Interactive Ray Tracing
Published:
Interactive Ray Tracing
Team members: Yanling Hua, Ziyin Peng, Viviana Rinaldi
Tools: OpenGL · GLSL · C++ · CPU-based Rendering
Course: EDAN35 Computer Graphics, Lund University
Project Overview
Ever wondered how realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows are achieved in modern 3D environments?
Our Interactive Ray Tracing project brings those ideas to life by transforming a traditional ray tracing engine into an interactive and educational experience.
Inspired by Peter Shirley’s Ray Tracing in One Weekend series and enriched with OpenGL-based implementations, we created a CPU-driven real-time ray tracing application where users can manipulate the scene and visualize the effects of light and material interactions dynamically.
This isn’t just a renderer — it’s a sandbox for learning how light behaves.
Key Features
Real-Time CPU Ray Tracing Engine
- Ray-sphere and ray-quad intersection detection
- Lambertian, metal, and dielectric materials
- Recursive ray tracing with adjustable depth
- Basic Perlin noise textures and procedural generation
- Rendering scenes pixel-by-pixel, entirely on CPU
Interactive GUI
Our custom user interface gives users full control over the rendering process:
- Preview Mode: Move the camera with keyboard inputs in a low-sample fast mode
- Default Mode: High-quality rendering with anti-aliasing
- Sliders & Toggles for:
- Ray depth
- Sampling rate
- Exposure level
- Defocus blur settings
- Motion blur switch
A Variety of Scenes
We built six visually distinct scenes to showcase different visual effects and ray tracing concepts:
| Scene | Description |
|---|---|
| Simple Light | Basic scene with diffuse lights and Perlin texture |
| Quads | Flat shaded objects with preview-enabled camera |
| Cornell Box | Classic boxed scene with soft lighting |
| Two Spheres | Checker texture with Lambertian shading |
| Random Spheres | Randomized materials and optional motion blur |
| Final Scene | Mixed elements: varied heights, textures, blur, and light |
More details and visuals can be found in the project report.