A hybrid representation combines voxel-based geometry with surface information attached to boundary voxels. Each boundary voxel might store an exact surface point and a normal vector, preserving voxel-friendly operations while improving geometric precision. section 12.5
This approach suits 3D sculpting, where artists create intricate forms without designing explicitly from planes and spheres. The voxel foundation supports fast operations, while boundary data captures more accurate surfaces. section 12.5
Choose the representation with its practical trade-offs in mind:
- Expect substantial memory use and relatively slow rendering, despite efficient operations during sculpting. section 12.5
- Convert the sculpture into several triangle meshes when a game needs progressively simpler models. section 12.5
- Treat the resulting meshes as levels of detail, selecting increasingly intricate versions for different needs. section 12.5
From sculpture to game assets
A detailed voxel-based sculpture can retain exact surface points and normals during creation, then produce multiple triangle-mesh levels of detail for a game. section 12.5
