Geomipmapping
Geomipmapping or geometrical mipmapping is a real-time block-based terrain rendering algorithm developed by W.H. de Boer in 2000 that aims to reduce CPU processing time which is a common bottleneck in level of detail approaches to terrain rendering. Prior to geomipmapping, techniques such as quadtree rendering were used to divide the terrain into square tiles created by binary division with quadratically diminishing size. The subdivision step is typically performed on the CPU which creates a bottleneck as geometry commands are buffered to the GPU. Unlike quadtrees which send 1x1 polygon units to the GPU, to reduce the CPU processing time geomipmapping divides the terrain into grid-based tiles which are themselves regularly subdivided. Typically, a fixed number of vertex buffer objects (VBOs) are stored on the GPU at different grid resolutions, such as 10x10 and 20x20, and then placed at major terrain regions selectively chosen by the CPU. A vertex shader is then used to reposi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Terrain Rendering
Terrain cartography or relief mapping is the depiction of the shape of the surface of the Earth on a map, using one or more of several techniques that have been developed. Terrain or relief is an essential aspect of physical geography, and as such its portrayal presents a central problem in cartographic design, and more recently geographic information systems and geovisualization. Hill profiles The most ancient form of relief depiction in cartography, hill profiles are simply illustrations of mountains and hills in profile, placed as appropriate on generally small-scale (broad area of coverage) maps. They are seldom used today except as part of an "antique" styling. Physiographic illustration In 1921, A.K. Lobeck published ''A Physiographic Diagram of the United States'', using an advanced version of the hill profile technique to illustrate the distribution of landforms on a small-scale map.Lobeck, A.K. (1921''A Physiographic Diagram of the United States'' A.J. Nystrom & Co., ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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ROAM
Real-time optimally adapting mesh (ROAM) is a continuous level of detail algorithm that optimizes terrain meshes. On modern computers, sometimes it is more effective to send a small amount of unneeded polygons to the GPU, rather than burden the CPU with LOD (Level of Detail) calculations—making algorithms like geomipmapping more effective than ROAM. This technique is used by graphics programmers in order to produce high quality displays while being able to maintain real-time frame rates. Algorithms such as ROAM exist to provide a control over scene quality versus performance in order to provide HQ scenes while retaining real-time frame rates on hardware. ROAM largely aims toward terrain visualization, but various elements from ROAM are difficult to place within a game system. To assist regional geological mapping, more abundant and visualized expression forms are highly needs. Thus, the 3D terrain model is adopted as the carrier for the demands in many correlative fields. B ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Level Of Detail (computer Graphics)
In computer graphics, level of detail (LOD) refers to the complexity of a 3D model representation. LOD can be decreased as the model moves away from the viewer or according to other metrics such as object importance, viewpoint-relative speed or position. LOD techniques increase the efficiency of rendering by decreasing the workload on graphics pipeline stages, usually vertex transformations. The reduced visual quality of the model is often unnoticed because of the small effect on object appearance when distant or moving fast. Although most of the time LOD is applied to geometry detail only, the basic concept can be generalized. Recently, LOD techniques also included shader management to keep control of pixel complexity. A form of level of detail management has been applied to texture maps for years, under the name of mipmapping, also providing higher rendering quality. It is commonplace to say that "an object has been ''LOD-ed''" when the object is simplified by the underlying ' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Quadtree Rendering
A quadtree is a tree data structure in which each internal node has exactly four children. Quadtrees are the two-dimensional analog of octrees and are most often used to partition a two-dimensional space by recursively subdividing it into four quadrants or regions. The data associated with a leaf cell varies by application, but the leaf cell represents a "unit of interesting spatial information". The subdivided regions may be square or rectangular, or may have arbitrary shapes. This data structure was named a quadtree by Raphael Finkel and J.L. Bentley in 1974. A similar partitioning is also known as a ''Q-tree''. All forms of quadtrees share some common features: * They decompose space into adaptable cells * Each cell (or bucket) has a maximum capacity. When maximum capacity is reached, the bucket splits * The tree directory follows the spatial decomposition of the quadtree. A tree-pyramid (T-pyramid) is a "complete" tree; every node of the T-pyramid has four child nodes excep ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Graphics Processing Unit
A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit designed to manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. GPUs are used in embedded systems, mobile phones, personal computers, workstations, and game consoles. Modern GPUs are efficient at manipulating computer graphics and image processing. Their parallel structure makes them more efficient than general-purpose central processing units (CPUs) for algorithms that process large blocks of data in parallel. In a personal computer, a GPU can be present on a video card or embedded on the motherboard. In some CPUs, they are embedded on the CPU die. In the 1970s, the term "GPU" originally stood for ''graphics processor unit'' and described a programmable processing unit independently working from the CPU and responsible for graphics manipulation and output. Later, in 1994, Sony used the term (now standing for ''graphics processing unit'' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Vertex Buffer Object
A vertex buffer object (VBO) is an OpenGL feature that provides methods for uploading vertex data (position, normal vector, color, etc.) to the video device for non-immediate-mode rendering. VBOs offer substantial performance gains over immediate mode rendering primarily because the data reside in video device memory rather than system memory and so it can be rendered directly by the video device. These are equivalent to vertex buffers in Direct3D. The vertex buffer object specification has been standardized by thOpenGL Architecture Review Boardas of OpenGL Version 1.5 (in 2003). Similar functionality was available before the standardization of VBOs via the Nvidia-created extension "vertex array range" or ATI Ati or ATI may refer to: * Ati people, a Negrito ethnic group in the Philippines **Ati language (Philippines), the language spoken by this people group ** Ati-Atihan festival, an annual celebration held in the Philippines *Ati language (China), a ...'s "vertex array object ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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GPU Raycasting
A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit designed to manipulate and alter memory (computing), memory to accelerate the creation of Digital image, images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. GPUs are used in embedded systems, mobile phones, personal computers, workstations, and game consoles. Modern GPUs are efficient at manipulating computer graphics and image processing. Their Parallel computing, parallel structure makes them more efficient than general-purpose central processing units (CPUs) for algorithms that process large blocks of data in parallel. In a personal computer, a GPU can be present on a video card or embedded on the motherboard. In some CPUs, they are embedded on the CPU Die (integrated circuit), die. In the 1970s, the term "GPU" originally stood for ''graphics processor unit'' and described a programmable processing unit independently working from the CPU and responsible for graphics manipulation and output. Lat ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |