How to make a game without requiring copy-pasta'd terrain.

[Abriael]

I would like to point out another way to save memory while making large, detailed worlds. I can't remember the name of the technique, but there is an algorithm that causes very distant objects to be rendered in simple fashion, and gradually become more complex as the player approaches them. The idea is that it is pointless to have these very distant objects finely rendered, since the human eye can't discern

That's LOD, and FFXIV has it.

It's not to save memory by the way, it's purpose is to lighten the stress on the video card.

[Ilean]

That's LOD, and FFXIV has it.

It's not to save memory by the way, it's purpose is to lighten the stress on the video card.

LoD is texture filtering related, the term you are looking for is tessellation http://http.developer.nvidia.com/GPU...chapter07.html
(LoD is actually a used term for it but in the GPU graphics context they call it tessellation)

Sadly FFXIV isn't using it, it's a DX11 feature (FFXIV is DX9) so it would have to be done in software and there is nothing that even hints at it being used.


Edit:
If any form of tessellation was used they wouldn't need a background quality option, which actually decreases resolution of the world outside a certain range.

Also the purpose of tessellation is not really to lighten GPU load, but not to waste it on objects that are too far (drawn too small) for the details to be appreciated.