Voxels

Voxels

A voxel is a volumetric pixel. It's basically a 3D pixel, a "volume element" so-to-speak. While a pixel only needs an x and y coordinate to define its location in a 2D environment, a voxel needs an additional z coordinate for its 3D environment.

Think of a voxel as a cube with the width, length, and depth of a single pixel. You could use voxels to create incredible detailed 3D objects just like creating a 2D image with pixels. Voxels sound great, but why aren't they more widely used? Well, think of each voxel as a single square polygon. Don't worry about the other faces, because simple voxel optimizations should ensure that voxel cubes will always face the observer. Yet even with optimizations, a 3D object made from voxels still contains an incredible amount of data. Current mainstream PC setups don't have the memory needed to render a 3D object made entirely form voxels. Oxygen owners please put down your hands, and stop looking so smug.

Recall from our previous Low Poly Love Doll example that Miss Arizona was created from only 998 polygons. The whole point of the contest is to create the best model using less than 1,000 polygons. High polygon models slow down games, and current hardware just isn't ready for the voxel.

Another drawback with voxels is that they have a predetermined size. Polygons have mathematically designed edges, and the line segments remain more or less straight no matter how close you examine them. On the other hand, a line created with voxels is defined voxel by voxel, and the line will begin to appear blocky the closer you get.