CMU RayTracer, Version 6.0

Abstract

This report provides a brief manual for version 6.0, the first limited release of the CMU RayTracer. The CMU RayTracer is a complete implementation of Adaptiveiy Supersampled Distributed Ray Tracing with Octree Encoding for Texture Mapped Polygonal Models. This graphics ray tracing program, like its cousins at Comell, Bell Laboratories, and elsewhere, was intended to provide a testbed and research base which correctly incorporates the most recent "received views" in ray tracing for highly realistic graphics. It is the only ray tracing system of which we are aware that correctly incorporates the entire state of the art circa 1987. The novel elements of this program include (a) the only test combining "adaptively supersampled distributed ray tracing" with "octree and spatial enumeration encoding" (cf., (61) (b) the only program which by program switches compares "octree," "spatial enumeration" and "z-buffer" performance assuming bounding boxes; (c) the only program which texture maps surface normals for light bending effects as well as color effects; (d) a fast normal interpolation scheme for polygons of any number of edges; (e) all standard illumination models; (f) supported compatibility across a large number of machine types; (9) a scheme for ray-culling called "inclusion cones"; and (h) sphere, cone cylinder and plane normals inference.