====== Triangle count ======
Using the '9' and '0' keys, users may change the rendered triangle count in Sapphire. A lower triangle count gives a higher frame rate, at the cost of a less accurate terrain mesh.
You can see the effect if the increasing mesh accuracy in the series shown below. In the sequence shown at left, the bare triangles are rendered with dot3 lighting. In the sequence shown at right, the same mesh is rendered with an L3DT light map overlaid.
^ Raw polygons ^ Polygons with light map overlay ^
^ 8k triangles ^^
| {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_8k.jpg?350}} | {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_8k_lm.jpg?350}} |
^ 16k triangles ^^
| {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_16k.jpg?350}} | {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_16k_lm.jpg?350}} |
^ 32k triangles ^^
| {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_32k.jpg?350}} | {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_32k_lm.jpg?350}} |
^ 64k triangles ^^
| {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_64k.jpg?350}} | {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_64k_lm.jpg?350}} |
^ 128k triangles ^^
| {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_128k.jpg?350}} | {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_128k_lm.jpg?350}} |
^ 256k triangles ^^
| {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_256k.jpg?350}} | {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_256k_lm.jpg?350}} |
I hope you noticed that the increased mesh accuracy that comes from using more triangles has little effect on the final image when a light map/texture is overlaid. Hence, low triangle counts may be used for pretty pictures when a suitable light map/texture exists.
Just to re-iterate the point, below is side-by-side comparison of the 8k and 256k triangle images. Which is better?
^ 8k triangles ^ 256k triangles ^
| {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_8k_lm.jpg?350}} | {{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount:tris_256k_lm.jpg?350}} |
^ //Click on images for larger versions// ^^