Calypso
icon: calypso/sample.png
attach: calypso/dist/*.tar.gz, calypso/sample*
keywords: graphics, c++, kde, qt

Calypso is an attempt to produce a photorealistic raytracer with the
C++ programming language using the Qt toolkit and the KDE libraries for
a modern user interface.

--- More

<h1>Introduction</h1>
<img style="float: none" src="calypso/sample.png" alt="Sample rendering"/>

Calypso written by Sami Kyöstilä and Joonas Kerttula It is a
C++/Qt/KDE-based photorealistic raytracer.

Note that Calypso is no longer actively maintained.

Calypso is licensed under the GNU GPL. 

<h2>Features</h2>
<a name="features"></a>

Here's an incomplete list of features that are already implemented.

<ul>
	<li>Recursive raytracing.</li>
	<li>KDE user interface.</li>
	<li>Class model for generic scenes and objects.</li>
	<li>Recursive transformations.</li>
	<li>Pervasive multi-threading. [currently disabled]</li>
	<li>Distributed network rendering. [currently broken]</li>
	<li>Extensive XML format for storing scenes.</li>
	<li>Stochastic ray reflection and refraction.</li>
	<li>Texture mapping and filtering.</li>
	<li>Caustics.</li>
	<li>Adaptive supersampling.</li>
	<li>Accelerated rendering using BSP-trees, barycentrics, KD-trees, etc.</li>
	<li>Pluggable shader framework and the following shaders:
	<ul>
		<li>ambient lighting</li>
		<li>phong illumination (direct)</li>
		<li>photon map illumination (indirect)</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
	<li>Support for the following primitives:
	<ul>
		<li>sphere</li>
		<li>plane</li>
		<li>mesh (from a 3D Studio&copy; file via lib3ds)</li>
	</ul>
</ul>

<h2>TODO</h2>
<a name="todo"></a>
<ul>
	<li>Fresnel reflection.</li>
	<li>Volumetric rendering.</li>
	<li>Irradiance approximation and caching.</li>
	<li>DCOP-interface.</li>
	<li>New network rendering framework (XML-RPC?).</li>
	<li>Constructive solid geometry (boolean objects)</li>
	<li>Image-based lighting</li>
</ul>

<h2>BUGS</h2>
<a name="bugs"></a>
<ul>
	<li>Network rendering borked temporarily.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Gallery</h2>

Example rendering output can be found in the
<a href="calypso/gallery/">gallery</a>.

<h2>Downloads</h2>
<a name="downloads"></a>
<p>
In order to compile the raytracer, you ought to have a working Qt/KDE build environment.
If you want to have support for loading 3DS-meshes, you also need <a href="http://lib3ds.sourceforge.net">lib3ds</a> version 1.1.0 or newer.
</p>
<p>
Please note that <u>these packages are all development versions</u>. The packages include project files
for the <a href="http://www.kdevelop.org">KDevelop IDE</a>.
</p>

<b>For KDE 3.0 or better:</b>
<ul>
	<li>
	<a href="calypso/dist/calypso-1.7.tar.gz">calypso-1.7.tar.gz</a>
	<p>
	<b>Changes:</b><br>
	Cleaned up the headers and classes.<br>
	Material editor added.<br>
	Critical bugs fixed, now able to render multiple projects in one session.<br>
	</p>
	</li>

	<li>
	<a href="calypso/dist/calypso-1.6.tar.gz">calypso-1.6.tar.gz</a>
	<p>
	<b>Changes:</b> The camera finally works, now also with three different projections. Fixed a grave bug that made transparent materials crash the raytracer. General clean-up.
	</p>
	</li>

	<li>
	<a href="calypso/dist/calypso-1.5.tar.gz">calypso-1.5.tar.gz</a>
	<p>
	<b>Changes:</b> Yes! We have a name: <i>Calypso</i> (an orchid flower or a nymph, among other things :) Codewise lots and lots of structural changes to the rendering core and the usual bug fixes.
	</p>
	</li>

	<li>
	<a href="calypso/dist/kraytracer-1.3.tar.gz">kraytracer-1.3.tar.gz</a>
	<p>
	<b>Changes:</b> Ported from Qt to KDE3 (more like a major rewrite). Many bugs fixed. Network rendering currently broken. Stay tuned.
	</p>
	</li>
</ul>

<b>DTD for the XML files:</b> (Only necessary if you want to validate the conformity of scene files.)
<ul>
	<li><a href="calypso/scene-1.0.dtd">scene-1.0.dtd</a></li>
</ul>
</b>

<h2>Links</h2>

<a name="links"></a>
Here are some links related to raytracing and computer generated images.

<ul>
<li><a href="http://fuzzyphoton.tripod.com">http://fuzzyphoton.tripod.com</a> - A very comprehensive glossary of raytracing-related material.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.realtimeraytrace.de">http://www.realtimeraytrace.de</a> - For the ones who prefer realtime :)</li>
<li><a href="http://graphics.stanford.edu/~henrik/">http://graphics.stanford.edu/~henrik/</a> - The gyu behind photon mapping and other modern raytracing techiques.</li>
<li><a href="http://web.tiscali.it/GiulianoCornacchiola/Eng/">http://web.tiscali.it/GiulianoCornacchiola/Eng/</a> - Homepage of Now3D, a feature-rich raytracer. Also has a very comprehensive raytracing-related links collection..</li>
</ul>
</p>