Water

Making realistic water can be quite difficult, particularly when you have only so much memory to work with. Depending on the type of water you want, it can be simple, or very complex. A small pond or pool of water that is static and not moving is quite easy. Simple alpha transparency and a nice texture can give you the result you are looking for. But a large ocean, with turbulent waves and moving specularity, is a different story altogether.

One of the best methods to use when making puddles and small bodies of static standing water is a simple plane with a subtle texture, alpha transparency, and mirrored geometry to simulate reflection (see Chapter 11, “User Interface Design and Creation”).

Making a convincing ocean can be a complicated endeavor. Traditional CG uses displacement, bump, and specularity to achieve realism. If your game engine supports any of these features, you’ll be in pretty good shape. Without them, you have to get creative.