Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
7.3V
IRTUAL
R
EALITY
7.3.1 Stereo Rendering
Stereoscopic rendering provides a method for simulating how our brain perceives the 3D
world. We can do this by rendering from two cameras that represent each of our eyes into
separate frame buffers; typically these two renders are then combined to generate a single
stereoscopic image.
Rendering for Head-Mounted Devices (HMD) such as the
Oculus Rift
work off of this same
concept; however, rather than merging the left and right frame buffers into a single stereo-
scopic image (which can result in significant artifacts at the edges of objects), the Rift uses
half the screen for each eye; our left eye will see the left side of the screen while the right
eyewillseetherightsideofthescreen,usingadifferentprojection matrix andapplyingdis-
tortion correction to account for the shape of the Rift's optics.
