Hacker News with Generative AI: Computer Graphics

Maze Generation: Recursive Division (2011) (jamisbuck.org)
A novel method for generating fractal-like mazes is presented, with sample code and an animation

Maze Generation, Algorithms, Computer Graphics, Programming, Fractals

17 points by homarp 3 days ago | 3 comments

Physically Based Rendering: From Theory to Implementation (pbr-book.org)
Photorealistic computer graphics are ubiquitous in today's world, widely used in movies and video games as well as product design and architecture.

Computer Graphics, Rendering, 3D Modeling, Visual Effects

211 points by ahamez 4 days ago | 63 comments

From ASCII to ASIC: Porting donut.c to a tiny slice of silicon (a1k0n.net)
For many years after coming up with donut.c, I wondered in the back of my mind if it could be simplified somehow, like maybe there was a way to raytrace a donut with a small chunk of code. In October 2023, I tweeted a dumb random epiphany where I figured out another way to do it which requires no memory, no sines or cosines, no square roots, no divisions, and technically, not even any multiplications.

Programming, Hardware, Computer Graphics

162 points by a1k0n 5 days ago | 25 comments

B800 Text (shikadi.net)
B800 Text is a text-mode screen dump, and under x86 real mode (such as used by DOS) can be copied byte for byte into video memory starting at B800:0000, causing the data to appear on the screen when the video card is in text mode.

Computer Graphics, Operating Systems, DOS

3 points by susam 10 days ago | 0 comments

Nvidia Blackwell GeForce RTX 50 Series Opens New World of AI Computer Graphics (nvidia.com)
CES—NVIDIA today unveiled the most advanced consumer GPUs for gamers, creators and developers — the GeForce RTX™ 50 Series Desktop and Laptop GPUs.

Nvidia, Graphics Cards, Artificial Intelligence, Gaming, Computer Graphics

76 points by OnlineInference 11 days ago | 23 comments

How to draw an outline in a video game (ameye.dev)
Rendering outlines is a technique that is often used in games either for aesthetic reasons or for supporting gameplay by using it for highlights and selections around an object.

Game Development, Computer Graphics, Rendering

555 points by alexanderameye 14 days ago | 70 comments

The Invention of Battlezone (2022) (ieee.org)
Three-dimensional displays first appeared on computer screens in the 1960s, and very large machines could manipulate those images in real time, but it was not until 1980 that a video-game player could maneuver at will through an imaginary landscape, wreaking havoc until brought to an untimely end by enemy tanks.

Video Games, History, Technology, Computer Graphics

44 points by ycnews 14 days ago | 12 comments

VoxelSpace: Terrain rendering algorithm in less than 20 lines of code (2020) (github.com/s-macke)
Let us go back to the year 1992. The CPUs were 1000 times slower than today and the acceleration via a GPU was unknown or unaffordable. 3D games were calculated exclusively on the CPU and the rendering engine rendered filled polygons with a single color.

Terrain Rendering, Algorithm, Computer Graphics, Programming, Retro Computing

339 points by lnyan 14 days ago | 87 comments

Ray Tracing in One Weekend (raytracing.github.io)
I’ve taught many graphics classes over the years. Often I do them in ray tracing, because you are forced to write all the code, but you can still get cool images with no API. I decided to adapt my course notes into a how-to, to get you to a cool program as quickly as possible. It will not be a full-featured ray tracer, but it does have the indirect lighting which has made ray tracing a staple in movies.

Computer Graphics, Programming, Ray Tracing, Tutorials

110 points by bjourne 16 days ago | 14 comments

Sub-pixel distance transform (2023) (acko.net)
This page includes diagrams in WebGPU, which has limited browser support. For the full experience, use Chrome on Windows or Mac, or a developer build on other platforms.

Computer Graphics, Image Processing, WebGPU

183 points by ChadNauseam 22 days ago | 25 comments

Show HN: I've made a Monte-Carlo raytracer for glTF scenes in WebGPU (github.com/lisyarus)
This is a GPU "software" raytracer (i.e. using manual ray-scene intersections and not RTX) written using the WebGPU API. It expects a single glTF scene as input. It supports flat-colored and textured materials with albedo, normal, and material maps. It doesn't support refraction (yet).

WebGPU, 3D Graphics, Ray Tracing, Computer Graphics, Software

131 points by lisyarus 22 days ago | 37 comments

CRT Simulation in a GPU Shader, Looks Better Than Black Frame Insertion (blurbusters.com)
Who Is this for? CRT Enthusiasts, software & hardware developers, emulator authors, all of who wish to reduce display motion blur of 60 years of legacy 60fps 60Hz content with softer flicker than BFI.

Computer Graphics, Gaming, Display Technology, Emulation

222 points by bangonkeyboard 24 days ago | 88 comments

Infinigen: Infinite Photorealistic Worlds Using Procedural Generation (github.com/princeton-vl)
Infinigen: Infinite Photorealistic Worlds Using Procedural Generation

Procedural Generation, Computer Graphics, Artificial Intelligence, Gaming

293 points by KolmogorovComp 27 days ago | 33 comments

Lou's Pseudo 3D Page (2013) (extentofthejam.com)
Now that every system can produce graphics consisting of a zillion polygons on the fly, why would you want to do a road the old way? Aren't polygons the exact same thing, only better? Well, no. It's true that polygons lead to less distortion, but it is the warping in these old engines that give the surreal, exhillerating sense of speed found in many pre-polygon games.

Retro Gaming, 3D Graphics, Video Games, Computer Graphics

160 points by whereistimbo 31 days ago | 23 comments

Building Real-Time Global Illumination: Part 1 (jason.today)
Global illumination is about how light interacts with surfaces. When you turn a light on in your room at night, it's not a small glowing orb. It spreads to the walls, the floor, and the ceiling, breathing life into the room. Desks, doors, and objects cast shadows, softening as they stretch away.

Computer Graphics, Lighting, 3D Rendering

12 points by thunderbong 31 days ago | 0 comments

The XOR Texture (2004) (lodev.org)
The XOR texture is a very easy to generate texture that looks fine.

Computer Graphics, Textures, Programming

227 points by doener 31 days ago | 49 comments

Visualizing 6D Mesh Parallelism (main-horse.github.io)
This is a companion longpost for a fun project I’ve yet to finish. In here, I show the reader how I personally visualize the collective communications involved in a simple 2⁶ 6D parallel mesh:

Visualization, Parallel Computing, 6D Mesh, Computer Graphics

59 points by lnyan 32 days ago | 3 comments

Introduction to Rotation for Computer Graphics (mauriciopoppe.com)
The basics of rotation in 2d and 3d for computer graphics with a focus on 3d rotation about cardinal axes and 3d rotation with quaternions.

Computer Graphics, 3D Graphics, Mathematics, Programming

8 points by davikr 32 days ago | 0 comments

GPU Programming Glossary (modal.com)

GPU Programming, Glossary, Computer Graphics

13 points by Jimmc414 36 days ago | 1 comments

Bitbanging 1D Reversible Automata (richiejp.com)
I created a demo for the GFXPrim library. It implements and displays a nearest-neighbor, one-dimensional, binary cell automata. Additionally it implements a reversible automata, which is almost identical except for a small change to make it reversible. The automata is displayed over time in two dimensions, time travels from top to bottom. Although in the reversible case time could be played backwards.

Computer Graphics, Cellular Automata, Programming, Reversible Computation

97 points by richiejp 36 days ago | 22 comments

Geometry clipmaps: simple terrain rendering with level of detail (2017) (mikejsavage.co.uk)
Geometry clipmaps are a neat rendering technique for drawing huge terrains in real-time.

Computer Graphics, Terrain Rendering, Game Development

40 points by todsacerdoti 37 days ago | 2 comments

2D Signed Distance Functions (iquilezles.org)

2D Graphics, Computer Graphics, Programming, Mathematical Functions

6 points by zooi 38 days ago | 0 comments

Computer Graphics Archaeology: The HP 9845C Demo (2013) (socks-studio.com)
The Hp 9845C , introduced in 1981, was the top-of-the-line model of the 9845 series, it was the very first HP computer supporting color and it was capable of tremendous computer graphics.

Computer Graphics, History, Technology, Hardware, Vintage Computing

14 points by Michelangelo11 40 days ago | 5 comments

Fitting Cubic Bézier Curves (raphlinus.github.io)
Cubic Béziers are by far the most common curve representation, used both for design and rendering. One of the fundamental problems when working with curves is curve fitting, or determining the Bézier that’s closest to some source curve.

Computer Graphics, Bézier Curves, Mathematics, Software Development, Curve Fitting

12 points by fanf2 42 days ago | 0 comments

Coding Adventure: Rendering Fluids [video] (youtube.com)

Coding, Video, Computer Graphics, Fluid Simulation

4 points by chii 42 days ago | 0 comments

Dissecting M8trix (tilde.town)
m8trix by HellMood is one of my favorite demos. It packs a pretty cool Matrix-style effect in only 8 bytes:

Code, Web Development, Demos, Computer Graphics

17 points by todsacerdoti 56 days ago | 0 comments

The Matrix: Infinite-Horizon World Generation with Real-Time Interaction (thematrix1999.github.io)
How close are we to realizing the vision of The Matrix (1999), where AI crafts a fully immersive, interactive world, blurring the line between reality and illusion? Imagine a limitless digital universe, created in real-time with visuals that rival reality itself. This project is a pioneering step toward that vision—a first glimpse into humanity’s own "Matrix."

Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Gaming, Computer Graphics

210 points by lnyan 58 days ago | 70 comments

AAA – Analytical Anti-Aliasing (frost.kiwi)
Today’s journey is Anti-Aliasing and the destination is Analytical Anti-Aliasing. Getting rid of rasterization jaggies is an art-form with decades upon decades of maths, creative techniques and non-stop innovation. With so many years of research and development, there are many flavors.

Graphics, Computer Graphics, Anti-Aliasing, Algorithms

602 points by todsacerdoti 59 days ago | 95 comments

End-to-End Tour of Text Layout/Rendering (2015) (blogspot.com)
I’ve found that there is a fair amount of confusion regarding how text rendering actually ends up working. In particular, it seems that the design of the system in general often goes unnoticed.