METHOD OF SHADING USING SAMPLE VECTORS

A method of shading, by: storing shading information in a sample vector comprising a plurality of packets, wherein each packet represents a shading property; performing a series of sequential actions on the sample vector, wherein each of the sequential actions operates on at least one, but less than all of the plurality of packets in the sample vector, such that the sample vector is updated by each sequential action; and then performing a lighting computation on the updated sample vector, wherein the lighting computation operates on all of the plurality of packets in the sample vector, thereby calculating a final sample vector to be rendered for the sample vector.