This post is the second update for the GPU Pathtracer project!

Since the last update, Peter and I added an interactive camera to the renderer to allow realtime movement around the scene! We also had our Alpha Review, which went quite well, and Peter implemented a reflection model. Initially the reflection model used was Schlick’s Approximation, but later Peter replaced that with the full Fresnel equations. I also added super-sampled anti-aliasing for a smoother image.

The posts for this update:

1. Interactivity and Moveable Camera: We can move around the scene!
2. Alpha Review Presentation: Slides and other stuff from our Alpha Review
3. Specular Reflection Test: The first test with Shlick’s Approximation
4. Fresnel Reflections: Some details on our reflection model
5. Abstract Art: Some fun buggy renders Peter produced while debugging
6. Anti-Aliasing: Super-sampled anti-aliasing!

A nice image from the last post:

Check the posts for tons of details, images, and even some video!

Here’s the first progress update/blog digest for the MultiFluids project!

Dan and I started by taking our starting framework and tearing it down to its core. We then rebuilt the base code up with our own custom additions, leaving just the core solver intact. From there, we started building some of the basic features our project will require!

Here are the posts for this update:

1. Framework Improvements and Particles with Properties: Tearing the base code down to the ground and rebuilding it better, faster, and with more features
2. Bounding Volumes & Lesson 1: Don’t just assume base code is perfect: Dan discovers some flaws in the base code!
3. Multiple Arbitrary Bounding Volumes: All-important object interaction

A frame from one of our test videos:

Check the posts for details and videos!

Here’s the first progress summary/blog digest for the GPU Pathtracer project!

Over the past few days, Peter and I established our framework, got random number generation working on the GPU, built an accumulator, figured out parallelized camera ray projection, got spherical intersection tests working, and got a basic path-traced image!

Here are the posts for this update:

1. Random Number Generation: Fun with parallelized random number generators and seeding
2. First Rays on the GPU: Parallel raycasting!
3. Accumulating Iterations: The heart of any monte-carlo based renderer
4. We Have Path Tracing: First working renders!

Here’s an image from our very first working render! More soon!

For both MultiFluids and the GPU Pathtracer, we will be making our source code accessibly to all on Github!

Of course commercial coding projects and whatnot have very good reasons for keeping their source code locked down and proprietary, but open source is something I very strongly believe in. Open code allows other people to see what one does and give feedback and suggestions for improvement, and also allows other people interested in similar projects to potentially learn and build off of. Everybody wins!

The MultiFluids repository can be found here: https://github.com/betajippity/MultiFluids

The GPU Pathtracer repository can be found here: https://github.com/peterkutz/GPUPathTracer/

…and of course, the relevant blog posts:

GPU Pathtracer: http://gpupathtracer.blogspot.com/2012/03/github-repository.html

MultiFluids: http://chocolatefudgesyrup.blogspot.com/2012/03/github-and-windowsosx.html