by Samuel Tolbert on (#5C6DZ)
Subtle usage of ray tracing will have huge impacts on games through 2021.Ray tracing is more than just a buzzword. It takes many forms but in its simplest form, it traces the path of different light rays, creating a far more realistic image. It's still early days for ray tracing in the grand scheme of gaming, but with the arrival of new consoles packing advanced hardware, ray-tracing will take root through 2021.However, we won't be finding the best image quality imaginable, not will it be everywhere. The rise of ray tracing as a standard in gaming will come through clever usage, highlighting particular elements, characters or items that best improve the visuals for the lowest cost.The biggest drawback to ray tracing is the sheer technical cost. It's extremely demanding to render, but the combination of new CPU cores and GPU technology being used in the newest generation of consoles means ray tracing is no longer something limited to the highest-end graphics cards for PC players...