System and method for run-time integration of an inset geometry into a background geometry

A method for integrating an inset geometry within a background geometry, comprising;

• identifying a perimeter of the inset geometry;
• preparing a polygon skirt generally conforming to the perimeter of the inset geometry and extending out over the background geometry;
• clipping the geometry of the polygon skirt against the background geometry;
• providing a first polygon wall having shared top vertices with the perimeter of the inset geometry and located beneath the surface of the inset geometry, where bottom vertices of the first polygon wall are shifted outward from the inset geometry;
• and
• providing a second polygon wall with top vertices shared with the polygon skirt and the bottom vertices shifted inward toward the inset geometry, whereby any gaps are concealed between the inset geometry and the background geometry during display.

A method for integrating an inset geometry within a background geometry in a video graphics display system, comprising:

• determining a perimeter geometry of the inset geometry;
• defining a skirt geometry to match the perimeter geometry of the inset geometry and the skirt geometry extends out to the background geometry;
• joining the geometry of the inset geometry to the skirt geometry to form a boundary region between the inset geometry and the skirt geometry;
• covering the boundary region to prevent gaps from being exposed during display;
• and
• displaying the inset geometry and skirt geometry within the background geometry.

A method for inserting an inset terrain within a larger scale terrain for a computer simulated environment, comprising:

• determining a perimeter geometry of the inset terrain during runtime;
• defining a polygon skirt of substantially the same geometry as the perimeter geometry of the inset terrain and the polygon skirt is attached to the larger scale terrain;
• joining the inset terrain to the defined polygon skirt yielding a perimeter boundary region between the inset terrain and the polygon skirt;
• arranging a plurality of polygons on the side of the perimeter boundary region that is not intended to be viewed, to prevent gaps from being exposed during display;
• and
• displaying the inset terrain within the larger scale terrain.

A method for incorporating an inset geometry into a background geometry within a computer graphics system, the method comprising the steps of:

• constructing a skirt with skirt polygons, around a perimeter of the inset geometry with the skirt extending out to the background geometry;
• constructing a cutter polygon from outside perimeter vertices of the skirt;
• removing portions of the background geometry that are surrounded by the cutter polygon;
• clipping the skirt polygons against background polygons in the background geometry so that the polygons in the skirt overlay the background polygons to form clipped skirt fragment polygons;
• computing updated vertex coordinates in a projection direction for the clipped skirt fragment polygons;
• constructing a first drop wall with top vertices that are shared with perimeter vertices of the inset geometry;
• constructing a second drop wall with top vertices that are shared with the skirt polygons along the perimeter of the inset geometry;
• and
• intersecting the first drop wall with the second drop wall to prevent visual anomalies along the perimeter of the inset geometry.