Rendering technique simulating light rays for realistic reflections, refractions, and shadows.
Definition
Ray Tracing follows light rays through a 3D scene to calculate physically accurate lighting, reflections, refractions, and shadows. Fundamental technique for photorealistic CGI.
Practical Application
Standard for film VFX rendering: Arnold, RenderMan, V-Ray. Real-Time Ray Tracing (RTX, Unreal 5) revolutionizes gaming and ICVFX. Hybrid with rasterization for performance.
Technical Details
Primary Rays: From camera through each pixel. Secondary Rays: Reflection, refraction, shadows, GI. Monte Carlo Sampling for soft effects. Acceleration structures (BVH) for performance. Denoising for efficient use.
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