Add Another Core for Faster Graphics 237
Dzonatas writes "Need a reason for extra cores inside your box? How about faster graphics. Unlike traditional faster GPUs, raytraced graphics scale with extra cores. Brett Thomas writes in his article Parallel Worlds on Bit-Tech, 'But rather than working on that advancement, most of the commercial graphics industry has been intent on pushing raster-based graphics as far as they could go. Research has been slow in raytracing, whereas raster graphic research has continued to be milked for every approximate drop it closely resembles being worth. Of course, it is to be expected that current technology be pushed, and it was a bit of a pipe dream to think that the whole industry should redesign itself over raytracing.' A report by Intel about Ray Tracing shows that a single P4 3.2Ghz is capable of 100 million raysegs, which gives a comfortable 30fps. Intel further states 450 million raysegs is when it gets 'interesting.' Also, quad cores are dated to be available around the turn of the year. Would octacores bring us dual screen or separate right/left real-time raytraced 3D?"
need a reason (Score:5, Funny)
Need a reason for extra cores inside your box? (Score:0, Funny)
How many do I need (Score:5, Funny)
One core to rule them all
One core to find them
One core to bring them all
And in the darkness bind them
Re:How many do I need (Score:5, Funny)
One core to rule them all
One core to find them
One core to bring them all
And in the darkness bind them
You just installed Vista onto that rig didn't you
*Ducks*
Re:How many do I need (Score:5, Funny)
Yeah, but asteroids will look AMAZING!
Why on the CPU? (Score:2, Funny)
NB: The only raytracer I've ever written was in PHP and it managed about 0.01 frames per second with very basic geometry and no textures, so I'm probably very, very wrong.
Re:It's been done... (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Won't happen soon. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:How many do I need (Score:2, Funny)
Also, you'll probably need a Kandalf [overclockercafe.com] case to put it all in.
Re:I need more cores... (Score:1, Funny)
Our SLA even specifies how infrequently the idle process is run - we can do it as idle as you like, for more money.
Re:"entirely vectors" (Score:3, Funny)
So the choice for php+sql might not be such a bad idea after all ;)
Re:How many do I need (Score:3, Funny)
I see you're sensibly predicting the first game to use this rendering technology will be "Doom 4",
which still won't provide ducttape for the flashlight.
Re:I need more cores... (Score:1, Funny)
You can eliminate the Idle Process just by downloading one of the "idle process crackers". It's a small piece of OSS code which kills the Idle Process or limits the amount of time it can use. It's installed by default with Seti@Home and Folding@Home clients (since they need all the horsepower they can get!)
Re:Use a moment method with physical optics (Score:2, Funny)
Re:How many do I need (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Put it on the GPU (Score:4, Funny)
Yes but myopia would seem to be one of those problems that ray tracing would be much better at solving since it can handle refraction directly.
Re:That should read 450 million raysegs (Score:3, Funny)