Demand-Driven Geometry Transmission for Distributed Virtual Environments

We present a strategy for rendering in distributed virtual environments. A geometry database is maintained by a server, while users invoke individual clients to interact with the environment. Instead of downloading a complete copy of the geometry data, the data is distributed on demand, thus gaining signifcant savings in network bandwidth. Our strategy combines several techniques, including levels of detail, progressive refinement and graceful degradation to deliver the data “just in time” over the network to the rendering process. The method allows operate on a tight resource budget, which important if attempting to use low cost systems for virtual reality applications.