LOD
Level of Detail
Also known as: Level of Detail · LODs
Definition
LOD (Level of Detail) is the technique of swapping a mesh for progressively simpler versions as the camera moves further away. A typical chain has LOD0 (full quality, close-up), LOD1 (50% triangles, mid-range), LOD2 (25%, distant), LOD3 (billboarded sprite, far horizon). Without LODs, distant assets waste GPU drawing detail no player can see.
In production
Generate LODs manually for hero assets to preserve silhouette; use automatic tools (Blender Decimate, UE5 Nanite, Simplygon) for background props. Foliage LOD chains often end in a 2-triangle billboard impostor. LOD transition distances are tuned per-asset in the engine — Unreal Engine 5's LOD system exposes a "screen size" threshold rather than a raw distance, so a large building and a small crate switch LODs at different real-world distances but the same apparent screen coverage. A well-known artefact is "LOD popping," a visible snap as a mesh switches detail levels; studios mask this with dithered cross-fade transitions (Unreal's "LOD Crossfade") or by aligning LOD swaps with camera cuts and fog distance so the pop is hidden. Nanite sidesteps discrete LOD authoring entirely for static meshes by streaming a continuous level of detail from a cluster hierarchy, but skeletal meshes, foliage, and translucent materials still require a traditional hand-authored or Simplygon-generated LOD chain, typically LOD0 through LOD3-4 for a hero character.
