Computer Graphics PGS

While computer graphics as a separate and distinct discipline has for a long time been part of a number of secondary school, trade school and university curricula, teaching the subject remains a challenging task. The Phedias Graphics System (PGS) is an educational tool which was originally developed to facilitate learning of computer graphics in an object-oriented environment. PGS, like most of the full-featured computer graphics systems, is able to create renderings by utilizing several different rendering algorithms including ray tracing and simple z-buffering.

It has many advantages over conventional project environments and approaches to teaching computer

graphics such as writing software from scratch or using commercial systems such as OpenGL. Other advantages include the following (Phedias Graphics System Announcement Page, 2001):

PGS separates rendering and modeling, allowing the differences and relationships between the two be to easily understood.

PGS supports multiple rendering methodologies including Z-buffering and ray tracing.

Sections of PGS are easily replaced for student projects

PGS has been around since 1997 when it was first for teaching computer graphics to undergraduate stude

. . .
pearing image. Unfortunately this is accomplished at the expense of greater computational time and complexity and more complex algorithm structure. Radiosity should be applied in those situations where the amount of lighting in the scene is extremely important, or there is a real-time application which has the luxury of stationary objects in the scene. The intensive computations necessary for formulating the form factors are unnecessarily calculated for many patches. As an example, although two objects may not necessarily be visible to each other, the form factors necessary for every pair of patches on those objects will, of necessity, be calculated. For those objects containing many patches, the time spent running the necessary calculations begins to grow exponentially. Hence the need for an improved modeling scheme to reduce the computational time. When one is rendering a scene using radiosity, there will be portions of the environment which will carry more importance in terms of their visual correctness. Examples of this are large patches, areas encompassing complex shadowing, and those surfaces having complex lighting. In a particular scene, these sections may convey more light and shadowing detail if a large patch is
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Isler Akman, PGSRENDER Please, Immel Cohen, Information Radiosity, Cohen Wallace, PGSZBUFFER PGSRAYTRACE, Project Manager, PGS PGS, Motivation Computer, Methodology PGS, ray tracing, computer graphics, form factors, isler akman 1990, isler akman, akman 1990, radiosity renderer, pgs system, energy transmitted, objects scene, radiosity method, 1990 ray tracing, akman 1990 ray, 30 // light, // light setup,
Approximate Word count = 3474
Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page)

More Essays on Computer Graphics PGS