linde@herds.SRC.Honeywell.COM (Larry G. Linde) (07/03/90)
Hi, We (as in a small startup) are looking for ideas as to what
is required for a excellent graphics product. IE: What features
are important. In addition to trying to start some discussion
on the topic of the upcoming revolution in High Performance
graphics systems. First some baseline information,
Platform: Sun SPARCstation (SBUS Interface card)
Size: Single card same footprint as SPACRstation box.
Speed: 350K 4 sided polygons (unconnected) (3sided same speed)
polygon strips same speed (100 pixels area average)
Features: Full Texturing
Torrance-Sparrow model lighting
Can degrade into Phong model lighting
Can degrade further into gouraud shading
Can degrade further still into constant shading
(no speed penalities for any lighting/shading/texturing model.)
Double buffered on image display
Fast 2D access to display memory
24 bits (RGB) 8 bits Alpha, 24 Bits Z
SW support: SUNPhigs, PEX as soon as its somewhat stable. (3/91?)
X11R4 Device support.
Our questions are:
1: Is PEX going to be the next standard? How about Renderman?
2: What features are important on high end graphics systems?
3: What price do you think such a device is worth?