Parallax mapping

Offset Mapping, (also, Photonic Mapping, Parallax Mapping or Virtual Displacement Mapping), is an alternative to the bump mapping and normal mapping techniques which give greater depth and a rougher, more "3D" feel and detail to a texture without a performance hit.

Offset mapping is done by displacing the texture coordinates such that the texture occludes itself in accordance with a height map. Next-generation 3D applications may employ offset mapping as new graphics alogrithims are developed.

Offset mapping is also a way of faking displacement mapping.