Corners Don't Look Like That: Regarding Screenspace Ambient Occlusion (2012)

Other: critique of ambient occlusion in screenspace ambient occlusion(nothings.org)view on HackerNews
screenspace ambient occlusionambient occlusionSSAOgraphicslightingcorner darkeningambient light.

Author: firephox

Date: 7/20/2026

Article Summary:
The author presents a critique of screenspace ambient occlusion (SSAO) in games, arguing that it often produces unrealistic results, particularly in corners of rooms. The author provides a series of photographs and graphs to demonstrate the effects of SSAO and how they compare to real-world lighting.