Is it possible to speed up the media calculations where multiple
densities are involved? More precisely, can some type of bounding be
used with finite density patterns such as spherical, cylindrical or
planar? This would be especially beneficial for smoke, fire and steam
modelled with multiple spherical "puffs".

I imagine the process would be something like this (pseudocode):

For a given ray R, media densities D[n] bounded by B[n] and contained
in C, and time parameter t (for the ray equation):

Find_All_Intersections (R, C, t);           // t is an array
for (i=0; i<n; i++)
{ Find_All_Intersections (R, D[n], t1);     // t1 is an array
  if (t1)                                   // Intersection found?
  { I = Find_Overlapping_Intervals (t, t1); // I is an array
    foreach (I) Take_Media_Samples (I);
  }
}

If something like this is already implemented, for example in the blob
pattern, please let me know.


Peter Popov
pet### [at] usanet
ICQ: 15002700

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