Whats going on: Texture MIP Streaming
SU5.1 deals, among other things, with the solution to memory issues. This is the imo most leading one. Texture MIP streaming is an optimization technique in video games that drastically reduces the required amount of video memory (VRAM) and loading times. This is achieved by storing textures in multiple resolutions (mipmaps) and loading only the resolution that is needed by the camera at that moment. Here is an overview of how it works and the pros and cons:
How it works
When you move through a game, the engine uses specific versions of a texture based on how close or far away the object is. Instead of keeping the heaviest texture permanently in your video memory, MIP streaming does the following:
- Low resolution immediately: The object first receives a fast, blurry texture of lower quality.
High resolution streaming: As you get closer or the engine has space in memory, the sharper, final texture is loaded from your storage (for example, an SSD). - Advantages
- Saves VRAM:
It significantly reduces the load on your graphics card. - Fewer lags:
It prevents crashes and stuttering in games with large, open worlds. - Better scalability:
It makes games playable on systems with less video memory. - Disadvantages
“Texture Pop-in”: You may notice that textures take a long time to become sharp. Players sometimes refer to this as it looking like an “old game” for a moment. - Storage strain:
Because data is constantly being loaded, more is being read from your hard drive or SSD.