Level of Detail for 3D Graphics

Front Cover
Morgan Kaufmann, 2003 - Computers - 390 pages
"I'm really happy with what Luebke et al. have created. It's exactly what I would want to find on the shelf if I needed to implement some LOD techniques in a game."
-Mark DeLoura, Sony Computer Entertainment America

"This is the first and only book that provides a comprehensive coverage about level of detail. When you are finished reading it, all you will be able to say is "Wow!""
-Dave Eberly, Magic Software, Inc.

"This book will find a choice spot on my bookshelf."
-Will Schroeder, Kitware, Inc.

"This fine book...provides both a treatment of the underlying theory and a valuable practical reference for the graphics practitioner."
-Dr. Frederick P. Brooks, Jr., UNC Chapel Hill

Level of detail (LOD) techniques are increasingly used by professional real-time developers to strike the balance between breathtaking virtual worlds and smooth, flowing animation. Level of Detail for 3D Graphics brings together, for the first time, the mechanisms, principles, practices, and theory needed by every graphics developer seeking to apply LOD methods.

Continuing advances in level of detail management have brought this powerful technology to the forefront of 3D graphics optimization research. This book, written by the very researchers and developers who have built LOD technology, is both a state-of-the-art chronicle of LOD advances and a practical sourcebook that will enable graphics developers from all disciplines to apply these formidable techniques to their own work.

Features:

*Is a complete, practical resource for programmers wishing to incorporate LOD technology into their own systems

*Is an important reference for professionals in game development, computer animation, information visualization, real-time graphics and simulation, data capture and preview, CAD display, and virtual worlds

*Is accessible to anyone familiar with the essentials of computer science and interactive computer graphics

*Covers the full range of LOD methods, from mesh simplification to error metrics, as well as advanced issues of human perception, temporal detail, and visual fidelity measurement

*Includes an accompanying website rich in supplementary material including source code, tools, 3D models, public domain software, documentation, LOD updates, and more. Visit http://LODBook.com.
 

Contents

Application
85
Advanced Issues
229
Glossary of Terms
331
References
349
Index
371
Copyright

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About the author (2003)

David Luebke David is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Virginia. His principal research interest is the problem of rendering very complex scenes at interactive rates. His research focuses on software techniques such as polygonal simplification and occlusion culling to reduce the complexity of such scenes to manageable levels. Luebke's dissertation research, summarized in a SIGGRAPH '97 paper, introduced a dynamic, view-dependent approach to polygonal simplification for interactive rendering of extremely complex CAD models. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina, and his Bachelors degree at the Colorado College.