Generation and Tessellation of Tree Stems

Abstract

When visualizing tree stems and branches for use in interactive applications, the polygon models resolution are usually as low as possible to achieve a high frame rate. Also, to ease animation and mesh generation, each branch of a tree model is often considered as a distinct mesh. However, by using a single watertight mesh for a tree, together with (GPU-based) tessellation, both the resolution and appearance of a tree can be greatly improved while maintaining a high frame rate. This paper presents concepts, ideas and early work on generating watertight polygon meshes of animated trees stems suitable for refinement and tessellation of such meshes.