Real-time rendering

The image is treated as an interactive 3D display responsive to scene changes.

Visual traits

• Interactive updates
• Quality-performance balance
• Dynamic scene

Expected changes

• The scene is more likely to be treated as dynamic
• The quality-workload balance is more likely to be considered

Definition

It is a rendering mode that continually updates images as a scene changes. It does not guarantee a particular frame rate, feature, or image quality.

In more detail

It specifies interactive display with attention to the balance of image quality and computational work. Subject, composition, and a specific engine remain separately selectable.

Includes

• Continuously updated interactive rendering

Excludes

• A particular performance value
• A requirement for ray tracing

What this does not imply

• A particular frame rate
• A particular platform
• A particular light-transport method

Variability

Actual performance varies with scene, hardware, and settings.

Usage

• Intend interactive updates
• Specify performance targets and engine separately

Distinguish similar expressions

• Add ray tracing when specifying a reflection and shadow method

Typical uses

• Display an interactive 3D scene

Possible failure modes

• It is expressed as a performance guarantee
• It is confused with the content of a still image