article

BMRT: a global illumination implementation of the RenderMan standard

Authors:

James K. HahnAuthors Info & Claims

Journal of Graphics Tools, Volume 1, Issue 3

Pages 29 - 48

https://doi.org/10.1080/10867651.1996.10487462

Published: 11 February 1996 Publication History

Abstract

The RenderMan Interface specification proposed by Pixar is a standard for communication between modeling software and rendering software or devices. This standard has proven very powerful and is extremely popular in production work. Although the standard itself claims not to specify a rendering algorithm, people have speculated RenderMan and global illumination are mutually incompatible.We have implemented a rendering system which fully adheres to the RenderMan Interface and uses global illumination algorithms. Specifically, this implementation supports progressive refinement radiosity and distribution ray tracing in a two-pass approach. This rendering system is widely distributed, very popular, and has been used in production (three properties usually not found in global illumination renderers). We discuss how we overcame problems in mating global illumination algorithms with the RenderMan standard and make recommendations for future versions of the standard to better accommodate such algorithms. We also present a summary of important lessons we learned by creating and distributing this tool.

References

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{Apodaca 90} Anthony A. Apodaca, ed. The RenderMan Interface and Shading Language, SIGGRAPH '90 Course Notes #18. ACM, New York, 1990.

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{Apodaca 92} Anthony A. Apodaca, ed. Writing RenderMan Shaders, SIGGRAPH '92 Course Notes #21. ACM, New York, 1992.

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{Blinn 78} Jim Blinn. "Simulation of Wrinkled Surfaces." Computer Graphics, 12(3):286-292 (1978).

Digital Library

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{Cohen et al. 86} Michael F. Cohen, Donald P. Greenberg, Dave S. Immel, and Philip J. Brock. "An Efficient Radiosity Approach for Realistic Image Synthesis." IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, 6(3):75-84(March 1986).

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{Cohen et al. 88} Michael F. Cohen, Shenchang Eric Chen, John R. Wallace, and Donald P. Greenberg. "A Progressive Refinement Approach to Fast Radiosity Image Generation." Computer Graphics, 22(3):75-84(1988).

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{Cook et al. 87} Robert L. Cook, Loren Carpenter, and Edwin Catmull. "The Reyes Image Rendering Architecture." Computer Graphics, 21(4):95-102(1987).

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{Cook et al. 84} Robert L. Cook, Thomas Porter, and Loren Carpenter. "Distributed Ray Tracing." Computer Graphics, 18 (3): 137-145 (1984).

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{Gritz 93} Larry Gritz. Computing Specular-to-Diffuse Illumination for Two-Pass Rendering." Master's Thesis, Dept. of EE & CS, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, May 1993.

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{Hanrahan, Lawson 90} Pat Hanrahan and Jim Lawson. "A Language for Shading and Lighting Calculations." Computer Graphics, 24(4):289-298(August 1990).

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{Pixar 89} Pixar. The RenderMan Interface. Version 3.1 specification. September 1989.

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{Reeves et al. 87} William T. Reeves, David H. Salesin, and Robert L. Cook. "Rendering Antialiased Shadows with Depth Maps." Computer Graphics, 21(4):283-291(July 1987).

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{Shirley 91} Peter S. Shirley. Physically Based Lighting Calculations for Computer Graphics. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1991.

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{Slusallek 94} Philipp Slusallek, Thomas Pflaum, and Hans-Peter Seidel. "Implementing RenderMan: Practice, Problems and Enhancements." Computer Graphics Forum, Proceedings of Eurographics '94, 13(3):443-454(1994).

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{Upstill 89} Steve Upstill. The RenderMan Companion. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1989.

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{Wallace, Cohen 87} John R. Wallace, and Michael F. Cohen. "A Two-Pass Solution to the Rendering Equation: A Synthesis of Ray Tracing and Radiosity Methods." Computer Graphics, 21(4):311-320(1987).

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{Wallace et al. 89} John R. Wallace, K. A. Elmquist, and Eric A. Haines. "A Ray Tracing Algorithm for Progressive Radiosity." Computer Graphics, 23(3):315-324(July 1989).

Digital Library

Cited By

Stucki SAckermann P(2024)Physically-based Path Tracer using WebGPU and OpenPBRProceedings of the 29th International ACM Conference on 3D Web Technology10.1145/3665318.3677158(1-6)Online publication date: 25-Sep-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3665318.3677158
Pharr M(2018)Guest Editor’s IntroductionACM Transactions on Graphics10.1145/321251137:3(1-4)Online publication date: 27-Jul-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3212511
Christensen PFong JShade JWooten WSchubert BKensler AFriedman SKilpatrick CRamshaw CBannister MRayner BBrouillat JLiani M(2018)RenderManACM Transactions on Graphics10.1145/318216237:3(1-21)Online publication date: 7-Aug-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3182162
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Index Terms

BMRT: a global illumination implementation of the RenderMan standard
1. Computing methodologies
  1. Computer graphics
    1. Rendering
      1. Ray tracing
      2. Reflectance modeling
    2. Shape modeling
  2. Distributed computing methodologies
    1. Distributed programming languages
2. Software and its engineering
  1. Software notations and tools
    1. Context specific languages
      1. Domain specific languages
    2. Development frameworks and environments
      1. Application specific development environments

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cover image Journal of Graphics Tools

Journal of Graphics Tools Volume 1, Issue 3

1996

48 pages

ISSN:1086-7651

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A. K. Peters, Ltd.

United States

Publication History

Published: 11 February 1996

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Cited By

Stucki SAckermann P(2024)Physically-based Path Tracer using WebGPU and OpenPBRProceedings of the 29th International ACM Conference on 3D Web Technology10.1145/3665318.3677158(1-6)Online publication date: 25-Sep-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3665318.3677158
Pharr M(2018)Guest Editor’s IntroductionACM Transactions on Graphics10.1145/321251137:3(1-4)Online publication date: 27-Jul-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3212511
Christensen PFong JShade JWooten WSchubert BKensler AFriedman SKilpatrick CRamshaw CBannister MRayner BBrouillat JLiani M(2018)RenderManACM Transactions on Graphics10.1145/318216237:3(1-21)Online publication date: 7-Aug-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3182162
Kulla CConty AStein CGritz L(2018)Sony Pictures Imageworks ArnoldACM Transactions on Graphics10.1145/318049537:3(1-18)Online publication date: 1-Aug-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3180495
Djeu PHunt WWang RElhassan IStoll GMark W(2011)RazorACM Transactions on Graphics10.1145/2019627.201963430:5(1-26)Online publication date: 22-Oct-2011
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2019627.2019634
Karrenberg RRubinstein DSlusallek PHack SHensley JSlusallek PMcAllister DGribble C(2010)AnySLProceedings of the Conference on High Performance Graphics10.5555/1921479.1921495(97-105)Online publication date: 25-Jun-2010
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/1921479.1921495
Jarosz WJensen HDonner C(2008)Advanced global illumination using photon mappingACM SIGGRAPH 2008 classes10.1145/1401132.1401136(1-112)Online publication date: 11-Aug-2008
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1401132.1401136
Wald I(2005)The OpenRT-APIACM SIGGRAPH 2005 Courses10.1145/1198555.1198760(21-es)Online publication date: 31-Jul-2005
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1198555.1198760
Mark WFussell D(2005)Real-time rendering systems in 2010ACM SIGGRAPH 2005 Courses10.1145/1198555.1198758(19-es)Online publication date: 31-Jul-2005
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1198555.1198758
Kautz JSattler MSarlette RKlein RSeidel H(2004)Decoupling BRDFs from surface mesostructuresProceedings of Graphics Interface 200410.5555/1006058.1006080(177-182)Online publication date: 17-May-2004
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/1006058.1006080
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