Information AboutHeightmap |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT HEIGHTMAP | |
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and rendered with Anim8or ]] In Computer Graphics , a heightmap or '''heightfield''' is a Raster Image used to store values, such as surface Elevation data, for display in 3D Computer Graphics . A heightmap can be used in Bump Mapping to calculate where this 3D data would create shadow in a material, in Displacement Mapping to displace the actual geometric position of points over the textured surface, or for terrain where the heightmap is converted into a 3D mesh. A heightmap contains one Channel interpreted as a distance of Displacement or "height" from the "floor" of a surface and sometimes Visualized as Luma of a Grayscale image, with black representing minimum height and white representing maximum height. When the map is rendered, the designer can specify the amount of displacement for each unit of the height channel, which corresponds to the "contrast" of the image. Heightmaps can be stored by themselves in existing grayscale image formats, with or without specialized Metadata , or in specialized File Format s such as Daylon Leveller , GenesisIV and Terragen documents. Heightmaps are commonly used in Geographic Information System s, where they are called Digital Elevation Model s. PROGRAMS THAT USE HEIGHTMAPS Heightmaps are widely used in terrain rendering software and modern Video Game s. Here they are sometimes called "terrain objects" because they are so commonly used to model terrain. In the earliest games using software rendering, the elements often represented heights of columns of Voxel s rendered with Ray Casting . In most newer games, the elements represent the height coordinate of Polygons In A Mesh . Rendering software
Generating software
Computer and video games Many 3D Computer And Video Games use heightmaps to store and generate terrain data. Benefits of such a system include ease of implementation as well as Modding . Players can easily generate their own heightmaps for use within the game using widely available software. Heightmaps are usually complemented by Texture Maps that are then applied to the terrain in-game for extra detail and realism.
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