Question Is there any difference between billboards and imposters?

Is there any difference between billboards and imposters?

I'm considering using some assets to help increase the framerate within the game that I am developing and I see both terms used but I'm unsure if there any subtle differences between the two concepts or whether they are effectively the same.

Thank you

 

1. Billboards:
   
   • Definition: A billboard is a flat 2D texture that always faces the camera. This could be, for instance, an image of a tree or a cloud. They require fewer resources than full 3D models and allow for the optimization of scenes with a large number of objects.
2. Imposters:
   
   • Definition: An imposter is a slightly more complex version of a billboard. It's also a 2D image, but it's dynamically generated from various viewpoints to mimic a 3D object. As the player or camera moves around the object, the imposter updates to display the correct perspective. They offer a more realistic representation of objects compared to regular billboards, yet require fewer resources than full 3D models.

 

I have been pretty impressed with imposters for trees in some situations.