Introduction to Light Objects

Direct3D employs three types of lights: point lights, spotlights, and directional lights. You choose the type of light you want when you create a set of light properties. The illumination properties and the resulting computational overhead varies with each type of light source. The following types of light sources, supported by the Direct3D lighting module, are discussed.

• Point lights
• Spotlights
• Directional lights

Note  DirectX 7.0 does not use the parallel-point light type offered in previous releases of DirectX.

Do not confuse light sources in a scene with the concept of an ambient light level. For more information, see Direct Light vs. Ambient Light, Light Properties and Using Lights.