Calculate TBN matrix in vertex shader vs fragment shader?

Question

I think we can calculate TBN matrix in both vertex shader and fragment shader.

// calculate in vs
varying mat3 vTbnMatrix;
void main() {
  vec3 n = normalMatrix * aNormal;
  vec3 t = normalMatrix * vec3(aTangent.xyz);
  vec3 b = cross(n, t) * aTangent.w;
  vTbnMatrix = mat3(t, b, n);
}

// calculate in fs
varying vec3 vNormal; // transformed by normalMatrix
varying vec3 vTangent; // transformed by normalMatrix
varying vec3 vBitantent;
void main() {
  mat3 tbnMatrix = mat3(vTangent, vBitangent, vNormal);
}

What's the difference? I think we can calculate TBN matrix in the vertex shader as it can speed up the program.

But when I dive into the source code of THREE.js and PlayCanvas engine, they both calculate TBN matrix in the fragment shader.

What's the advantage of calculating in the fragment shader?

WestLangley · Accepted Answer · 2019-03-11 03:24:24Z

2

The TBN matrix should, in theory, be orthonormal.

In three.js, the normal, tangent, and bi-tangent are passed as varyings, interpolated across the face of the primitive, renormalized, and the TBN matrix is constructed in the fragment shader. This way, the matrix columns are (1) of unit length, and (2) presumably close to orthogonal.

You could compute the bi-tangent in the fragment shader, instead, to force it to be orthogonal to the interpolated normal and tangent, but doing so may not make that much difference, as the interpolated normal and tangent are not guaranteed to be orthogonal anyway.

three.js r.102

answered Mar 11, 2019 at 3:24

WestLangley

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2 Comments

user2331095 Over a year ago

To make the TBN matrix orthonormal, we can use Gram-Schmidt process, right ? And I think it can be processed in both vertex shader and fragment shader...

WestLangley Over a year ago

As I said, the columns of the TBN matrix must have unit length. That means the columns need to be renormalized in the fragment shader.

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