Video game graphics

Video game graphics are the images and visual effects displayed during gameplay, produced through rendering, animation, and image processing.

Rendering (computer graphics): The process of generating images from data, models, lighting, and a virtual camera. Game graphics appear when a rendering system converts a scene into pixels.
3D modeling: The creation of three-dimensional digital representations of objects or environments. Models supply the shapes that appear in three-dimensional game scenes.
Pixel art: Digital art in which individual pixels are intentionally visible as part of the image. Games use its deliberately coarse pixels as a visual style.
Pre-rendering: The generation of images or sequences before they are displayed or used in real time. Pre-rendered visuals can exceed real-time detail but sacrifice interactive flexibility.
Rasterization: The conversion of geometric shapes into pixels or samples on a display grid. Most real-time games use rasterization to draw scene geometry quickly.
Polygon mesh: A collection of vertices, edges, and faces that represents a three-dimensional surface. Meshes define the geometry of many game characters and objects.
Cel shading: A rendering style that uses flat colors and sharp tonal boundaries to imitate cartoon art. It gives three-dimensional game scenes a hand-drawn appearance.
Real-time computer graphics: Computer graphics generated quickly enough to respond interactively to changing input. Video game graphics usually need to update in response to play.
Ray tracing (graphics): A rendering technique that models light paths to produce realistic shadows, reflections, and illumination. Games use it to add physically plausible lighting effects.
Skeletal animation: A technique that moves a character model by transforming a hierarchy of bones. It gives game characters reusable, controllable motion.

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