Procedural Object Distribution in 3D Virtual Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing procedural generation techniques for three-dimensional graphics require significant computational power, making them impractical for use on lower-power computing devices when generating large numbers of objects in a virtual environment.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that generate a bounding polygon to identify object locations within a region, retrieve and align tiles containing object data, and use this information to procedurally generate graphical depictions of objects with reduced computational requirements, utilizing a processor and display device to optimize the placement and rendering of objects in a three-dimensional virtual environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If prior art procedural generation techniques are used to generate large numbers of objects, then the virtual environment can be populated with thousands of objects, but the computational power required becomes excessive for embedded and lower-power computing devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the virtual environment into multiple regions, each with its own object distribution data. Instead of processing the entire environment at once, the system segments the computational task by only generating objects in the currently visible or active region, significantly reducing the computational power required while maintaining the ability to populate large numbers of objects across the full environment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-generates object distribution data and tiles during an offline preparation phase, storing them in memory for later use. This preliminary action allows the runtime system to simply retrieve and display pre-computed data rather than performing complex procedural generation algorithms in real-time, reducing computational power requirements during operation
2Reliability
If individual graphical models are stored for each object, then high visual fidelity can be achieved, but memory storage requirements become impractical for large numbers of objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a small set of master graphical models that are procedurally copied and distributed throughout the environment according to pre-computed object distribution data. Instead of storing unique models for each object, the system creates visual copies from a limited library, achieving high visual fidelity through varied placement and instantiation while keeping memory storage requirements practical
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method of procedural generation of graphics includes generating a bounding polygon corresponding to a size and shape of a region within a three-dimensional virtual environment that includes the plurality of objects, aligning, with the processor the bounding polygon with a two-dimensional arrangement of tiles that include predetermined locations corresponding to the objects, identifying object locations within the bounding polygon based on the data corresponding to the predetermined plurality of locations within the tiles, each object location corresponding to one predetermined location in one tile in the plurality of tiles that lies within the bounding polygon, and generating, with the processor and a display device, a graphical depiction of the three-dimensional virtual environment including graphical depictions of the plurality of objects positioned in the plurality of object locations within the bounding polygon in the region.