6. Constraints

Constraints

A polygon, to put it simply, is any 2D shape and in terms of 3D modelling the Polygons would be the individual shapes that are pieced together to create a model, whether the creation in question in complex or simple, polygons will always be used. The ‘Polygon Count’, however, is the total number of polygons that the model, scene, or anything that has been created in the 3D application, contains. The polygon count is actually much more important than it may seem, due to several constraints that, if left unchecked, could cause problems for the computer processor as well as defeat the purpose of the creation in question.

During the creation of a model or scene, the computer processor would need to calculate the position of each vertex and polygon that makes up whatever has been created on the application. In short, as the polygon count increases, the model would require more processor power and thus cause disruption in the creation process depending on how much power the modellers computer has. The polygon count is much more important in models that would be used as assets in games and movies, where there is more emphasis in terms of the constraints.

Creating a 3D animated movie, or even a movie with 3D animation techniques utilised in the production, may not apply to these rules due to the sheer amount of quality visuals to create an effective product. This could mean that the polygon count could become something that shouldn’t even be a thing to worry about during production, as major animation studios would have the best technologies to create the best work they possibly can. However, the polygon count becomes much more important in video games. There is a critical constraint here due to the fact that there would be a size limit for the models and scenery, increasing the importance of game producers to pay closer attention to the polygon count and remove any unnecessary polygons.