[Bf-committers] Adding Global illumination+Caustics to blender (Farsthary)

[echelon at infomail.upr.edu.cu]

Hi all!

 In my free free time (because in my free time im doing volumetrics ;)
 I have started the implementation of a photon mapper for blender render
internal, it basically allows add support for Global illumination and
Caustics.

 I currently have near all the photonmap framework but need to solve the
photon map creation process inside blender (blender dependant) and still
need to thinker a bit more in the raytracer code.

 I will open another blog for that project since is different from
volumetrics (I will call it True GI to follow my line ;), I think GI and
caustics are an important adition to the render and a natural extension
to it. curently blender support radiosity,ambient occlusion and
aproximated ambient occlusion,and in development Screen Space Global
illumination, all of those methods have their strong points and this
project is just another tool, not an attempt to replace any of those
excelent implementations.

 Im only informing,the test I have made currently are structural but I
could sure that is very doable in smaller time than volumetrics that
still need development,so I ask a little patience.
 As soon as I have the first drafts of it I will open the blog and inform
to the world.

          Im very happy about it :) , im learning a lot in the process and
I have fun.

 As in my firsts mails about volumetrics, when everything was very
vaporous and seemed like a joke I will finish this saying that:
  I can´t promess yet, but what I could sure for now is my interest and
will to make it possible.

                                    Raul fernandez Hernandez (Farsthary)