What is LOD (Level of Detail) and how does it actually affect the game?

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Chazzer97

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Sep 13, 2013
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I've been trying to find the best possible experience for the game Fallout 3, and was looking through the graphics settings when I cam across an 'old friend'. LOD has always confused me, does it mean:

A) The level of detail that your game shows will be shown at X distance.

B) The level of detail that your game shows will not be shown further than X distance

C) The level of detail is X, and is therefore better and prettier the higher the number

I've constantly looked for information but it never seems to be there, if someone could explain it to me it would be a really big help.
 
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Solandri
A) Yes
B) Yes
C) Maybe

LOD is a cactchphrase for a lot of different things. But most commonly it refers to the maximum distance up to which certain details (e.g. trees) are rendered. Beyond that distance, those objects are not rendered.

There are also things like MipMapping (smaller versions of textures) which can be affected by a LOD setting if there is no separate Mipmap size/distance setting. Which is why (C) is a Maybe. e.g. Closer than distance x, the highest resolution texture is used, between distance x and y, a half size texture is used, between y and z a quarter sized texture is used, and beyond z a 1/8th size texture is used.
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Solandri

Solandri

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Jan 4, 2012
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A) Yes
B) Yes
C) Maybe

LOD is a cactchphrase for a lot of different things. But most commonly it refers to the maximum distance up to which certain details (e.g. trees) are rendered. Beyond that distance, those objects are not rendered.

There are also things like MipMapping (smaller versions of textures) which can be affected by a LOD setting if there is no separate Mipmap size/distance setting. Which is why (C) is a Maybe. e.g. Closer than distance x, the highest resolution texture is used, between distance x and y, a half size texture is used, between y and z a quarter sized texture is used, and beyond z a 1/8th size texture is used.
 
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