CGTalk - Last Elf, Piotr Fox Wysocki (3D)

CGTalk - Last Elf, Piotr Fox Wysocki (3D)

CGTalk - Theme Planet Lawyer, Michael Sormann (3D)

CGTalk - Theme Planet Lawyer, Michael Sormann (3D)

CGTalk - Moon Key, Olivier Ponsonnet (3D)

CGTalk - Moon Key, Olivier Ponsonnet (3D)

Technology: Heightmaps vs. Static meshes

Heightmaps: A grayscale image used to displace a mesh. Several textures are usually applied.
Pros: Low GPU usage, LOD, Allows creation of high-quality terrain
Cons: No overhanging
Best For: Large amounts of "base terrain", e.g., extra static meshes placed on the heightmap.

Static mesh: A true 3D mesh.
Pros: Allows for over-hanging
Cons: High GPU usage, Forces creation of low-poly terrain.
Best For: Cliffs, Objects, Buildings, etc.

Technology: Skyboxes, Skydomes, and Skyplanes

Skybox - A full cube mapped around the world geometry.
Pros: Full mapping; bottom of cube need not be hidden
Cons: Less realistic then alternate methods
Best For: General usage, Generic application

Skydome - A cube with no bottom (Is sometimes a half-sphere). Spherical texture mapping.
Pros: Most realistic
Cons: Most GPU-intensive, bottom of cube needs to be hidden, e.g. with terrain
Best For: Non-cosmos scenes, High realism applications

Skyplane - A flat plane placed above world geometry (Can sometimes be curved).
Pros: Best for some fog implementations, least GPU-intensive
Cons: All but top must be hidden
Best For: Valleys, Castles, Mountains, etc.