Carmack Speaks On Ray Tracing, Future id Engines

Vigile writes "As a matter of principle, when legendary game programmer John Carmack speaks, the entire industry listens. In a recent interview he comments on a multitude of topics starting with information about Intel, their ray tracing research and upcoming Larrabee GPU. Carmack seems to think that Intel's direction using traditional ray tracing methods is not going to work and instead theorizes that using ray casting to traverse a new data structure he is developing is the best course of action. The 'sparse voxel octree' that Carmack discusses would allow for 'unique geometry down to the equivalent of the texel across everything.' He goes on to discuss other topics like the hardware necessary to efficiently process his new data structure, translation to consoles, multi-GPU PC gaming and even the world of hardware physics."

There is a great disturbance in the source...

[Ferzerp]

It as if hundreds of ray tracing fanboys cried out at once, and were silenced.

voxel? texel? But I want a pony!

[davidwr]

This just came through the time vortex, dated 3 weeks from yesterday:

Voxel? Texel? Just make my pink pony look nice and pretty.

I enjoyed the progression of graphics pictures

[Anonymous Coward]

Although I like the article also, I enjoyed seeing the progression of games graphics pictures from 1994 to 2007. That final picture from the game "John Carmack" released in 2007 looks so real it's almost like a photograph!

Re:So,

[BigJClark]

Don't feel bad, he has probably never heard of you either.

Anyone betting on if Ray Tracing will give id....

[Zymergy]

...*MORE SHADES OF BLACK*??!!

So... what this tells me...

[scubamage]

So, let me get this straight, intel says their baby is the best. Nvidia says theirs is the best. And Carmack is making his own, and saying his is the best. Wow, these articles have all been so informative. I could not possibly have predicted those outcomes.

Uhhhh...

[jd]

What do you mean he's not God? Isn't that heresy? (Or was that written by someone else?)

Limited graphics

[goatpunch]

In other news, all games will now consist of reflective spheres moving around on checkerboards...

Re:Anyone betting on if Ray Tracing will give id..

[gardyloo]

It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black.

Re:Anyone betting on if Ray Tracing will give id..

[wild_berry]

In 1996, Quake set the fashion for brown shooters. In 2004, for Doom 3, black was the new brown.

Re:Right...

[jaguth]

The Church of Carmack condemns your post, a profuse apology and confession is now your only hope to salvation. Belief in ray casting will put you down the road to truth and righteousness! But seriously, Carmack created the FPS genre and is still a leader, which makes him one of the most experienced in his field, so, you know, that kind of helps in creating a "god-like" status, or if your still skeptical, a "mini-god" status. okay, how is "almost-god" sound? At least put the word "God" and "Carmack" in the same sentence somewhere, preferably next to each other...

Re:There is a great disturbance in the source...

[flyingsquid]

It's the most realistic possible way of rendering, so when computers get fast enough we'll be able to everything with ray tracing.

When that happens, will it also become possible to wield a flashlight and a shotgun at the same time? Or is there some kind of fundamental law against that, like how you can't know the position and velocity of a particle at the same time?

Re:So,

[Warll]

I am inclined to agree, provided the right term is use and in my case that would be Newbie.

Re:Stunning!

[Anonymous Coward]

RTFA, you didn't understand what the guy who wrote the article was saying.

Re:Stunning!

[Fescen9]

Dude, you got pwned by JOHN CARMACK!

Re:Limited graphics

[Anonymous Coward]

Not so fast - I'm working on an expansion pack that lets you play as a teapot.

Re:Stunning!

[jmbenjamin]

Huh, I always figured John Carmack would have a sub 1000 uid. Preconceptions have been shattered!

Re:There is a great disturbance in the source...

[ericlondaits]

I already have a QGPU in my computer, though I think it died... I should pop open the case and take a look.