Edge welding of geometries having differing resolutions

A method for rendering a 3D object, comprising:

• loading data into a graphics storage machine for a first 3D object at a first resolution;
• receiving data for a second 3D object at a second resolution, lower than the first resolution, the second 3D object sharing a border with the first 3D object, the shared border including one or more shared edges;
• for each shared edge of the shared border between the first 3D object and the second 3D object, generating a comparative element indicating a relative edge resolution of the corresponding edges of the first 3D object and the second 3D object;
• for the shared border, generating a comparative index including a plurality of comparative elements for each shared edge of the shared border, the comparative index identifying a relative resolution for each edge of the shared border formed by a portion of the first 3D object;
• based on the generated comparative index, calling one of a plurality of pre-determined index buffers for the first 3D object, each pre-determined index buffer indicating a different subset of vertex data corresponding to a unique permutation of shared edges for the shared border of the first 3D object, the plurality of pre-determined index buffers generated and stored at the graphics storage machine prior to generating the comparative index;
• retrieving a subset of vertices from the graphics storage machine for the first 3D object based on the called pre-determined index buffer;
• rendering the first 3D object based on the retrieved subset of vertices indicated in the called pre-determined index buffer;
• and
• rendering the second 3D object.

A computing system, comprising:

• a central logic machine;
• a central storage machine;
• a graphics logic machine;
• and
• a graphics storage machine holding instructions executable by the graphics logic machine to:
• at the graphics storage machine, receive data for a first 3D object at a first resolution;
• at the graphics storage machine, receive data for a second 3D object at a second resolution, lower than the first resolution;
• for each shared border between the first 3D object and the second 3D object, generate a comparative index including a plurality of comparative elements for each shared edge of the shared border, the comparative index identifying relative resolutions for corresponding edges of the first and second 3D objects forming that shared edge;
• generate an adjusted version of the first 3D object based on one of a plurality of pre-determined index buffers corresponding to the generated comparative index and stored at the graphics storage machine, each pre-determined index buffer indicating a different subset of vertex data corresponding to a unique permutation of shared edges for the shared border of the first 3D object, each pre-determined index buffer generated and loaded into the graphics storage machine prior to identifying relative resolutions for corresponding edges of the first and second 3D objects, and wherein for at least some shared edges of the shared border, the resolution of the corresponding edge of the first 3D object is adjusted to be equal to the resolution of the corresponding edge of the second 3D object;
• render the adjusted version of the first 3D object based on a subset of vertices indicated in the pre-determined index buffer corresponding to the generated comparative index;
• and
• render the second 3D object.