Level of Detail for 3D Graphics

6.3 Game-Specific Difficulties with LOD 157

scenarios for vertex and pixel modes. The ideal size for a triangle that uses multiple

dynamic lights or skinned blending would be larger than the size recommendation

for a simple unlit triangle, because more pixel operations can be performed between

completed triangle computations. Conversely, a more complex pixel operation, per-

haps involving more than two texture lookups or blending to the frame buffer, would

require smaller triangles at equal levels of performance. Clearly some LOD methods

are required to maintain our average triangle size near optimum levels.

6.3

GAME-SPECIFIC DIFFICULTIES ...