raytracing
Pixel-by-pixel illumination
Raytracing is a technique for rendering images by simulating how light travels through a scene—tracing the path of rays as they bounce off surfaces, refract through materials, and cast shadows.
The method produces realistic lighting, reflections, and transparency effects but demands significant computing power.
Once reserved for pre-rendered film effects, raytracing now runs in real-time on modern graphics cards: The game supports hardware raytracing for lifelike reflections.
Provision of light
- photonElectromagnetic radiation unit
- beamStructural support member
- radianceGlowing luminous quality
- luminanceLight per unit area
light source · indirect lighting · caustics · soft shadows · emission · absorption · scattering · volumetric
Returned light or thought
- refractionWave bending between media
- specularMirror-surfaced, image-returning
- glossySmooth and shiny
- diffuseSpread thinly throughout
metallic · dielectric · glass · mirror · transparency · translucency · roughness · Fresnel
Interpretive depiction or performance
- shaderGPU rendering microprogram
- rasterizationConverting to pixel grid
- framebufferPixel data holding area
- antialiasingEdge-smoothing rendering technique
denoising · Vulkan · real-time · Monte Carlo · sampling · bounces · recursion
Resembling actual photographs
- lifelikeResembling the real thing
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
- detailSingle small element
- immersionState of being submerged
believability · CGI · computer-generated imagery · Pixar · cinematic · simulation · accuracy · ground truth
Shadows with distinct edges
- soft shadowsGradual light-to-dark transitions
- umbraComplete shadow region
- penumbraRegion of partial illumination
- occlusionComplete closure or blockage
silhouette · darkness · shade
Interlocking open weave
- polygonMultisided plane figure
- vertexPoint where edges converge
- triangleThree-sided plane figure
- bounding boxMinimal enclosing rectangle
intersection · primitive · scene · object
illumination
Provision of light
luminance · light source · indirect lighting · caustics · soft shadows · emission · absorption · scattering · volumetric · HDR
reflection
Returned light or thought
- refractionWave bending between media
- specularMirror-surfaced, image-returning
- glossySmooth and shiny
diffuse · metallic · dielectric · glass · mirror · transparency · translucency · roughness · Fresnel · albedo
rendering
Interpretive depiction or performance
- shaderGPU rendering microprogram
- rasterizationConverting to pixel grid
- framebufferPixel data holding area
antialiasing · denoising · Vulkan · real-time · Monte Carlo · sampling · bounces · recursion
photorealistic
Resembling actual photographs
immersion · believability · CGI · computer-generated imagery · Pixar · cinematic · simulation · accuracy · ground truth
hard shadows
Shadows with distinct edges
- soft shadowsGradual light-to-dark transitions
- umbraComplete shadow region
- penumbraRegion of partial illumination
occlusion · silhouette · darkness · shade
mesh
Interlocking open weave
bounding box · intersection · primitive · scene · object
- graphicsvector, shapes, 3D graphics, raster, symbols
- digital artdigital art, render, 3D modeling, digital illustration, graphic design
- 3D software3D modeling, animation, rendering, modeling, meshes