MCT Lexicon Multimedia & Creative Technology

3D & XR

9 terms

Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, 3D modeling and immersive experiences.

AR (Augmented Reality)

Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that overlays digital information—such as images, text, or 3D models—on the real world. Unlike VR, AR does not replace reality; it enhances it. AR is often experienced via smartphones, tablets, or dedicated AR glasses.

design hardware software

Autonomous agents

Autonomous agents are 3D entities in a virtual environment that perceive, decide, and act on their own without continuous direct human control or purely scripted sequences. They combine sensors (virtual perception of the world and other objects), an internal state or goals, and a decision-making mechanism (such as behavior trees, state machines, or learning algorithms) to determine their actions. In 3D contexts they are used for game NPCs, robotics and drone simulations, and crowd or emergent-behavior modeling. Key concerns include pathfinding, collision and local avoidance, reactive vs. planned behaviors, and sometimes adaptive learning for more complex tasks.

Git

Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes in files. It enables developers to collaborate on projects, track changes, revert to earlier versions, and work on features in parallel via branches. Git is the industry standard for version control in software development.

programming software devops

PBR

PBR (Physically Based Rendering) is a shading approach that simulates how light interacts with surfaces based on real-world physics principles, producing consistent and realistic results across different lighting conditions. PBR materials use standardized texture maps including albedo for base color without lighting information, metallic to define metal versus non-metal surfaces, roughness to control micro-surface scattering from mirror-smooth to completely diffuse, and normal maps for surface detail. This standardization allows materials to work correctly in any lighting environment.

Polygon

A polygon is a flat surface bounded by straight lines. In 3D graphics, polygons are the building blocks of 3D models. Most 3D models consist of thousands to millions of polygons (usually triangles). The number of polygons determines the level of detail of a model.

design software

Shader

A shader is a program that runs on the GPU and determines how pixels or vertices are computed and displayed. Shaders control effects like lighting, shadows, reflections, and materials. There are different types: vertex shaders (move points), fragment/pixel shaders (determine colors), and compute shaders.

programming hardware

Texture

A texture in 3D graphics is a 2D image applied to the surface of a 3D model to add visual detail like color, patterns, surface imperfections, and material properties without increasing geometric complexity. Multiple texture types work together: diffuse/albedo maps define base color, normal maps simulate surface detail through lighting tricks, roughness maps control shininess variation, and metallic maps distinguish metal from non-metal surfaces. Textures are mapped onto models using UV coordinates.

Unity

Unity is a cross-platform game engine developed by Unity Technologies. It is used to build 2D and 3D games, VR/AR apps, simulations, and interactive experiences. Unity uses C# as its primary programming language and provides a visual editor, asset store, and extensive documentation.

programming design software

VR (Virtual Reality)

Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology that creates a fully artificial, computer-generated environment in which users can navigate and interact. VR is experienced through headsets that cover the entire field of view, often combined with motion controllers for interaction.

design hardware software