Advanced Graphics Programming Using OpenGL

CHAPTER 17

Scene Realism

Although a number of fields of computer graphics, such as scientific visualization and CAD, don’t make creating realistic images a primary focus, it is an important goal for many others. Computer graphics in the entertainment industry often strives for realistic effects, and realistic rendering has always been a central area of research. A lot of image realism can be achieved through attention to the basics: using detailed geometric models, creating high-quality surface textures, carefully tuning lighting and material parameters, and sorting and clipping geometry to achieve artifact-free transparency. There are limits to this approach, however. Increasing the resolution of geometry and textures can rapidly become expensive ...