From fc752cfa0c1badd6ee91e65ac5cd90ec6f6248f7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Ole-Morten Duesund Date: Thu, 28 May 2026 14:06:55 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] =?UTF-8?q?README:=20precise=20lineage=20=E2=80=94=20Whitt?= =?UTF-8?q?ed=20with=20stochastic=20sampling,=20not=20path=20tracing?= MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit 'Path tracing' in graphics literature means Monte Carlo solution of the rendering equation, with random hemisphere sampling at every diffuse surface and indirect light transport. card.cc has none of that — the floor branch in S() returns immediately with a flat ambient term and casts no new rays. What it actually does is Whitted-style recursive specular reflection (mirrors only), with distribution-style stochastic sampling layered on top for soft shadows, depth of field, and AA. Group the stochastic features (soft shadows, DOF, AA) under that qualifier; keep mirror reflections, checker floor, and sky gradient as separate non-stochastic features. --- README.md | 8 ++++---- 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-) diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index c620b33..d2dade3 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,10 +1,10 @@ # card-raytracer A study of [Andrew Kensler's "business card raytracer"][aek] — a complete -recursive path-tracer with soft shadows, depth of field, anti-aliasing, -reflections, a checker floor, and a sky gradient, all crammed into a -single C++ source file small enough to print on the back of a business -card. +**Whitted-style raytracer with stochastic sampling** for soft shadows, +depth of field, and anti-aliasing, plus mirror reflections, a checker +floor, and a sky gradient, all crammed into a single C++ source file +small enough to print on the back of a business card. > **`card.cc` is exactly 1337 bytes.** Yes, **leet**. Verify it yourself: >