Wallmerging

Wallmerging is a term used in computer graphics and game development to describe a technique for optimizing texture memory usage. It involves combining multiple smaller textures into a single, larger texture. This process is often performed during the development or build phase of a project. The primary benefit of wallmerging is to reduce the number of texture binds that the graphics hardware needs to perform. Each texture bind can incur a performance cost, so fewer binds can lead to smoother frame rates, especially in applications with many different textures.

The implementation of wallmerging can vary. Some systems might automatically arrange textures onto a larger atlas, while others may require manual intervention. When combining textures, care must be taken to manage texture coordinates (UVs) correctly. The UV coordinates of the original smaller textures need to be remapped to correspond to their new positions within the larger merged texture. This ensures that the correct parts of the merged texture are displayed on the corresponding 3D models or sprites.

While effective for reducing texture binds, wallmerging can have some potential drawbacks. If not done efficiently, the resulting larger texture might not be fully utilized, leading to wasted memory. Furthermore, if the merged texture is excessively large, it might exceed hardware texture memory limits or cause performance issues related to memory bandwidth. Therefore, developers often employ strategies to create atlases that are sized appropriately for the target platform and the specific needs of the application.