
## Geodesic Polyhedron

Within Babylon.js a geodesic polyhedron (GDP) is formed for an icosahedron base and its vertices mapped onto a sphere. An icosahedron made 20 faces each a primary equilateral triangles. To form a GDP each face is split into further equilateral triangles forming an isometric grid. Before creating the GDP this grid can be rotated by an angle determined by the values of two parameters m and n both integers. When n is 0 no rotation of the grid takes place and the resulting GDP is an icosphere.

On this page we explain how to create a GDP directly. More information about [GDP Mathematics](/guidedLearning/workshop/Geodesic_Math) and [an outline of coding a GDP](/guidedLearning/workshop/Geodesic_Code) are available in the documentation workshop.

The format for creating a GDP very much matches that of `CreatePolyhedron`. A GDP can only be created with `MeshBuilder`.

## MeshBuilder

usage :

```javascript
const geodesic = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateGeodesic("geodesic", options, scene); //scene is optional and defaults to the current scene
```

| option          | value                                                                                              | default value                    |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| m               | _(number)_ an integer > 0                                                                          | 1                                |
| n               | _(number)_ a positive or zero integer &lt;= m                                                      | 0                                |
| size            | _(number)_ polyhedron size                                                                         | 1                                |
| sizeX           | _(number)_ X polyhedron size, overwrites the _size_ property                                       | 1                                |
| sizeY           | _(number)_ Y polyhedron size, overwrites the _size_ property                                       | 1                                |
| sizeZ           | _(number)_ Z polyhedron size, overwrites the _size_ property                                       | 1                                |
| faceColors      | _(Color4[])_ array of _Color4_, one per face                                                       | Color4(1, 1, 1, 1) for each side |
| faceUV          | _(Vector4[])_ array of _Vector4_, one per face                                                     | UVs(0, 0, 1, 1) for each side    |
| flat            | _(boolean)_ if false, a polyhedron has a single global face, _faceUV_ and _faceColors_ are ignored | true                             |
| updatable       | _(boolean)_ true if the mesh is updatable                                                          | false                            |
| sideOrientation | _(number)_ side orientation                                                                        | DEFAULTSIDE                      |

To understand how to set _faceUV_ or _faceColors_, please read about [Face Colors and Textures for a Box](/features/featuresDeepDive/materials/using/texturePerBoxFace) taking into account the right number of faces of your polyhedron.

## Examples

PG: <Playground id="#I8IENW" title="Geodesic Polyhedron" description="Vary shape with m and n"/>



## Goldberg Polyhedron

Within Babylon.js a Goldberg polyhedron (GBP) is formed as a dual of an icosahedron based geodesic polyhedron and its vertices mapped onto a sphere. The two parameters m and n used in forming the geodesic base also determine the arrangement of faces for the GBP.

![Dual](/img/snippets/geo31.png)  
Fig 1 - The red grid is the dual of the blue grid and vice-versa.

On this page we explain how to create a GBP directly. More information about [GBP Mathematics](/guidedLearning/workshop/Geodesic_Math) and the [first development stage of coding a GBP](/guidedLearning/workshop/Geodesic_Code) are available in the documentation workshop.

A GBP can only be created using `MeshBuilder`

A GBP consists of 12 pentagonal faces and a number of hexagonal faces determined by m and n. The option parameter when creating a GBP has different properties than those for `CreateGeodesic` or for `CreatePolyhedron`. However additional properties and methods, to those of a standard mesh, are available for a Goldberg mesh. These allow individual, or groups of pentagonal and hexagonal faces to be colored, textured or built upon giving a hexagon-grid planet shaped world.

The world consists of 12 poles, the pentagonal faces plus a number of hexagonal faces. Around each of the poles there is a group of hexagonal faces that are closer to one pole than the others. These are the unshared faces of the world. Depending on the value of the second parameter, **n**, there may be zero or more faces that are equidistant from two or even three poles. These are the shared faces.

![Faces](/img/snippets/geo32.png)  
Fig 2 - Poles are black, unshared faces are colored and shared faces are white.

The faces are stored in the following order

- the poles 0 to 11
- the unshared faces for pole 0, then for pole 1, pole 2 etc
- the shared faces come at the end

## MeshBuilder

usage :

```javascript
const goldbergPoly = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateGoldberg("goldberg", options, scene); //scene is optional and defaults to the current scene
```

| option          | value                                                             | default value |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------- |
| m               | _(number)_ an integer > 0                                         | 1             |
| n               | _(number)_ a positive or zero integer &lt;= m                     | 0             |
| size            | _(number)_ polyhedron size                                        | 1             |
| sizeX           | _(number)_ X axis polyhedron size, overwrites the _size_ property | 1             |
| sizeY           | _(number)_ Y axis polyhedron size, overwrites the _size_ property | 1             |
| sizeZ           | _(number)_ Z axis polyhedron size, overwrites the _size_ property | 1             |
| updatable       | _(boolean)_ true if the mesh is updatable                         | false         |
| sideOrientation | _(number)_ side orientation                                       | DEFAULTSIDE   |

## Additional Properties and Methods

### Properties

Over and above the features of a standard mesh there are a number of read only features stored in the property `goldbergData` object.

Access to each follows the following example patterns

```javascript
const goldbergPoly = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateGoldberg("goldberg", options);
const nbFaces = goldbergPoly.goldbergData.nbFaces;
const centerOfFace32 = goldbergPoly.goldbergData.faceCenters[32];
```

The following are all the properties of `goldbergData`

| Property        | Value                                                                |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| nbFaces         | _(number)_ Total number of faces in the GBP                          |
| nbFacesAtPole   | _(number)_ The pole plus the closest hexagons                        |
| nbUnsharedFaces | _(number)_ Total number of hexagonal faces closest to the poles      |
| nbSharedFaces   | _(number)_ Total number of faces equidistant to two poles            |
| adjacentFaces   | _(number[][])_ Array of the faces adjacent to a particular face      |
| faceCenters     | _(Vector3[])_ Array of centers of each face                          |
| faceYaxis       | _(Vector3[])_ Array of normals of each face                          |
| faceXaxis       | _(Vector3[])_ Array of vectors perpendicular to normal for each face |
| faceZaxis       | _(Vector3[])_ Array of vectors perpendicular to normal for each face |

The vector properties faceCenters[face], and faceXaxis[face], faceYaxis[face] and faceZaxis[face] can be used as a frame of reference to place meshes on the given face.

### Methods

#### Colors

Groups of faces can be colored using

```javascript
goldbergPoly.setGoldbergFaceColors(colorArray); //resets face colors whether the mesh is updatable or not
//or
goldbergPoly.updateGoldbergFaceColors(colorArray); //resets face colors only when the mesh is updatable
```

where `colorArray` is an array of elements of the form [start face, end face, Color4]

For example

```javascript
const colorArray = [
  [18, 18, new BABYLON.Color4(1, 0, 0, 1)], // color face 18 red
  [26, 37, new BABYLON.Color4(0, 1, 0, 1)], //color faces 26 to 37 inclusive green
];
```

PG: <Playground id="#A8VZGP#34" title="Color Faces" description="Coloring individual faces"/>

PG: <Playground id="#A8VZGP#106" title="Pick and Color" description="Pick a face and color red"/>

PG: <Playground id="#A8VZGP#36" title="Adjacent Faces" description="Faces immediately adjacent"/>

PG: <Playground id="#A8VZGP#37" title="Random Adjacent Faces" description="Moving from face to adjacent face"/>

#### Textures

Groups of faces can have their texture changed by using

```javascript
goldbergPoly.setGoldbergFaceUVs(uvArray); //resets face UVs whether the mesh is updatable or not
//or
goldbergPoly.updateGoldbergFaceUVs(uvArray); //resets face UVs only when the mesh is updatable
```

where `uvArray` is an array of elements of the form [start face, end face, center, radius, angle]

center is a Vector2 with 0 &le; x, &le; 1 and 0 &le; y &le; 1 giving the relative center of a pentagon/hexagon, within a image, of given radius and set at the given angle. The image used should be square to prevent distortion of the texture.

For example

```javascript
const uvArray = [
  [18, 18, new BABYLON.Vector2(0.25, 0.75), 0.25, 0], // updates the uvs for face 18 to match the vertices of the green hexagon in Fig 3
  [26, 37, new BABYLON.Vector2(0.625, 0.37), 0.37, Math.PI / 2], //updates the uvs for faces 26 to 37 to match the vertices of the red hexagon in Fig 3
];
```

For the poles pentagons are used to match the uvs.

![Face Texture](/img/snippets/geo33.png)  
Fig 3 - Areas of Image to Use as Face Textures

![Texture map](https://assets.babylonjs.com/environments/hexworld.jpg)  
Fig 4 - Texture Map to Apply to Different Faces

In the following playground different areas of the texture map from Fig 4 are applied to the 12 polar regions and to the shared faces

PG: <Playground id="#A8VZGP#38" title="Different Textures" description="The poles and their close neighbours share textures"/>

![Texture](https://assets.babylonjs.com/environments/redarrow.jpg)
Fig 5 - Same Texture for the Hexagonal Faces
In the following playground the same area is applied to all the hexagonal faces and a blank area to the poles.

PG: <Playground id="#A8VZGP#39" title="Angling Textures" description="Changing the angle of a texture area"/>

#### Placing Meshes

A mesh can be placed on a face using

```javascript
goldbergPoly.placeOnGoldbergFaceAt(mesh, face, position); //position is a Vector3
```

The position is relative to the center of the face and the axes, faceXaxis, faceYaxis and faceZaxis

For example
placing a box mesh on face 32

```javascript
const height = 2;
const width = 0.1;
const depth = 0.08;
const box = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateBox("box", { width: width, depth: depth, height: height });
const position = new BABYLON.Vector3(0.53, height / 2, 0.34);
goldbergPoly.placeOnGoldbergFaceAt(box, 32, position);
```

Meshes should be sized accoring to the size of the face. To keep a mesh within a face values for position.x and position.z should be between around &PlusMinus;radius of face \* &radic;3

PG: <Playground id="#A8VZGP#40" title="Placing Meshes" description="Land masses with buildings"/>

### Faces Related to a Pole

Since the faces are stored in the following order, the poles 0 to 11, the unshared faces closest to pole 0, then to pole 1, pole 2 etc and finally the shared faces, those equidistant from two or more poles, this can be used to find face numbers related to a particular pole.

For pole 0 &le; k &lt 12 you can determine the face number for the unshared faces closest to pole k using

```javascript
const faceNumb = goldbergPoly.relatedGoldBergFace(k, s); // 0 <= s < nbFacesAtPole
```

The unshared faces related to a pole are numbered in an anti-clockwise spiral around the pole.

For the shared faces you use

```javascript
const faceNumb = goldbergPoly.relatedGoldBergFace(n); //0 <= n < nbSharedFaces
```

missing out the second parameter. For n = 0 the face number returned is that of the first shared face, n = 1 that of the second shared face and so on.

## Importing An Exported Goldberg Mesh

Although a Goldberg mesh is a very specialized mesh Babylon.js supports the export and import of a Goldberg mesh using standard export and import methods.

## Example

A Goldberg mesh is exported to file.babylon.

```javascript
BABYLON.SceneLoader.ImportMeshAsync("", "PATH TO FOLDER", "file.babylon").then((result) => {
  const goldbergPoly = result.meshes[0];
});
```

PG: <Playground id="#A8VZGP#43" title="Import as a Goldberg Mesh" description="Additional properties and methods can also be applied"/>



## Icosphere
This a sphere based upon an icosahedron with 20 triangular faces which can be subdivided into smaller triangles.

## MeshBuilder
Usage:
```javascript
const icosphere = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateIcoSphere("icosphere", options, scene);
```

options|value|default value
--------|-----|-------------
radius|_(number)_ radius | 1
radiusX|_(number)_  the X radius, overwrites the radius value|radius
radiusY|_(Vector3)_  the Y radius, overwrites the radius value|radius
radiusZ|_(number)_ the Z radius, overwrites the radius value|radius
subdivisions|_(number)_ the number of subdivisions|4
flat|_(boolean)_ if true, the mesh faces have their own normals|true
updatable|_(boolean)_ true if the mesh is updatable|false
sideOrientation|_(number)_ side orientation|DEFAULTSIDE

##Examples 
Icosphere: <Playground id="#HC5FA8" title="Creating An Icosphere" description="Simple example of creating an icosphere."/>  
Smoothed Icossphere: <Playground id="#HC5FA8#2" title="Creating A Smoothed Icosphere" description="Simple example of creating a smoothed icosphere."/>
Less subdivisions and changed radii: <Playground id="#HC5FA8#3" title="Icosphere With Less Subdivisions" description="Simple example of creating an icosphere with less subdivisions and changed radii."/> 
Icosphere with animation over subdivisions: <Playground id="#E3TVT#1" title="Icosphere With Animation Over Subdivisions" description="Simple example of creating an icosphere with animation over subdivisions."/>

## Mesh
Usage:
```javascript
const icosphere = BABYLON.Mesh.CreateIcoSphere("icosphere", options, scene);
```
This is the same format as that for *MeshBuilder*

option	value	default value
option m	value (number) an integer > 0	default value 1
option n	value (number) a positive or zero integer <= m	default value 0
option size	value (number) polyhedron size	default value 1
option sizeX	value (number) X polyhedron size, overwrites the size property	default value 1
option sizeY	value (number) Y polyhedron size, overwrites the size property	default value 1
option sizeZ	value (number) Z polyhedron size, overwrites the size property	default value 1
option faceColors	value (Color4[]) array of Color4, one per face	default value Color4(1, 1, 1, 1) for each side
option faceUV	value (Vector4[]) array of Vector4, one per face	default value UVs(0, 0, 1, 1) for each side
option flat	value (boolean) if false, a polyhedron has a single global face, faceUV and faceColors are ignored	default value true
option updatable	value (boolean) true if the mesh is updatable	default value false
option sideOrientation	value (number) side orientation	default value DEFAULTSIDE

Geodesic Polyhedra

Geodesic Polyhedron

MeshBuilder

Examples

Further reading

Icospheres

Learn how to create icospheres in Babylon.js.

Provided Polyhedra

Learn the provided polyhedra in Babylon.js.

Geodesic and Goldberg Polyhedra Code Design

The Math used to build Geodesic and Goldberg Polyhedra

Geodesic and Goldberg Polyhedra Mathematics

The Math used to build Geodesic and Goldberg Polyhedra