Real-Time GPU Tree Generation

Abstract
Trees for real-time media are typically created using procedural algorithms and then baked to a polygon format, requiring large amounts of memory. We propose a novel procedural system and model for generating and rendering realistic trees and similar vegetation specifically tailored to run in real-time on GPUs. By using GPU work graphs with mesh nodes, we render gigabytes-worth of tree geometry from kilobytes of generation code every frame exclusively on the GPU. Contrary to prior work, our method combines instant in-engine artist authoring, continuous frame-specific level of detail and tessellation, highly detailed animation, and seasonal details like blossoms, fruits, and snow. Generating the unique tree geometries of our teaser test scene and rendering them to the G-buffer takes 3.13 ms on an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX.
Description

CCS Concepts: Computing methodologies → Rendering; Mesh geometry models; Parallel algorithms

        
@inproceedings{
10.2312:hpg.20251168
, booktitle = {
High-Performance Graphics - Symposium Papers
}, editor = {
Knoll, Aaron
and
Peters, Christoph
}, title = {{
Real-Time GPU Tree Generation
}}, author = {
Kuth, Bastian
and
Oberberger, Max
and
Faber, Carsten
and
Pfeifer, Pirmin
and
Tabaei, Seyedmasih
and
Baumeister, Dominik
and
Meyer, Quirin
}, year = {
2025
}, publisher = {
The Eurographics Association
}, ISSN = {
2079-8687
}, ISBN = {
978-3-03868-291-2
}, DOI = {
10.2312/hpg.20251168
} }
Citation