What are the pros and cons of using a heightmap vs a model in 3D games
I am learning how to program an OpenGL game engine in Java. I've done loading models from files already but next up is heightmaps and I'm wondering what are the benefits of using a heightmap to generate 3D terrain as opposed to a list of Z-axis values or a 3D model? Does it depend on the detail of the terrain or is it just more efficient to use a heightmap?
Some that I can think of:
Heightmap pros:
- Smaller file, since the game will generate it into memory at runtime.
- More optimized algorithms for manipulation of an n^2 image?
- Easier procedural generation.
Heightmap cons:
- Problem with steep angles and overhangs are impossible.
- Don't seem to be as accurate as models.
- Are they that helpful for making terrain if you aren't procedurally generating it?
java opengl 3d-rendering
asked Nov 25 '18 at 11:45
AlthaenAlthaen
396
add a comment |
I am learning how to program an OpenGL game engine in Java. I've done loading models from files already but next up is heightmaps and I'm wondering what are the benefits of using a heightmap to generate 3D terrain as opposed to a list of Z-axis values or a 3D model? Does it depend on the detail of the terrain or is it just more efficient to use a heightmap?
Some that I can think of:
Heightmap pros:
- Smaller file, since the game will generate it into memory at runtime.
- More optimized algorithms for manipulation of an n^2 image?
- Easier procedural generation.
Heightmap cons:
- Problem with steep angles and overhangs are impossible.
- Don't seem to be as accurate as models.
- Are they that helpful for making terrain if you aren't procedurally generating it?
java opengl 3d-rendering
asked Nov 25 '18 at 11:45
AlthaenAlthaen
396
add a comment |
I am learning how to program an OpenGL game engine in Java. I've done loading models from files already but next up is heightmaps and I'm wondering what are the benefits of using a heightmap to generate 3D terrain as opposed to a list of Z-axis values or a 3D model? Does it depend on the detail of the terrain or is it just more efficient to use a heightmap?
Some that I can think of:
Heightmap pros:
- Smaller file, since the game will generate it into memory at runtime.
- More optimized algorithms for manipulation of an n^2 image?
- Easier procedural generation.
Heightmap cons:
- Problem with steep angles and overhangs are impossible.
- Don't seem to be as accurate as models.
- Are they that helpful for making terrain if you aren't procedurally generating it?
java opengl 3d-rendering
asked Nov 25 '18 at 11:45
AlthaenAlthaen
396
I am learning how to program an OpenGL game engine in Java. I've done loading models from files already but next up is heightmaps and I'm wondering what are the benefits of using a heightmap to generate 3D terrain as opposed to a list of Z-axis values or a 3D model? Does it depend on the detail of the terrain or is it just more efficient to use a heightmap?
Some that I can think of:
Heightmap pros:
- Smaller file, since the game will generate it into memory at runtime.
- More optimized algorithms for manipulation of an n^2 image?
- Easier procedural generation.
Heightmap cons:
- Problem with steep angles and overhangs are impossible.
- Don't seem to be as accurate as models.
- Are they that helpful for making terrain if you aren't procedurally generating it?
java opengl 3d-rendering
java opengl 3d-rendering
asked Nov 25 '18 at 11:45
AlthaenAlthaen
396
asked Nov 25 '18 at 11:45
AlthaenAlthaen
396
asked Nov 25 '18 at 11:45
AlthaenAlthaen
396
asked Nov 25 '18 at 11:45
AlthaenAlthaen
396
asked Nov 25 '18 at 11:45
AlthaenAlthaen
396
396
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
If you refer to a gray-scale/rgb/rgba image with height-values as heightmap, then you are mostly right.
list of Z-axis values
You can store your values however you want, you can even serialize/deserealize them, the only difference is that the image format is universal and is used in all the 3d software. So you probably want to make your pipeline based on the image heightmap format since you probably won't generate heightmaps procedurally yourself and will import them from some kind of 3d-software.
3D model
Heightmaps can be used only when f(x,z) has got one value. In this case I believe there's no reason to use 3d meshes instead of heightmaps.
Does it depend on the detail of the terrain or is it just more efficient to use a heightmap?
No, LOD and other stuff depends only on your implementation. It's just that in heightmaps you use 8 bits(grayscale) / 24 bits(RGB) / 32 bits(RGBA) per vertex and with 3d model you use 3x32 bits per vertex.
So, basically, heightmaps are used just to save some memory / importing expanses. And they are probably easier to generate, but I am not a 3d modeler so can't say for sure.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 7:39
user3051029user3051029
165112
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function () {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function () {
StackExchange.snippets.init();
});
});
}, "code-snippets");
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "1"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: true,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: 10,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fstackoverflow.com%2fquestions%2f53467097%2fwhat-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-using-a-heightmap-vs-a-model-in-3d-games%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
If you refer to a gray-scale/rgb/rgba image with height-values as heightmap, then you are mostly right.
list of Z-axis values
You can store your values however you want, you can even serialize/deserealize them, the only difference is that the image format is universal and is used in all the 3d software. So you probably want to make your pipeline based on the image heightmap format since you probably won't generate heightmaps procedurally yourself and will import them from some kind of 3d-software.
3D model
Heightmaps can be used only when f(x,z) has got one value. In this case I believe there's no reason to use 3d meshes instead of heightmaps.
Does it depend on the detail of the terrain or is it just more efficient to use a heightmap?
No, LOD and other stuff depends only on your implementation. It's just that in heightmaps you use 8 bits(grayscale) / 24 bits(RGB) / 32 bits(RGBA) per vertex and with 3d model you use 3x32 bits per vertex.
So, basically, heightmaps are used just to save some memory / importing expanses. And they are probably easier to generate, but I am not a 3d modeler so can't say for sure.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 7:39
user3051029user3051029
165112
add a comment |
If you refer to a gray-scale/rgb/rgba image with height-values as heightmap, then you are mostly right.
list of Z-axis values
You can store your values however you want, you can even serialize/deserealize them, the only difference is that the image format is universal and is used in all the 3d software. So you probably want to make your pipeline based on the image heightmap format since you probably won't generate heightmaps procedurally yourself and will import them from some kind of 3d-software.
3D model
Heightmaps can be used only when f(x,z) has got one value. In this case I believe there's no reason to use 3d meshes instead of heightmaps.
Does it depend on the detail of the terrain or is it just more efficient to use a heightmap?
No, LOD and other stuff depends only on your implementation. It's just that in heightmaps you use 8 bits(grayscale) / 24 bits(RGB) / 32 bits(RGBA) per vertex and with 3d model you use 3x32 bits per vertex.
So, basically, heightmaps are used just to save some memory / importing expanses. And they are probably easier to generate, but I am not a 3d modeler so can't say for sure.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 7:39
user3051029user3051029
165112
add a comment |
If you refer to a gray-scale/rgb/rgba image with height-values as heightmap, then you are mostly right.
list of Z-axis values
You can store your values however you want, you can even serialize/deserealize them, the only difference is that the image format is universal and is used in all the 3d software. So you probably want to make your pipeline based on the image heightmap format since you probably won't generate heightmaps procedurally yourself and will import them from some kind of 3d-software.
3D model
Heightmaps can be used only when f(x,z) has got one value. In this case I believe there's no reason to use 3d meshes instead of heightmaps.
Does it depend on the detail of the terrain or is it just more efficient to use a heightmap?
No, LOD and other stuff depends only on your implementation. It's just that in heightmaps you use 8 bits(grayscale) / 24 bits(RGB) / 32 bits(RGBA) per vertex and with 3d model you use 3x32 bits per vertex.
So, basically, heightmaps are used just to save some memory / importing expanses. And they are probably easier to generate, but I am not a 3d modeler so can't say for sure.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 7:39
user3051029user3051029
165112
If you refer to a gray-scale/rgb/rgba image with height-values as heightmap, then you are mostly right.
list of Z-axis values
You can store your values however you want, you can even serialize/deserealize them, the only difference is that the image format is universal and is used in all the 3d software. So you probably want to make your pipeline based on the image heightmap format since you probably won't generate heightmaps procedurally yourself and will import them from some kind of 3d-software.
3D model
Heightmaps can be used only when f(x,z) has got one value. In this case I believe there's no reason to use 3d meshes instead of heightmaps.
Does it depend on the detail of the terrain or is it just more efficient to use a heightmap?
No, LOD and other stuff depends only on your implementation. It's just that in heightmaps you use 8 bits(grayscale) / 24 bits(RGB) / 32 bits(RGBA) per vertex and with 3d model you use 3x32 bits per vertex.
So, basically, heightmaps are used just to save some memory / importing expanses. And they are probably easier to generate, but I am not a 3d modeler so can't say for sure.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 7:39
user3051029user3051029
165112
edited Nov 26 '18 at 9:56
answered Nov 26 '18 at 7:39
user3051029user3051029
165112
answered Nov 26 '18 at 7:39
user3051029user3051029
165112
answered Nov 26 '18 at 7:39
user3051029user3051029
165112
165112
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to Stack Overflow!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fstackoverflow.com%2fquestions%2f53467097%2fwhat-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-using-a-heightmap-vs-a-model-in-3d-games%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
