Editing Polygon (computer graphics)

{{Short description|Fundamental unit of geometry used in 3D computer graphics and modeling}}
{{one source|date=May 2023}}
'''Polygons''' are used in [[computer graphics]] to compose images that are [[3D computer graphics|three-dimensional]] in appearance,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/star-foxs-history-of-innovation-for-better-or-worse |title=Star Fox's History of Innovation, For Better or Worse |last=Bailey |first=Kat |date=Apr 18, 2016 |website=usgamer |publisher= |access-date=2022-07-17 |quote=Developed in part by Argonaut Software, a studio that included a young Dylan Cuthbert, it pushed the Super Nintendo to the absolute limits. It looks dated now, but at the time Star Fox's polygonal graphics were sleek and cool, and well beyond anything available on the competition |archive-date=2022-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022152538/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/star-foxs-history-of-innovation-for-better-or-worse |url-status=dead }}</ref> and are one of the most popular geometric building blocks in computer graphics.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Heckbert |first=Paul S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CCqzMm_-WucC&q=computer+graphics+polygon |title=Graphics Gems IV |date=1994 |publisher=Morgan Kaufmann |isbn=978-0-12-336155-4 |editor-last=Heckbert |editor-first=Paul S. |volume=4 |page=1 |language=en |chapter=Polygons and Polyhedra }}</ref> Polygons are built up of [[Vertex (computer graphics)|vertices]], and are typically used as triangles.

A [[Model (computer games)|model]]'s polygons can be rendered and seen simply in a [[wire frame model]], where the outlines of the polygons are seen, as opposed to having them be shaded. This is the reason for a polygon stage in [[computer animation]]. The ''polygon count'' refers to the number of polygons being rendered per [[Frame (film)|frame]].

Beginning with the [[fifth generation of video game consoles]], the use of polygons became more common, and with each succeeding generation, polygonal models became increasingly complex.

==Competing methods for rendering polygons that avoid seams==
* [[Decimal separator|Point]]
**[[Floating_point|Floating Point]]
**[[Fixed-point arithmetic|Fixed-Point]]
**[[Polygon]]
**because of [[rounding]], every [[scanline]] has its own direction in space and may show its front or back side to the viewer.
*[[Fraction (mathematics)]]
**[[Bresenham's line algorithm]]
**Polygons have to be split into [[triangle]]s
**The whole triangle shows the same side to the viewer
**The [[Decimal separator|point]] numbers from the [[Transform and lighting]] stage have to converted to [[Fraction (mathematics)]]
*[[Barycentric coordinates (mathematics)]]
**Used in [[Ray tracing (graphics)|raytracing]]

==See also==
* [[Low poly]]
* [[Polygon]], for general polygon information
* [[Polygon mesh]], for polygon object representation
* [[Polygon modeling]]

== References ==
<references/>

{{computer-stub}}{{Compu-graphics-stub}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Polygon (Computer Graphics)}}
[[Category:3D computer graphics]]