Notes for Wednesday September 16 class -- Ray tracing, part 2

Implementing a ray tracer in a fragment shader

In class we showed how to implement a simple ray tracer, using the math that we developed in our previous class to ray trace to a sphere.

Our ray tracer renders the sphere, and also applies simple lighting and animated atmospheric effects, as well as procedural textures using a coherent noise function.

Homework

Due next Wednesday before the start of class

Create your own scene that consists of ray tracing to spheres.

You can start with the code we implemented in class.

Have fun with it. Here are some things you might try:

  • See if you can figure out how to ray trace to two or more spheres. Maybe you can create an interesting character.
  • Try to create other sorts of natural materials using the noise-based procedural texture. How about wood, or water, or clouds?
  • See if you can figure out how to create multiple light sources.
  • Create an alien planetscape.
  • Try anything else that inspires you.