Built a ray tracing engine in C++ to learn fundamental computer graphics algorithms and mathematical concepts behind photorealistic rendering. The project focuses on implementing core ray tracing techniques from scratch without external graphics libraries.
Core Implementation:
- Ray-Object Intersection: Mathematics for ray-sphere and ray-plane intersection calculations
- Camera System: Perspective projection and viewport setup for 3D scene rendering
- Vector Operations: 3D vector mathematics library for position, direction, and color calculations
- Material System: Different surface materials including diffuse, metal, and dielectric properties
- Scene Management: Object hierarchy and hit detection for complex 3D scenes
Rendering Features:
- Antialiasing: Multiple sampling techniques for smooth edge rendering
- Lighting Models: Lambertian diffuse reflection and specular highlights
- Color Blending: RGB color space operations and gamma correction
- Image Output: PPM file format generation for rendered images
Mathematical Concepts:
- Linear Algebra: Vector dot products, cross products, and normalization
- Ray-Surface Intersection: Quadratic equation solving for sphere intersections
- Reflection Laws: Physics-based light reflection and refraction calculations
- Random Sampling: Monte Carlo methods for realistic light scattering
Learning Outcomes: Understanding of fundamental computer graphics principles, 3D mathematics, and the physics of light transport in virtual environments.