Does any one know, how do most of modern 3d games render a refracted reflection image in a game? Are the models of the 3d objects in the level copied and flipped perpendicular to the water plane? And if so, are these models modified in 3d space, or are they converted to a 2d image based on the camera angle, and then modified to ripple and warp? And how is the image warped? I am looking into designing a water engine for 3d space. I've seen some grid systems in some games and also static, non-interactive water that ripples in a set pattern. The system i want to create would be based on a 2d gray-scale image. white would be water at a higher elevation and black at the lower. Each pixel would blend with the other pixels based on water flow, gravity, ect. I'm sure a system like this must already exist, and i want to attempt to recreate it in my own way. I suppose my main question is how would I create a warpable image that can be blended into the water based on the grey-scale image/grid?