Ray Casting
Ray casting is a rendering technique used in computer graphics to generate 3D-like environments from 2D maps by casting rays from a viewpoint to determine visibility and intersections with objects. It was famously used in early first-person shooter games like Wolfenstein 3D to create pseudo-3D graphics efficiently. The method involves projecting rays into a scene to calculate distances and render walls, floors, and objects based on simple geometric calculations.
Developers should learn ray casting when working on retro-style games, educational graphics projects, or applications requiring lightweight 3D rendering without complex GPU dependencies. It's particularly useful for creating 2.5D effects in game development, simulations, or tools where performance on limited hardware is a priority, such as in embedded systems or browser-based demos.