<p>If the terrain is indeed represented by a 3D mesh as it looks like in the images, then I'm not aware of any specific terminology (and I dont believe there might be one).</p>
<p>I could say it was similar to a faceted shading model, but shading looks very rudimentary and lighting computations might not exist at all.</p>
<p>In case you intend to replicate these looks, I'm afraid you already hinted how to proceed very low-polygon non-textured meshes and no lighting.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-23T21:39:44.260Z
2020-08-23T21:39:44.260Z
Kareshi
<p>I'd like to try to write some C code to create similar animated graphics to these, which are from a very old Commodore 64 game called &quot;The Sentinel&quot;.  I've been researching but I can't seem to find if there is terminology that would lead me to information/algorithms on how to implement this sort of thing.  Does anyone know what terminology relates to this sort of super low poly/resolution terrain generation?</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/E11OT.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/E11OT.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/A3Dw9.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/A3Dw9.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/2xK65.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/2xK65.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/anhVJ.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/anhVJ.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-23T08:06:42.463Z
https://retrocomputing.stackexchange.com/ - people there might know more about it.
DirectX_Programmer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-23T19:57:49.740Z
Could it be Toon Shading or Cel Shading (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cel_shading)
Vectorizer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-24T05:23:26.160Z
Look up painters algorithm
joojaa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-26T08:21:29.460Z
The terrain itself is looks like a "height map grid", although I don't think there is a standard term for it.
PaulHK
<3d>
Is there a term for this sort of graphics?
Duke Dougal
# Is there a term for this sort of graphics?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-08-23)

I'd like to try to write some C code to create similar animated graphics to these, which are from a very old Commodore 64 game called "The Sentinel". I've been researching but I can't seem to find if there is terminology that would lead me to information/algorithms on how to implement this sort of thing. Does anyone know what terminology relates to this sort of super low poly/resolution terrain generation?

thanks

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/E11OT.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/E11OT.png)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/A3Dw9.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/A3Dw9.jpg)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/2xK65.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/2xK65.png)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/anhVJ.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/anhVJ.jpg)

**Tags:** 3d

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: https://retrocomputing.stackexchange.com/ - people there might know more about it.  
> **username_2**: Could it be Toon Shading or Cel Shading (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cel_shading)  
> **username_3**: Look up painters algorithm  
> **username_4**: The terrain itself is looks like a "height map grid", although I don't think there is a standard term for it.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2020-08-23. Score: 3

If the terrain is indeed represented by a 3D mesh as it looks like in the images, then I'm not aware of any specific terminology (and I dont believe there might be one).

I could say it was similar to a faceted shading model, but shading looks very rudimentary and lighting computations might not exist at all.

In case you intend to replicate these looks, I'm afraid you already hinted how to proceed very low-polygon non-textured meshes and no lighting.


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