Schubvektorierung

Schubvektorierung refers to a technique used in computer graphics and game development to simulate complex lighting and shadowing effects. It involves calculating and storing the direction of incoming light for each pixel or vertex on a surface. This directional information, often referred to as a "shading vector" or "light vector," is then used to determine how light interacts with the surface, creating realistic highlights and shadows.

The core idea behind Schubvektorierung is to decouple the calculation of light direction from the actual rendering of the scene. Instead of recalculating the light direction for every frame or every object, this information is pre-computed and stored, typically in a texture map or vertex data. This pre-computation allows for more efficient rendering, especially in scenes with dynamic lighting or many light sources.

One common application of Schubvektorierung is in the implementation of normal mapping. Normal maps are textures that store per-pixel surface normals, which effectively act as Schubvektoren. By sampling the normal map, the rendering engine can determine the surface's orientation at each pixel and use that to calculate the lighting, resulting in the illusion of intricate surface detail without requiring a high-polygon model.

Another use case is in advanced shadow rendering techniques, such as shadow mapping. While shadow mapping primarily stores depth information, the concept of directional vectors plays a role in how light is projected and how shadows are cast. Schubvektorierung, in a broader sense, is about efficiently handling and utilizing directional light information to enhance visual fidelity and performance in real-time rendering applications. It's a fundamental concept that underpins many modern lighting and shading techniques.