What is ambient occlusion in games?

Ambient occlusion is a rendering technique used in computer graphics to calculate the amount of ambient light that reaches each point on a surface. This helps to create more realistic lighting and shading in a virtual environment.

In video games, ambient occlusion is often used to add depth and realism to the graphics by simulating the way light interacts with objects in the scene. It can be applied to both static and dynamic objects, and can have a significant impact on the overall visual quality of the game.

There are various types of ambient occlusion techniques, including screen-space ambient occlusion (SSAO), horizon-based ambient occlusion (HBAO), and voxel-based ambient occlusion (VXAO). Each technique has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of which one to use often depends on the specific needs of the game and the hardware capabilities of the platform it is running on.

Overall, ambient occlusion is a powerful tool for creating more immersive and realistic visuals in games, and is widely used in modern game development to enhance the overall visual fidelity of the gaming experience.