Ray Tracing Implementation

This project is a ray tracing application developed as part of the CENG 477: Introduction to Computer Graphics course at Middle East Technical University. It simulates the propagation of light to render realistic 3D scenes using geometric optics and shading techniques.

Project Description

The application is capable of:

• Parsing XML scene files to configure objects, lights, and cameras.
• Rendering scenes with Blinn-Phong shading for realistic lighting effects.
• Supporting point and ambient light sources, with accurate falloff calculations for point lights.
• Handling recursive reflections for mirror-like surfaces, with adjustable recursion depth.
• Rendering scenes from multiple camera configurations and saving outputs in PPM image format.

Key Features

• Ray-Object Intersection: Calculates intersections between rays and scene objects efficiently.
• Blinn-Phong Shading: Implements a lighting model that combines ambient, diffuse, and specular reflections.
• Recursive Reflections: Traces rays bouncing off reflective surfaces for realistic mirror effects.
• XML-based configuration for easy customization of scenes.

How to Run

1. Compile the program using the provided Makefile:

   make

2. Run the executable with:

   ./raytracer scene.xml

3. The rendered images will be saved in the filenames specified in the XML file.

Example Outputs