Abstract
In this paper we present several performance and quality enhancements to classical sphere tracing:
First, we propose a safe, over-relaxation-based method for accelerating sphere tracing.
Second, a method for dynamically preventing self-intersections upon converting signed distance bounds enables controlling precision and rendering performance.
In addition, we present a method for significantly accelerating the sphere tracing intersection test
for convex objects that are enclosed in convex bounding volumes. We also propose a screen-space metric for
the retrieval of a good intersection point candidate, in case sphere tracing does not converge thus increasing
rendering quality without sacrificing performance.
Finally, discontinuity artifacts common in sphere tracing are reduced using a fixed-point iteration algorithm.
We demonstrate complex scenes rendered in real-time with our method.
The methods presented in this paper have more universal applicability beyond rendering procedurally
generated scenes in real-time and can also be combined with path-tracing-based global illumination solutions.
