# Ray tracing, ambient occlusion, txaa ssao, etc. ### 'Ray tracing ambient occlusion txaa ssao shaders opengl shaders post processing post-production cell shading, tone mapping, CGI, VFX' **Ray tracing:** This is a lighting technique that simulates the actual physical behavior of light. Instead of just placing lights in the scene and calculating how they affect surfaces directly, ray tracing shoots rays of light out from the light source and bounces them around the scene, just like real light would. This creates much more realistic shadows, reflections, and lighting effects. ![Image of Ray tracing in video game](https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTZVhwuNxVvM5kaqjB7kNXFfCa-_FvAPn8jK6VP7PAFLkrGNQWmwarbmC0iDJ9l) **Ambient occlusion:** This is a technique that adds shadows and shading to areas where surfaces are close together or occluded from the light source. This adds depth and realism to the scene, especially in corners and crevices. ![Image of Ambient occlusion in video game](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS0E2He4DjelxK7caDpDG3k-T8tBCrv7NArs20a516UtNwJeRF6ctEGqICAOWtY) **TXAA and SSAO:** These are two different types of anti-aliasing techniques. Anti-aliasing smooths out jagged edges on objects, which can make them look more realistic. TXAA is a more advanced technique that also takes temporal information into account, meaning it can smooth out motion blur as well. SSAO is a simpler technique that only works on static scenes. ![Image of TXAA anti-aliasing vs. no anti-aliasing](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTIMig3rSt6Wi6IeowlOuM6CksCDEWKLNtqvF_pXOay6m0l8X3KKGF7B_D7e-Rp) ![Image of SSAO anti-aliasing vs. no anti-aliasing](https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT7FpiotcgF4se9FmJAkznpfJVf5qlrZU9PZjh22IcnyX0l4sbeWmpNm5obrHR-) **Shaders:** These are small programs that run on the graphics card and are used to calculate the color and lighting of each pixel in the scene. They can be used to create a wide variety of effects, from simple textures to complex lighting and shadows. ![Image of Shaders in video game](https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRqhDGl1DZAhTJaExC_aXZWOxB0tnYMJvwfbkVydcjQTXKYD9-N1y5UtaTr7TcW) **OpenGL shaders:** This is a specific type of shader that is used with the OpenGL graphics programming API. OpenGL is a popular API for creating 3D graphics applications, and OpenGL shaders are used in a wide variety of games and other applications. **Post processing:** This is a broad term that refers to any effects that are applied to an image after it has been rendered. This can include things like [**color correction, bloom, depth of field, and motion blur**](#user-content-fn-1)[^1]. Post processing can be used to make an image look more realistic or stylized, depending on the desired effect. ![Image of Post processing in video game](https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTg1-z0ncMd0T3p30cwvdhz1d-scF7guoY_rmJyHSJ2Mq9EmlunPhwC88XFIDot) **Cell shading:** This is a non-photorealistic rendering technique that is often used in cartoon-style games. Cell shading uses flat colors and bold outlines to create a distinctive look. ![Image of Cell shading in video game](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRLvw0X3wrlMalRlAI-kYUx_NVIzHEcoHUoR820S5p54B41nhxfLFqzEO37z-Vy) **Tone mapping:** This is a technique that is used to adjust the brightness and contrast of an image so that it looks good on a typical computer monitor. Tone mapping can be used to make an image look more realistic or stylized, depending on the desired effect. ![Image of Tone mapping in video game](https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSroKu7gg2ZoLtVyc2xQUwrww7Cp0V-gCbEf9mPbaWD8vsZiKVKTTTh1snbQRcB) **CGI and VFX:** These are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they actually have slightly different meanings. CGI stands for "computer-generated imagery" and refers to any image that is created using a computer. VFX stands for "visual effects" and refers to any effects that are added to an image or video in post-production. So, all VFX are CGI, but not all CGI are VFX. [^1]: --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://metaverse-imagen.gitbook.io/ai-tools-research/ai-tools-main-categories/prompt-design-and-engineering/image-prompts-guide/help-with-prompt-terms/ray-tracing-ambient-occlusion-txaa-ssao-etc..md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.