This invention relates generally to video games and more particularly, it relates to an improved three-dimensional, texture mapping display system for displaying three-dimensional projected polygons with texture maps on a two-dimensional raster display screen. In particular, the display system is adapted for use with video games to allow real-time animation of video game scenes with textured plane surfaces in a time period substantially less than that required in traditional display systems of this general type.
In the prior art display systems for displaying three-dimensional representations of images on a two-dimensional raster display screen of a cathode ray tube (CRT), it is generally desired to provide a mechanism for generating realistically textured surfaces in the image so that a general dimensional representational effect will be produced. In such conventional display systems for providing such an effect, this is achieved by some type of texture surface generator involving rather lengthy and complex arithmetic algorithms or mathematical computations to be performed, such as multiplication, division, addition, subtraction, and/or trigonometric function calculations.
Therefore, these prior art systems have a major disadvantage in that a user had to wait a considerable amount of time before the image could be displayed on the screen. Not only are the prior art display systems very time-consuming, the hardware circuits necessary to implement the various mathematical computations is very expensive.
Accordingly, it would therefore be desirable to provide an improved three-dimensional, texture mapping display system for displaying three-dimensional projected polygons with texture maps on a two-dimensional raster display screen which uses simplified algorithms involving only addition and subtraction operations and thus rendering a high operational speed.