Environment Mapping involves using a texture (often a cube map or equirectangular image) to simulate reflections and ambient lighting in a scene. In Three.js, it is commonly applied using scene.environment or as a reflection map on materials.
Use Case:
Environment mapping is crucial for creating reflective surfaces like glass, water, or polished metals in 3D scenes.
Advantages:
- Adds depth and realism by simulating reflective and refractive surfaces.
- Enhances visual quality with minimal performance overhead compared to full global illumination techniques.
Limitations:
- Reflections are pre-baked and not dynamic unless real-time techniques like screen space reflections are used.
- Requires high-resolution environment maps for best results, which can increase asset size.