3DLABS Permedia3 - Manual (Page 33)

Terms and Definitions
Appendix B - Glossary 26
Stipple masking
A technique that spatially creates transparent effects by rendering an object through various
patterns.
Streaming SIMD
An instruction set developed by Intel for Pentium III-processor based systems. Streaming
SIMD can improve 3D vertice transformation and lighting, among other operations.
SVGA
Super Video Graphics Array. SVGA runs at 800 x 600.
Tessellation
The initial part of the 3D pipeline where the object is described by a set of triangles.
Texture Mapping
A technique that enables 2D graphic images to be “wrapped” around or “pasted” on to a 3D
primitive. Perspective correction and lighting calculations allow for added realism.
Transformation
The change in rotation, size and perspective of an object in 3D space.
Transparency
A function that refers to the rendering of transparent (non-opaque) objects. Transparency is
generally accomplished on a polygon rendering system using either screen-door transparency
or alpha blending.
Vectors/second
Lines drawn per second.
VGA
Video Graphics Array. VGA runs at 640 x 480.
VHR
Very High Resolution. VHR runs at 1280 x 1024.
VRAM
Video Random Access Memory is an expensive, fast type of RAM that is used as display
memory on high-end graphics boards.
VRML
Virtual Reality Modeling Language.
Z-Buffer
Z-Buffering is used to better define objects from the perspective of the third, or z, axis by
allotting a depth coefficient to every pixel and sorting objects in real times or by using a
dedicated z-buffer to hold objects not in view.