Re: [Algorithms] Terrain performance comparrisons

[Lucas A. <ack...@ll...>]

Jonathan Blow wrote:

>Let's look at this in a slightly different way: most graphics LOD algorithms
>are focused on decreasing the number of triangles/sec needed to display
>the scene.  But triangles/sec is the single most abundant,
>uncontended-for resource in all of game development.  So WTF are
>we putting all this energy there?
>
>  
>
LOD is not about quantity, it's about quality.  Quantity can increase 
with hardware speed and software efficiency, but quality improves by 
increasing the intellignece with which you allocate your limited 
quantity.  If triangles/sec were the fundamental measure of game 
quality, LOD would be pointless.

Decreasing the quantity of triangles required to display part of a scene 
without decreasing the quality is only half of the equation.  The other 
half is to increase the quantity used to display the parts of the scene 
that will contribute most to the quality.

It is also possible, of course, to use the flexibility in quality as a 
means to put more stuff in a given scene, or to look at a scene in ways 
you couldn't before.

The reason a lot of time and energy goes into LOD is that it's not an 
easy problem to solve all aspects of in a way that satisfies all people.

-Lucas