lustfulillumination

[WIP] Testing HLODs on the landscape

Added 2024-12-11 20:48:59 +0000 UTC

Hello everyone!

I wanted to make a quick post to share some insights into our progress with implementing a Hierarchical Level of Detail (HLOD) in Kalyskah. HLOD is a technique in Unreal Engine 5 that optimises performance by simplifying distant objects in the game world. When viewed from afar, it combines multiple objects into a single, less detailed mesh, reducing the rendering load and improving frame rates.

In the context of landscapes, it divides the terrain into sections, each with varying levels of detail based on the player's distance. The video above shows in pink what are the areas with high details, green what's simplified meshes and the grid is what's in between. This ensures that only the necessary details are rendered at any given time.

Unreal 5 made this technology more accessible than it used to be in Unreal 4, and this is one of the many reasons that made us want to switch engines.

Integrating vegetation into the HLOD system is a bit more complex and will require more manual labour, that's why for now, the trees are being shown in red.

Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to sharing more updates with you soon!