Vector3.Reflect Method (Vector3, Vector3, Vector3)

Article
08/15/2012

Returns the reflection of a vector off a surface that has the specified normal.

Syntax

'Declaration
Public Shared Sub Reflect ( _
         ref vector As Vector3, _
         ref normal As Vector3, _
         out result As Vector3 _
)

public static void Reflect (
         ref Vector3 vector,
         ref Vector3 normal,
         out Vector3 result
)

public:
static void Reflect(
         ref Vector3 vector,
         ref Vector3 normal,
         out Vector3 result
)

Parameters

vector
Type: Vector3
Source vector.
normal
Type: Vector3
Normal of the surface.
result
Type: Vector3
[OutAttribute] The reflected vector.

Remarks

Reflect only gives the direction of a reflection off a surface, it does not determine whether the original vector was close enough to the surface to hit it.

Example

Determining the position of a moving particle taking into account a surface being struck.

static Nullable<float> RayPlaneIntersection(
    ref Ray ray, ref Plane plane)
{
    Vector3 PointOnPlane = plane.D * plane.Normal;
    float DotNormalDir = Vector3.Dot(plane.Normal, ray.Direction);
    if (DotNormalDir == 0) return null;
    float d = Vector3.Dot(plane.Normal, PointOnPlane - ray.Position) /
        DotNormalDir;
    return d;
}

// Set the position of the particle.
Vector3 position = new Vector3(-19, 0, -3);
// Set the direction in which the particle is moving.
Vector3 direction = new Vector3(1, 0, 0);
// Set the speed at which the particle is moving.
float speed = 4.0f;

//Define a plane with a slope of -1 with respect to the xz-axis 
//and passing through (-5, 0, -5).
Plane surface = new Plane(new Vector3(-1f / (float)Math.Sqrt(2), 0,
    -1f / (float)Math.Sqrt(2)), 5f * (float)Math.Sqrt(2));

void MoveParticle()
{
    Ray ray = new Ray(position, direction);

    bool intersected = true;

    Nullable<float> collisionDistance =
        RayPlaneIntersection(ref ray, ref surface);

    // The direction of movement is parallel to the plane.
    if (collisionDistance.HasValue == false)
    {
        intersected = false;
    }
    // The intersection is opposite the direction of movement.
    else if ((collisionDistance.Value <= 0 && speed > 0) ||
        (collisionDistance.Value > 0 && speed <= 0))
    {
        intersected = false;
    }
    // The intersection is further away than the distance moved.
    else if (Math.Abs(collisionDistance.Value) > Math.Abs(speed))
    {
        intersected = false;
    }

    // The particle hit the surface, so reflect it off the surface.
    if (intersected == true)
    {
        // If the vector position + direction * speed passes through 
        // the plane, calculate the reflection.
        Vector3 reflectionVector =
            Vector3.Reflect(direction, surface.Normal);

        // Calculate the distance left to move after hitting the surface
        float lengthOfReflection = (speed - collisionDistance.Value);
        Vector3 newPosition = position + direction *
            collisionDistance.Value + lengthOfReflection *
            reflectionVector;
        position = newPosition;
        direction = reflectionVector;
    }
    else // There is no intersection, so just move normally.
    {
        position += direction * speed;
    }
}

Requirements

Namespace: Microsoft.Xna.Framework

Assembly: Microsoft.Xna.Framework (in microsoft.xna.framework.dll)

Platforms

Windows Phone

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