MSAA stands for Multisample Anti-Aliasing, which is a technique used in computer graphics to enhance the visual quality of rendered images by reducing jagged edges or aliasing artifacts.
Aliasing occurs when a computer-generated image appears jagged or pixelated due to the limited resolution of the display device. MSAA is designed to address this issue by smoothing out the edges of objects and improving the overall visual fidelity.
In MSAA, the image is divided into small grid-like regions called samples or sub-pixels. Multiple samples are taken per pixel, typically four or eight, and the colors of these samples are averaged to produce the final pixel color. This sampling process reduces the jaggedness or stair-stepping effect, resulting in a smoother appearance.
Unlike other anti-aliasing techniques that blur the entire image, MSAA focuses only on the edges where aliasing occurs, preserving the sharpness of the rest of the image. This targeted approach helps maintain a high level of detail while still reducing visual artifacts.
MSAA is widely used in real-time computer graphics applications, such as video games, where maintaining high frame rates is crucial. It strikes a balance between visual quality and performance by offering smoother edges without significantly impacting rendering speed.
Overall, MSAA is a graphics rendering technique that reduces aliasing artifacts by taking multiple samples per pixel and averaging their colors, resulting in a smoother and more visually appealing image.
