This glossary defines visualization and animation terms used with MicroStation.

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Actor

In an animation sequence, an element(s) that are scripted to move, rotate or scale in a controlled manner. Created as a cell in versions prior to V8 XM Edition and as a Named Group in V8 XM Edition.

Aliasing

Source of several common computer graphics artifacts such as jagged lines, missing objects, and jerky motion in animation. In signal processing terms, aliasing is caused by the undersampling of a signal, resulting in some high-frequency components of the signal assuming the alias (or false identity) of the low frequency components, and mixing together in such a way that they can no longer be distinguished properly.

ambient light

Imaginary light that is presumed to strike every point on a surface with equal intensity. Used to approximate the large-scale effects of diffuse inter-reflections, a phenomenon not usually accounted for by most lighting methods. Ambient light should be turned off when using particle tracing or radiosity solving, both of which take into account the diffuse reflection of light between surfaces.

animation camera

Actor that is scripted to designate a viewing position, orientation, and perspective for animation.

animation settings file

File (*.asf') that contains design and rendering settings while recording an animation sequence. Particularly useful for collaborative recording of animation scripts on networked systems or continuing disrupted recordings.

Antialiasing

Special rendering processing to remove or limit the appearance of aliasing artifacts in an image or an animation sequence. See also sample.