Three approaches to terrain rendering

Three alternative approaches to terrain rendering are presented in historical order. Polyhedral computer graphics, image warping, and image ray tracing are compared in terms of their relative strengths and weaknesses. Image ray tracing is found to be superior for fully accurate rendering of continuously changing terrain. Image warping is superior for approximate rendering of gradually changing terrain. Polyhedral graphics is superior for fully accurate rendering of man-made objects superimposed on terrain