Chapter 6. Implementing a Skybox Using a Cubemap

In this chapter, we’ll create a skybox using a cubemap. So, let’s first understand what a cubemap is. It is a combination of multiple textures combined into a single texture, which is a cube. It is basically a series of six individual 2D textures that are mapped to a cube. They usually would have some sort of pattern to them, in a way that they actually flow from one side to the other. A skybox is essentially a cubemap, but a massive one. The player and the game world is essentially within that big cube. It encompasses the entire scene with six images of the game environment; if you, as a player, are inside a skybox and you try to look around, it would feel like you have a high-resolution world around you. And, if you try to reach for the edges of the cube you wouldn't be able to do that, because it's just infinitely far away from you. In this chapter, we’ll learn how to implement a skybox using a cubemap to create amazing worlds within your...