This is a small tool that helps developers compare different techniques used to render surface details on different types of surfaces. The techniques used to render detailed surfaces usually don't increase the surface complexity but simulate the wrinkles and unevenness on the surface using some maps, like normal maps. The techniques implemented in this version are:
- Displacement Mapping
- Texture Mapping
- Normal Mapping
- Offset Parallax Mapping
- Relief Mapping
- Parallax Occlusion Mapping
- Cone Step Mapping
- Multi-Layer Cone Step Mapping
- Sphere Tracing (Per-Pixel Displacement Mapping with Distance Functions)
You can check a video of the tool
here (encoded with DivX).
All the techniques were implemented using a fixed number of passes. The techniques that natively generate shadows (like POM) had their shadow removed; therefore, none of the techniques generate shadow. I'm planning to add the "quad-directional cone" and the "relaxed cone" techniques soon!