Optimization
So, this post I'll be discussing optimization of 3d models. Woo. Fun. But, there's a reason I want to talk about this! I hear this phrase thrown around a lot by game reviewers, optimization. They keep saying things like "they could have optimized this game for the PS3 more" or the 360 or insert platform here. That's... A wrong way to look at things. On some level it's true, but the way these reviewers are using the term, it's really misleading and sometimes just wrong. Every time I hear someone say "these textures look so bad, they really needed to optimize them!" I die a little inside.
Okay so, what is the right way to use the term? To answer that, let's go over what exactly "optimization" is. The short for answer is basically just cutting corners to reduce the file size of a given game asset. That's about as generic and simple as it gets.
For more specific terms, optimizing a 3D models (such as a character or weapon) means removing polygons while trying to maintain the profile shape of the model in question (ie. making sure a chair still looks like a chair when you are done removing polygons. Even if it looks like the boxiest chair on earth.)
For textures, it would simply mean scaling the image down. So if you have a 1024x1024 texture, and the game is running to slowly as a result, you would optimize it be scaling it down. Yes, that means losing detail. So the next time you hear someone mention that "the textures look so bad, the devs really needed to optimize them" punch that fothermucker in the face.
So to bring things to a close, optimization is trying to get as much quality as you can from assets that you are forced to reduce in resources.
No comments:
Post a Comment