Threekit Glossary

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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360 Render

Render that spins usually 12 frames. Usually a whitesweep.

In Threekit, 3D images refer to 3-dimensional models displayed through the web browser in predetermined settings (stages). For image overlay on a live camera view, see AR.

A

Aliasing

The term used to describe a rendering result of edges looking jagged instead of smooth or a moiré pattern.

Alpha map (Grayscale)

A texture asset that defines the transparency of pixels. Threekit platform calls this an Opacity Map.

Ambient occlusion map (Grayscale)

Ambient occlusion map is a predefined texture that determines how much ambient light a surface will receive, creating a shadowing effect. For example, underneath a sofa will be much darker than the top of the sofa.

Animation

An animation is a sequence of movements of either models, lights, or cameras over time. Animations can be used in real-time in response to user triggers, can be preset, or can be rendered as a series of images and then turned into a video clip. Our software supports the creation of animations. Examples of animations could be a product explode, a car door opening, a camera movement.

API (Application Programming Interface)

Code used for passing data between two software applications with different programatic needs.

AR (Augmented Reality)

Images generated to be overlayed "inside" a real-world environment by utilizing a hand held or head mounted device with a live camera image.

Aspect Ratio

The ratio of the width and height of the viewport, image or render.

Assets

All the component pieces used to generate or define graphical properties of visual images.

These can be from outside sources or created in the Threekit Platform. Currently supported assets are: Model, Material, Texture, Item, Upload, Vector and LUT.

Attributes

Represent the configurable qualities of a Product or Asset.

Axis

An axis is one of the primary directions used to define the coordinate system. An axis describes the position of objects in 3D space along one of three cardinal directions, which are X, Y and Z. The Threekit platform uses a Y-Up axes system.

B

Baking

The mechanism of computing a time-consuming calculation and transferring details into a texture asset. A way to improve efficiency and performance.

Bump maps (Grayscale)

Bump maps are grayscale maps that help define depth of surface. The pixels of the texture influence the height of the surface normals of an object without modifying its geometry.

C

Canvas Operators

Act as a layering system on top of the Texture asset.

Camera

A light measuring device modeled on physical real-world cameras. Our virtual cameras have position, orientation as well as other properties like film size, aperture, and focal length. We can simulate any real world camera effect accurately.

Catalog

A list containing all Products and their building blocks, reflecting the structure of the Product Catalog and its supporting bill of materials.

Clipping planes Near & Far

Clipping planes are imaginary planes that are always perpendicular to each other and cut away parts of objects, surfaces and structures. Clipping planes improve performance by limiting the area that the camera evaluates and renders while working.

Clone

Creates an exact copy of the item in the catalog.

Composite Allow for segmentation of a product to make the rendering process more efficient

Configurable Render

Render that has a piece that is configurable and changes by selection. Typically one angle, or combined with 360.

Configurator

The interface where users select design options to be rendered in the player.

D

Diffuse Maps (Color)

The diffuse map contains the color information of the surface but its missing reflectance values like the base color map in metal/roughness workflow. The raw metal in diffuse map will be black as metal doesn’t have a diffuse color.

Displacement Maps (Grayscale)

Displacement are similar to bump maps that store height information but also can modify and displace actual geometry when rendering which can modify the silhouette also. (Not available on the platform)

E

Edge

The side of a polygon. An edge connects two vertices. An edge is also the border between two adjacent polygons.

F

Face

In the context of computer graphics, a face is often realized as a single polygon. A polygon mesh is composed of a series of faces. For example, cube is composed of 6 faces, one for each side. A face is usually flat, but not always.

Field of View ( FOV )

Field of view is the extent of the observable scene through the camera. It can be horizontal or vertical FOV. The FOV changes based on aspect ratio and render resolution.

Focal Length

The focal length of a lens is the distance from the center of the lens to the film plane. The focal length is used to control angle of view. Increased focal length zooms in and increases the size of the objects and vice versa. The focal length of the camera is measured in mm.

G

Glossiness Map

Glossiness map is that opposite of roughness map. Glossiness map describes if the surface is smooth or rough. White represents smooth surface and blakc represents rough surface.

H

Height maps (Grayscale)

Height maps are used to deform and elevate surface geometry, which can create large bumps and protrusions without changing the silhouette of the model. (Not available on the platform)

I

Interactive 3D

Interactive 3D occurs when software renders a new image 30 times or more per second in response to user feedback. This occurs when we create an interactive 3D product display in a web page, or when using an AR or VR experience. These types of displays are responsive and interactive.

Item

Represent each variable component or product in the catalog.

J

K

Keywords

Used externally for such things as Search-Engine Optimization (SEO).

L

Layers

Individual components of an image stacked on top of each other during rendering to produce a complete image with lower processing requirements.

Light

A light in computer graphics is an entity that has a location and emits light energy into the virtual world. This light energy then interacts with the materials on models in the scene and eventually makes its way to the camera where it is captured.

Lifestyle Render

An image that showcases a product inside a home, office or outdoor environment.

M

Material

A material in computer graphics refers to the properties on the surface of a model that determine how it interacts with light. It does not refer to the shape of the model. Birch wood, or brushed aluminum, or red glazed ceramic are examples of materials in computer graphics.

Material Parameters

In order to define how light interacts with materials, there are a series of material parameters that need to be specified. These are often specified by 3D artists that understand how to quantify physical materials into these parameters. It is relatively technical. Example parameters are roughness, metalness, albedo, clear coat, transparency, sheen, normal map.

Meshes

Define the geometric shape used to render the product's structure and texture.

Metadata

Non-end user information about an item which may be used internally for configuration or transferred externally.

Metallic (Grayscale)

Metallic maps are used to define which areas are raw metal. White denoting metallic surface and black representing non metallic surfaces.

Models

The digital representation of a shape, composed of edges, faces, and vertices.

N

Nodes

Constituent parts of a model in the 3D assets editor.

Normal maps (Color)

Normal maps are color maps that provide more detailed surface texture than bump maps as they can also represent height and curvature per pixel of the surface.

O

Orthographic Camera

The scene is represented in two dimensional manner when viewing through this camera.

P

Physically Based Rendering (PBR) or Physically Based Shading (PBS)

A collection rendering and shading technique that represents or closely matches how light interacts with objects in the physical world. Advantages of using these techniques PBR reduces a lot of guesswork when creating materials, since algorithms that drive these techniques are based on physically accurate formulas. PBR makes it easier to create realistic materials. All the assets made with PBR workflow look accurate in all lighting conditions. Assets remain consistent between artists and teams.

There are two PBR workflows :

* Metal / Roughness Workflow

* Specular / Glossiness Workflow

Perspective Camera

The perspective view simulates what your scene would like from a camera’s point of view. The scene is represented in three-dimensional manner when viewing through this camera.

Player The segment of software used to display images and configuration options to end users.

Polygon

A polygon is a realization of a face. A polygon is a closed flat plane with 3 or more sides. A single polygon is referred to as a face. A polygon is always flat and never curved. Also named a Face.

Polygon Mesh

Often abbreviated to just polymesh or mesh. A polymesh is a surface created by a series of connected polygons. These shapes are hollow on the inside like a balloon. Poly meshes are a form of model.

Product

Any item in the catalog representing a real-world product or design ready to be displayed to users.

Q

R

Renders

The final images (2D, 3D, or AR) generated by Threekit software.

Roughness (Grayscale)

The map basically defines if a surface is smooth or rough, black representing smooth and white representing rough surfaces. This is done through control over the sharpness of the reflections. This map represents surface irregularities.

Rules

Used to control visiblity and set default values.

S

Scene

A predetermined background/environment to place the item into for generating images. The default stage in Threekit is "whitesweep."

Scene Graph

The scene graph refers to the arrangement of the models, lights, and camera in the scene. These components are conceptually organized into a hierarchy that sort of mimics how things are arranged in reality. For example a desk model is placed on the floor. And then a vase model is placed on the desk. This arrangement of placement is the scene graph.

Silhouette shots (“silos”)

Images containing only the desired product, typically on a white background.

Specular

The specular map defines the reflectance values of metal and non metallic surfaces.

Stage

A stage is the background, lighting, and camera placement of a scene behind the product or focus of the scene. The creation of a professional looking stage is key to creating great results. It takes a photographer’s eye to create the best stages that make a product look amazing.

T

Tags

Used to organize Catalog Items in line with the architecture of a given Product Catalog.

Texture

Image files are most commonly used as maps within the texturing pipeline, or as environment maps to light a scene.

Token

A piece of code used to validate authorized access between software systems to allow data transfer between them.

Transform

Properties manipulated to change the orientation of the viewable object.

Transparency maps (Grayscale)

Transparency maps, also known as opacity maps, these maps can be used to target specific sections of the asset or used for alpha blending. For example : grass, fire, smoke, water or decals etc.

U

V

Vector Displacement maps (Color)

Vector displacement is an extension of height map but can transform or deform geometry in any axis. (Not available on the platform)

Vertex

The corner of a polygon. In order to mathematically define a polygon, you first have to define the positions of its corners, its vertices. Thus a polygon mesh has a list of vertices that are the corners of all of its constituent polygons.

Virtual Photography

Prerendered high quality 2D images.

Visual Assets

All the component pieces used to generate visual images.

W

WebGL

Realtime rendering (The 3d in the browser we see. The "I just want to see it spin." One asset needed.)

Whitesweep Render

Render with white background or simple floor shadow. Can be called an outline also.