Environment mapping is a rendering technique used to simulate reflective and refractive surfaces by projecting a texture (often a cube map or HDR image) onto objects. In Three.js, environment mapping is typically used with materials like MeshStandardMaterial or MeshPhysicalMaterial to achieve photorealistic results.
Use Case:
Environment mapping is crucial for creating immersive environments in VR:
- Realistic Reflections: Simulating reflections on water, metal, or glass.
- Skyboxes and Backgrounds: Surrounding the user with a 360° HDR environment for a fully immersive experience.
- Dynamic Lighting: Using cube maps to create dynamic reflections that change with the user’s position.
Advantages:
- Enhanced Realism: Objects appear integrated into their surroundings, reflecting the environment accurately.
- Efficient Rendering: Cube maps are precomputed and reused, offering good performance.
- Compatibility: Works seamlessly with PBR (Physically Based Rendering) materials for lifelike visuals.
Limitations:
- Static Nature: Precomputed environment maps don’t account for scene changes unless dynamically updated.
- Resource Intensive: High-resolution maps require significant memory and processing power.
- Lighting Challenges: Alignment with lighting and shadows requires careful setup to avoid inconsistencies.