Procedural generation
Procedural generation is a widely used term in the production of media; it refers to content generated algorithmically rather than manually. Often, this means creating content on the fly rather than prior to distribution...
create 3D definition in textured surfaces, using a displacement map (similar to a topography map) instead of through the generation of new geometry. This allows developers of 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
rendering applications to add 3D complexity in textures
Texture mapping
Texture mapping is a method for adding detail, surface texture , or color to a computer-generated graphic or 3D model. Its application to 3D graphics was pioneered by Dr Edwin Catmull in his Ph.D. thesis of 1974.-Texture mapping:...
, which correctly change relative to perspective
Perspective (visual)
Perspective, in context of vision and visual perception, is the way in which objects appear to the eye based on their spatial attributes; or their dimensions and the position of the eye relative to the objects...
and with self occlusion
Hidden surface determination
In 3D computer graphics, hidden surface determination is the process used to determine which surfaces and parts of surfaces are not visible from a certain viewpoint...
in real time
Real-time computer graphics
Real-time computer graphics is the subfield of computer graphics focused on producing and analyzing images in real time. The term is most often used in reference to interactive 3D computer graphics, typically using a GPU, with video games the most noticeable users...
(self-shadowing
Self-shadowing
Self-Shadowing is a computer graphics lighting effect, used in 3D rendering applications such as computer animation and video games. Self-shadowing allows non-static objects in the environment, such as game characters and interactive objects , to cast shadows on themselves and each other...
is additionally possible), without sacrificing the processor
Graphics processing unit
A graphics processing unit or GPU is a specialized circuit designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory in such a way so as to accelerate the building of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display...
cycles required to create the same effect with geometry calculations.
Parallax occlusion mapping was first published in 2004 by Zoe Brawley and Natalya Tatarchuk in ShaderX3. Natalya Tatarchuk conducted presentations of the technology at SIGGRAPH
SIGGRAPH
SIGGRAPH is the name of the annual conference on computer graphics convened by the ACM SIGGRAPH organization. The first SIGGRAPH conference was in 1974. The conference is attended by tens of thousands of computer professionals...
in 2005. It was used in ATI
Ati
As a word, Ati may refer to:* Ati, a town in Chad* Ati, a Negrito ethnic group in the Philippines* Ati-Atihan Festival, an annual celebration held in the Philippines* Ati, a queen of the fabled Land of Punt in Africa...
's 'Toy Shop Demo' to showcase the Radeon X1800's Ultra-Threaded SM 3.0 technology. It is used in video games and rendering engines such as Unigine
Unigine
Unigine Engine is a proprietary cross-platform computer graphics middleware, developed by Unigine Corp. It is used as either a game engine or as an engine for virtual reality systems, serious games and visualization. The most popular Unigine-powered product is .The strongest feature of Unigine is...
, CryEngine 2, and CryEngine 3. It has also been used to create stereoscopic
Stereoscopy
Stereoscopy refers to a technique for creating or enhancing the illusion of depth in an image by presenting two offset images separately to the left and right eye of the viewer. Both of these 2-D offset images are then combined in the brain to give the perception of 3-D depth...
images from single images.