A Million Polygons, a Million Pixels: Which is Heavier?

Abstract

The impressive progress of rendering software and hardware over the last two decades often leads to the - too rapid - conclusion that high-quality 3D imagery can now be incorporated in all sorts of applications. Interestingly, these advances allow more and more complex applications to be envisioned: however, an increase in processing power is not necessarily used to treat the same problem faster, but also creates a desire to attack larger problems. In many ways the models for visual simulation or engineering applications grow faster than the graphics systems! recent work on image-based rendering and modeling shows a growing awareness that traditional 3D methods may not scale well for the current and coming complexity levels.This talk will examine some of the challenges lying ahead for the development of future graphics applications. Specifically, when is it better to use pixels than polygons? when is a 3D model required? how can we mix and match competing approaches? can image-based approaches help for different applications such as lighting simulations? some issues related to network applications will also be discussed.