Procedural texture

Abstract: Modern laser range and optical scanners need rendering techniques that can handle millions of points with high resolution textures. This paper describes a point rendering and texture filtering technique called surface splatting which directly renders opaque and transparent surfaces from point clouds without connectivity. It is based on a novel screen space formulation of the Elliptical Weighted Average (EWA) filter. Our rigorous mathematical analysis extends the texture resampling framework of Heckbert to irregularly spaced point samples. To render the points, we develop a surface splat primitive that implements the screen space EWA filter. Moreover, we show how to optimally sample image and procedural textures to irregular point data during pre-processing. We also compare the optimal algorithm with a more efficient view-independent EWA pre-filter. Surface splatting makes the benefits of EWA texture filtering available to point-based rendering. It provides high quality anisotropic texture filtering, hidden surface removal, edge anti-aliasing, and order-independent transparency.

Abstract: Two deficiencies in the original Noise algorithm are corrected: second order interpolation discontinuity and unoptimal gradient computation. With these defects corrected, Noise both looks better and runs faster. The latter change also makes it easier to define a uniform mathematical reference standard.

Abstract: Part I Basics 1. Rendering polygonal objects Part II Theoretical Foundations 2. The theory and practice of light/object interaction 3. The theory and practice of parametric representation techniques 4. The theory and practice of anti-aliasing techniques Part III Advanced Rendering Techniques: Approaches, Applications and Algorithms 5. Shadow generation techniques 6. Mapping techniques: texture and environment mapping 7. Procedural texture mapping and modelling 8. Ray tracing I: basic recursive ray tracing 9. Ray tracing II: practical ray tracing 10. Ray tracing III: advanced ray tracing models 11. Radiosity methods 12. Global illumination models 13. Volume rendering techniques 14. Advanced rendering interfaces: shading languages and RenderMan Part IV Advanced Animation 15. Overview and low-level motion specification 16. Animating articulated structures 17. Soft object animation 18. Procedural animation Reference Index

Abstract: Solid texturing is a powerful way to add detail to the surface of rendered objects. Perlin’s “noise” is a 3D basis function used in some of the most dramatic and useful surface texture algorithms. We present a new basis function which complements Perlin noise, based on a partitioning of space into a random array of cells. We have used this new basis function to produce textured surfaces resembling flagstone-like tiled areas, organic crusty skin, crumpled paper, ice, rock, mountain ranges, and craters. The new basis function can be computed efficiently without the need for precalculation or table storage.