Vector3.Reflect Method (Vector3, Vector3, Vector3)

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

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

Syntax

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

Parameters

• vector
  Source vector.
• normal
  Normal of the surface.
• result
  [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;
    }

    if (intersected == true) // The particle hit the surface, so reflect it off the surface.
    {
        // 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;
    }
}

See Also

Reference

Vector3 Structure
Vector3 Members
Microsoft.Xna.Framework Namespace

Platforms

Xbox 360, Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista