I think the parralax mapping effect in this demo is so slight as to be worthless.
But I have seem parralax mapping done on a stone wall once before this, and in that case the effect made the wall look amazingly detailed.
So if parralax mapping in this demo doesn't impress you, don't give up on it.
Also, I don't think parralax mapping is designed to cope with abrupt changes in height. A cylinder sticking out of a surface, as in this demo, has a very sudden change in height, because it had vertical sides. A cone sticking out of a surface on the other hand does not have as abrupt a change in height. The less abrupt the change, the less the "paper effect" as someone described it above.
But I have seem parralax mapping done on a stone wall once before this, and in that case the effect made the wall look amazingly detailed.
So if parralax mapping in this demo doesn't impress you, don't give up on it.
Also, I don't think parralax mapping is designed to cope with abrupt changes in height. A cylinder sticking out of a surface, as in this demo, has a very sudden change in height, because it had vertical sides. A cone sticking out of a surface on the other hand does not have as abrupt a change in height. The less abrupt the change, the less the "paper effect" as someone described it above.