What exactly are Polytopes? I know they have to do with collision detection, but how are they different than Bounding boxes? "There is humor in everything depending on which prespective you look from."

A polytope is a step up from a bounding box. It shape fits the object. Therefore leaving less space around the object than a bounding box. If we were talking 2d this is what a polytope might look like.


Polygon Box
--- ------
/ o \ | o |
| | | | | |
/ /\ \ | /\ |
------- -----

(the thing in the middle is a lame stick figure.)
Anyway a polytope is the 3d version of a 2d bounding polygon.


Edited by - evaclear on May 17, 2001 10:14:31 AM