Edge loops

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Edge loops are a 3D modeling concept that allows relatively little geometry to convey relatively large amounts of spatial information in a given mesh object. This determines the “flow” of geometry over a surface, and usually has an influence over the placement of surface detail and direction of the object’s contours.

The concept behind edge loops began originally as a requirement of low polygonal objects created on computer based programs as early as the 1980s. Since then, computer graphics pioneers such as Discreet-Autodesk (the makers of 3D Studio Max) and Alias Systems Corporation (formerly Alias|Wavefront, makers of Maya) have pushed modeling even further, making edge loops more of a method of intelligent design and optimization rather than a hard and fast requirement of the industry.

In the future, edge-loops may no longer be required at all. As computers steadily ramp up the number of polygons per object created, edge loops may become redundant.^{[citation needed]}