User:JonOlick/Sparse Voxel Octree

Sparse Voxel Octree (SVO) is a data structure based rendering algorithm. Octree is the data structure, Voxels are what it represents, and it is Sparse because empty space is collapsed in the Octree.

SVO is commonly used in conjunction with ray-tracing or ray-casting. Where ray-casting is a subset of ray-tracing and rays are only traced until first geometry intersection. Ray-casting is commonly referred to as primary rays casting only. Secondary rays are reflections, refractions, etc.

SVO's are designed to overcome one of the classic computer graphics problems, that which is handling complexity. Complexity is a rendering, a modeling and logistics problem. SVO attempts to solve the first of the three problems with handling complexity.

Other solutions are available for handling complexity. Namely progressive mesh, displacement mapping, patches, and other level of detail (LOD) techniques. All these techniques have their own various trade-offs. The current popular emerging technique is displacement mapping and patches. This technique has limitations in that many surfaces are not representable by a smooth surface with displacements.