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Everything about Ray marching

3D computer graphics rendering method

Ray marching is a class of rendering methods for 3D computer graphics where rays are traversed iteratively, effectively dividing each ray into smaller ray segments, sampling some function at each step. For example, in volume ray casting the function would access data points from a 3D scan. In Sphere tracing, the function estimates a distance to step next. Ray marching is also used in physics simulations as an alternative to ray tracing where analytic solutions of the trajectories of light or sound waves are solved. Ray marching for computer graphics often takes advantage of signed distance functions to determine a maximum safe step-size, while this is less common in physics simulations a similar adaptive step method can be achieved using adaptive Runge-Kutta methods. Wikipedia →

🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path

  1. Read the overview: Ray marchingA 5-minute orientation
  2. Skim a recent paper: Efficient Binocular Rendering of Volumetric Density Fields With Coupled Adaptive Cube-Map Ray Marching for Virtual RealityInfluential work since 2022
  3. Pick up a classic book: The Long WalkThe most-reprinted book on the subject
  4. Read the landmark paper: Real-time smoke rendering using compensated ray marchingCited 37 times
  5. Go sideways: Volume ray castingA closely related topic
  6. Go sideways: List of computer graphics and descriptive geometry topicsA closely related topic

📖 Definitions

Noun An advanced form of ray tracing in which the imaginary light rays are not merely computed where they intersect with solid parts of the model, but also sampled and modified as they pass through space.

🗂️ The subject at a glance

  1. Distance-aided ray marching
  2. Volumetric ray marching
  3. Deferred shading

🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)

🆕 Influential since 2022

📚 Books worth reading

Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.

🔗 Related topics