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Function
Dynamic lighting is a feature that creates and adapts lighting devices as opposed to creating and running a pre-determined lighting set. This means that instead of creating a central lighting device, such as a sun, and pre-implementing a shadow of a building, the game can create and cast shadows on its own. For instance, if you were to throw a grenade into a room in Call of Duty 4, the explosion would cause, while only briefly, a shadow to be cast on whatever is inside the room, relative to the grenade's location, at the time of the explosion.
History
At the time of its release, "Call of Duty 4" was one of the first games to feature dynamic lighting, particularly to the scale that the game features. In some games, the player's avatar might cast a shadow relative to his location, but to have every item and object in the game to have the ability to cast and project its own shadow that is relative to the location of the source of the light, as "Call of Duty 4" did, was unheard of.
Significance
The presence of dynamic lighting in "Call of Duty 4" earned it exceptional and standout marks in terms of visuals with nearly every major news outlet, and its execution of dynamic lighting while still maintaining 60 frames per second set a precedent that is still being pursued in 2010. Frames per second (FPS) are how many frames of the action are placed on-screen every second; the higher the FPS, the higher the realism.
Formula
While the uses and numerous executions of dynamic lighting are used frequently throughout the game, all types are based on one central formula. First, a source of light is created, whether it is the sun, a grenade or any other source of light found in the game. Second, once the light is turned "on," light bursts outward, illuminating everything around it. Any object being lit up will cut off the path of light, much like real life, and will cast a shadow onto objects or terrain behind it.
Warning
While the game's use of dynamic lighting is credited for being "revolutionary," the feature is not without its flaws. Oftentimes, the game mechanic cannot accurately balance two sources of lights without falling short of its lofty goal of 60 frames per second, particularly in levels or situations where rain or other weather effects are present.