Derivative Maps are a new method of bump mapping that does not use tangent spaces. This has numerous advantages over traditional normal map based workflows¹⁾²⁾.

These are as follows:

• Reduces foot-print
• Is much better suited for synthesized surfaces/tessellation
• Does not distinguish between regular geometry and tessellation.
• Works with per pixel generated texture coordinates such as Tri-Planar Texturing.
• No issues regarding multiple standards for implementation of tangent space generation.
• Mirroring trivially works.
• No need to recalculate tangent spaces on meshes with complex geometric deformations.
• Better visually during texture magnification.