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patrickjane92us · 5 years ago

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The Future of Ray Tracing.

About Ray Tracing

Hey folks lets talk about Graphics and the big news around Ray tracing computer graphics have come in an incredible way since the days of the first video game. Games started off as grids of white squares on a gray background and they've advanced through 2d scenes with 8 and then 16 bit color to polygons complex textures and full 3d. Today games use tools like tessellation shaders occlusion and mapping to achieve nearly photorealistic results and we may be getting closer to that holy grail of lifelike graphics Ray tracing. Let's back up a bit since those early 3d days some of the biggest improvements in graphics have had to do with the way scenes render shadows and reflections, in 2004 doom 3 introduced some of the first high-quality dynamic shadows in gaming this meant the shadows moved with the lights and the characters in the game and the results were fantastic, eerie lighting cast long shadows on catwalks and when enemies ran through hallways lit by swinging lights they cast chaotic shadows that moved with them as they ran it all worked together to thoroughly freak out gamers of the day. Those great shadow and lighting techniques have come a long way since doom 3 but they are still today fundamentally based on the same idea called rasterization. In rasterization a scene is drawn pixel by pixel with the game engine checking things like distance texture proximity light sources and occlusion whether or not anything is in the way before they pick a color for that pixel you move pixel by pixel through a scene and calculate the color for each one based off this physics and geometry of the scene around you eventually you build an image in rasterization lighting is particularly challenging. Light sources kind of project a field where things inside that field get lighter on one side the side facing the light and cast a shadow on the other side but in the real world light doesn't just move in a straight line like that it bounces and diffuses and passes through objects all depending on what they're made of and that's a lot to account for. In rasterization for each light source the computer works out if something is blocking the path of that light and if it is the computer runs through a series of calculations to work out what to do next and the simplest it'll just cast a shadow more complex processes like ambient occlusion try to adjust for the objects in the scene tweaking the lighting to account for the way objects reflect light and cast some shadows on each other but still these methods are relatively crude the simplest forms of ambient occlusion called screen space ambient occlusion or SSAO only account for the depth of an object in the scene, it essentially tries to put more shadows on objects behind other objects but it doesn't actually account for where the lights in the scene are even advanced ambient occlusion at best creates diffuse shadows that still don't actually relate to where light is coming from and all of these methods struggle with direct light harsh shadows mixed lighting basically the wave reflections shadows and highlights all work in the real world. All of this is an attempt to get to what people call global illumination which is the idea that a graphic scene could be rendered just like the real world and here's where ray tracing comes in in the real world light sources emit photons that travel in a straight line until they hit a surface and there they can either pass through the surface be reflected or absorbed these photons bounce around and eventually some of them make it into your eyes and that's how you see. Ray tracing tries to work the exact same way but backwards it draws millions of rays outwards from the camera your perspective in a video game and then it calculates how they'll bounce around the scene whenever array bounces off an object another ray called a shadow ray is drawn towards the light sources in the scene if there's a clear path that first ray makes the object it bounced off writer and if it's blocked it casts a shadow instead the big upside to ray tracing is hyper realistic reflections shadows and highlights that don't need to be pre-rendered all of this lighting detail can be generated based off the geometry in the scene and as characters and lights move around the light changes in dynamic and realistic ways. Ray tracing is particularly good at reflections and refraction things like light moving through a glass of water and color spill or the way that a brightly colored object can change the color of other objects near it. Now ray tracing is potentially actually a simpler system than layering lighting models with shadows and shaders and occlusion but calculating the paths of millions of rays can take an incredible amount of processing power to fully rate raise a standard 1920 x 1080 HD scene you need to draw a minimum of 4 million rays to start getting good results and potentially 50 million or more the backwards system of drawing the Rays out from the camera instead of out from light sources is actually a way to try to cut down on processing by only rendering the Rays that will actually be seen by the player even with this backwards ray trick processing ray-traced images has traditionally been incredibly slow and no games currently used real-time ray tracing

Ray Tracing in Movies

The technology has been entirely limited to pre-rendered video and Hollywood movies animated Studios like Pixar extensively used ray tracing in their films and part of what makes modern special-effects blend so well with real-world footage is the use of ray tracing to create accurate lighting for every part of the scene now these Studios have the luxury of using render farms with dozens of computers working together and even here each frame can take hours to draw instead of the fraction of a second we need for a playable game “a single frame can take more than 24 hours to render”.

Ray Tracing for gaming

The new technology might be changing this, Microsoft has unveiled a new set of tools in DirectX 12 which supports ray tracing. DirectX is the set of graphics tools that power most windows games at a fundamental level and their newly announced DXR API supports ray tracing in games Nvidia also announced their own set of tools called RTX that would leverage their own hardware to speed up real time ray tracing in games, DXR should work on older Nvidia cards as software but RTX actually depends on hardware acceleration that's currently only found on Nvidia's volta line of graphics cards specifically RTX is supposed to add hardware acceleration for ray tracing area shadows reflections and ambient occlusion now this should all work together to create a more lifelike scene not one to be left out AMD announced updates to their radeon ray tracing system including support for real-time ray tracing in games and promised low-level driver support for Microsoft's DXR in the near future unity the game engine of choice for many indie developers is also incorporating AMD's Ray tracing tech into their game design tools though only for what's called baked or non moving lights so are we at the verge of a ray tracing revolution well not quite yet and here's where things actually get a little fishy. NVIDIA is saying it's volta cards will support ray tracing at a hardware level the way current graphic cards have specialized circuits and hardware for shaders or decoding video however on current Volta cards it's unclear what those special Hardware features actually are now part of the problem is that there are almost no volta graphics cards out there most volta cards are actually specialized boards used for supercomputers and AI research and the only one even approaching a consumer product is the $3,000 Titan VIII the recently announced GV 100 Quadro is a professional card that built on Volta and it looks to be extraordinarily powerful but it still isn't really a gaming card, rumors have also suggested Nvidia may entirely skip consumer cards in the volta line and while NVIDIA has said future graphics cards for gamers will incorporate the same hardware acceleration for ray tracing we don't actually know what those future graphics cards will be and as amazing as these demos look there's still more reason to be skeptical Epic's ray tracing demo at GDC was running in real time but it was running on an NVIDIA GTX station a computer that starts at around $50,000 and packs a 20 core processor in with four tesla v 100 cards each of which runs around $9,000 now confusingly tesla was also in the name of a previous Nvidia architecture but the tesla v 100 actually uses a voltage chip as great as these demos look many of them still actually had to use traditional rasterization on parts of the scene to keep the frame rates up as well this also isn't the first time we've heard announcements about real time ray racing Nvidia actually announced real time ray tracing on their Kepler chips at GDC 2012 six years ago so where does all this leave us ? But ray tracing is legit tech that really could make graphics look amazing but the demos we've seen this last year aren't even entirely ray-traced and they were running on hardware that is a long ways from what the average gamer might own Plus this isn't the first time companies have claimed ray tracing was just around the corner Intel made these claims in 2010 and so did Nvidia in 2012 there's another part of this to that as a PC gamer I hate to even talk about it but it's the consoles if running these raytrace demos on a normal gaming PC seems like a fantasy you try getting them to run on a ps4 integrating ray-tracing into a game isn't like flipping a switch it'll take serious work on the part of developers to bring ray-traced graphics into a game I'm sure in the next few years some rave developer come out with an insane ray-traced project for the PC master-race but until the consoles can come close to handling this sort of graphics rendering great racing for all may still be a long ways off.

#eduvogue nvidia vega gtx rtx redeon gpus raytracing AMD

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tune-collective · 8 years ago

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The 15 Best Justin Bieber Songs

When it comes to pop reinvention, Madonna may be queen, but Justin Bieber is an undeniable king. He started as the cherub-faced heartthrob of your tweenage dreams, quickly grew up into public cultural enemy number one, and somehow rebounded as someone hipsters, dance fans, pop kids, and R&B lovers could agree on.

Throughout his many phases, the one thing that’s remained constant is the music. If anything, the quality has exponentially increased. Love or hate him – and most people love him now – Bieber is a talented singer, songwriter, musician, and dancer. He’s the total package, and his choice in collaborators is more than impressive. Here we go through our picks for the 15 best Justin Bieber songs from the start of his career to now. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z5-P9v3F8w

15. Justin Bieber – “Never Say Never” feat. Jaden Smith

Will Smith is one of Bieber’s ultimate mentors, so of course he and son Jaden Smith got together in the studio when young Smith’s remake of Karate Kid needed a soundtrack. “Never Say Never” still has a bit of young cheese, but it went on to be one of Bieber’s defining early career moments. It was originally written as an adult song called “Sexy Together,” but writers changed the message to reflect one of great courage and confidence, a much more important message for kids to hear, and in 2010, the great majority of Bieber’s fans were still young tweens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4em3LKQCAQ

14. Justin Bieber – “As Long As You Love Me” feat. Big Sean

Who’s ready for some Bieb-step? It’s like dubstep, except it’s Justin Bieber. You get it. This song tries to be a bit dark, but it’s more pink sugar than it is black coffee. It’s still one of the highlights of any Justin Bieber set. The Big Sean feature isn’t the rapper’s best work, but it gives the song a bit of added bite, and who doesn’t enjoy a few verses from Big Sean?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXUSaVw3Mvk

13. Justin Bieber – “One Less Lonely Girl”

You know why you can’t help loving this Justin Bieber song? Because Usher wrote and produced it. That and the angelic voice of 14-year-old Bieber is sweeter than honey on vanilla ice cream. While a lot of the baby Bieber tunes are overly saccharine and don’t necessarily translate into our adult lives, “One Less Lonely Girl” is one of those kiddy pop songs that transcends your tweenage puppy love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys7-6_t7OEQ

12. Justin Bieber – “Beauty and a Beat” feat. Nicki Minaj

Remember when Justin Bieber’s “computer was stolen” and someone threatened to release the personal footage contained within? The world waited with baited breath (some of us, anyway) for the juicy details, but in the end, it was just a ploy to drum up excitement for this Bieber video. It is a good jam, though, and it represents Bieber’s first strong step onto the dance floor. It’s produced by Zedd and Max Martin, which explains that crunchy synth breakdown I love so much. It was originally written for someone else, but it was Bieber’s idea to put Minaj on the track. Well done, sir.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdx7gN1UyX0

11. Justin Bieber – “Company”

Love in the 21st Century is hard. You want to get to know someone, but you have to keep a healthy distance. It’s the game we’ve created for ourselves, and though none of us really wants to play, them’s the rules. “Company” is a beautiful take on modern romance, a sweet invitation to come closer while maintaining the perfect veil of coy casualty, and it’s just a damn good pop song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GuqB1BQVr4

10. Justin Bieber – “Boyfriend”

I know Bieber’s reinvention campaign really kicked off with Jack Ü and the Purpose album, but for me, the turning point from teenage hearthrob to adult-ready pop star was “Boyfriend.” That darker sound, that whisper intro, it’s so sexual it almost hurts – even though he still looks like a cherub. Many comparisons have been made to Justin Timberlake’s step-out solo single “Girlfriend,” from the obvious title mirroring down to the similar parking lot pimpin’ music video treatment. This was Bieber stepping out into his “swag” trap ish, and if we listen closely, we can hear the incoming dance music production partnerships coming a mile a minute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC2yu2a9sHk

9. Justin Bieber – “All That Matters”

Sunday slow jam me so hard with this song. This is some slinky, bluesy, babe magic. The acoustic guitar mixes with the harsh electronic beat perfectly, creating a modern R&B sound that can bridge audiences and age gaps. The lyrics were written during a “happy time” in Bieber and Selena Gomez�� relationship, which is kind of heartbreaking but adorable at the same time. Play this at my wedding, and then again at the honeymoon when no one is watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47YClVMlthI

8. Justin Bieber – “Confident” feat. Chance the Rapper

This was another one of those music videos that pulled Bieber into the world of awkward adult lust. These dance moves are too cute, as is our boy. That he teamed up with Chance the Rapper only solidified my strange, building love for the Biebs, and this was before Chance had the Kanye co-sign. “Confident” is beat-heavy with a playful, wonky melody that sticks in your brain and won’t let go. Definitely some feel yourself music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kffacxfA7G4

7. Justin Bieber – “Baby” feat. Ludacris

Justin Bieber is actually 16 on this song, though he looks and sounds like he could be 12. At that tender teen age, he stole our hearts with a saccharine hook that actually really stands the test of time. “Baby” may have been your tweenage little sister’s favorite jam and your dad’s least favorite song of 2010, but in retrospect, it’s an effing great pop tune. His childlike voice is so earnest and clear, and the fact that Ludacris co-signs a teenage heart throb is more than enough to tell you, this kid is up to something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK_0jXPuIr0

6. Justin Bieber – “What Do You Mean”

First of all, this music video is freaking amazing. John Leguizamo is a national treasure. Bless him for co-starring in this totally insane clip. Why does Bieber think faking an attempt to kidnap is a good date idea? As if falling into a skate park rave makes the trauma go away. That being said, Bieber’s tropical house follow up to Jack Ü breakout “Where Are Ü Now” is a fanciful, fun-loving breath of fresh pop air. He’s back in the studio with Skrillex and Diplo on this cut, which is turns out was not a solitary experience in any way imaginable. Skrillex is all over the Purpose album, and this is one of the best take-aways.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMvIARf_SUU

5. Major Lazer – “Cold Water” feat. Justin Bieber & MØ

Bieber’s third phase career as one of the leading dance music vocalists continues to amaze. This collaboration with Major Lazer is a great follow-up to the work he did with Jack Ü, and the addition of MØ’s instantly-recognizable rasp is as bolstering as the bright horn work on the hook. It’s got a bit of that dancehall flavor Major Lazer is known for, but it’s still one of the poppiest works from the trio to date. Put this tune on when you’ve got a friend who needs a life saver and a night on the dance floor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euCqAq6BRa4

4. DJ Snake – “Let Me Love You” ft. Justin Bieber

Once Bieber found such success with Skrillex and Diplo, the dance producer flood gates were opened. DJ Snake had to get his own Bieber-assisted super hit, and “Let Me Love You” is one of those pop songs you hear and instantly want to hear again. It’s got that same wonky horn synth from “Lean On,” and it’s got all the dreamy falsetto a young heart can handle. It’s one of the best tunes from DJ Snake’s debut LP Encore, and it was one of the biggest moments of his recent Main Stage closing set at 2017’s Ultra Music Festival in Miami. We can’t help thinking Bieber had a huge part in the song’s success, because, well, he always does, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyEuk8j8imI

3. Justin Bieber – “Love Yourself”

I hereby nominate “Love Yourself” as being the Justin Bieber song with the best lyrics. First of all, opening your track by berating someone for using your name to get into clubs is a clutch superstar move. Also, a chorus all about how your mom likes everyone except your ex is absolutely brilliant. We’ve got to give a nod to Ed Sheeran to the songwriting assist, but we are pretty sure we here honest Bieber all over this. It’s an overly-simple tune, mostly just Bieber and an acoustic guitar with a bit of trumpet thrown in for good measure. It’s incredibly raw, when you think about it, but it plays like a celebratory pop anthem. It’s quite vulnerable for mainstream radio, and Bieber pulls it off with grace and the gusto of a man who knows exactly what he’s doing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRh_vgS2dFE

2. Justin Bieber – “Sorry”

The Bieb’s big reinvention LP Purpose is, at its core, all about forgiveness. We as fans needed to forgive him for that weird period where everyone decided he was the worst – or the best, depending on how you feel about young, famous tricksters. He needed to forgive himself for making an ass of himself publicly, and of course, there’s the whole romantic notion of Bieber apologizing to the women (cough Selena Gomez cough) he may have hurt along the road to maturity. “Sorry” is, in that sense, the peak of the Purpose album. Thinly veiled as an amorous apology, he’s just laying it all out over an infectious rhythm with a hook that can’t be denied. Oh Justin, when you come into the room looking like this and singing like that, we just can’t help but forgive you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nntGTK2Fhb0

1. Jack Ü – “Where Are Ü Now” ft. Justin Bieber

I once saw Bieber’s famous manager Scooter Braun give a talk at P. Diddy’s Revolt Music Conference, and he said the moment he knew they had won the Bieber reinvention campaign was when he took the stage at Ultra Music Festival Miami with Skrillex and Diplo, and nobody boo’d. Bieber greeted the Main Stage and performed this song live with the Jack Ü crew, and it was straight glorious. The work with Jack Ü helped solidify Bieber’s new sound as an adult pop star. It’s more grown-up, but it’s still got that sheen of candy-colored fantasy. The pitched-up vocal line in the hook is instantly recognizable and was certainly a game changer in the pop and dance production world at the time. “Where Are Ü Now” is truly a milestone in the pop-dance crossover canon, and it will remain on of Bieber, Skrillex, and Diplo’s best songs for perceivably the rest of the trio’s career.

This article originally appeared on Billboard.

https://tunecollective.com/2017/04/27/the-15-best-justin-bieber-songs/

#15 #bieber #critics #justin #picks #Songs

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