Features of the Merlin raytracer
Since the ray tracer includes so many features,
the description of what they all mean is not given here in detail.
The scene description file consists of all the
information required to render the scene. The type of information in this
file can be split into just a few types: 
viewing
information
global
definitions
object
information
lighting
information
rendering
information
Viewing information consists of the following:
eyepoint
look
point
upwards
vector direction
field
of view
Global definitions consist of:
colours
vectors
surface
descriptions (ambient, diffuse and specular colours, coefficients of specular
reflection, reflectivity, transparancy, refraction, translucency and specular
transmission)
atmospheric
conditions (fog and mist)
Primitive and Object description require the use
of transformations which can be any combination of one or more of the following:
translation
rotation
scaling
matrix
transform
Primitive and Object descriptions require the use
of textures which can be any of the following:
bump
checker
blotch
fractal
map
fractal
bump map
marble
wood
picture
crack
mottle
spot
tile
rough
Primitive object information can be any one of the
following with a pre-defined surface, and the option of a transformation
of some kind, and a texture.
sphere
flat
triangle
phong
triangle
planar
surface
n sided
polygon
cone
box
cylinder
superquadric
surface
blob
Object information consists of any number of the
following:
primitive
objects
other
objects
transformations
texturing
information
storage
type (list or voxel grid)
Lighting information consists of any number of the
following lights at a specified brightness and at any position:
point
light source
area
or extended light source
directional
(from infinity) light source
Rendering information consists of:
image
size or resolution
background
colour
format
of output file
maximum
bounces per ray
maximum
effect from a ray (cutoff threshold)
anti-aliasing
method (adaptive, jittered or none)
camera
and focussing information (aperture, focal distance)
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Last updated 26 March 1998 ¦ Fave
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