PlayStation 3 boasts ray-tracing simulation power

Even with limitations of the CELL and RSX graphics combo, the PlayStation 3’s ability to dual-boot Linux and band together for mini-scale supercomputing allows this little PowerPC puppy to simulate amazing ray-tracing power on a pre-rendered 3D model of a car.

Now while it isn’t exactly spectacular from a graphics offset (DX10 demos coughed up better rendering on SLI-ed 8800GTX’s), it does show just how much cooperation the console could feature in “macro-computing.” And after all, the simulation is based on a custom ray-tracing engine, so there’s no surprise there.

Dynamics introduced through the gamepad can allow you to see how the ray-trace graphics change when you switch viewing angles, allow you to specify the ambient lighting, and even allow you to see how which parts of the full-screen image are being processed by what PS3 unit.

Here’s a great idea to toy with though: taking off from this feat, why not try if a Linux-compatible 3D game could be rendered by three PlayStation 3s? With enough support from open-source devs and Linux distros, games could probably played on more than one unit, each one dedicated to one aspect of the game: master, AI, and graphics! What do you think?

Even with limitations of the CELL and RSX graphics combo, the PlayStation 3’s ability to dual-boot Linux and band together for mini-scale supercomputing allows this little PowerPC puppy to simulate amazing ray-tracing power on a pre-rendered 3D model of a car.

Now while it isn’t exactly spectacular from a graphics offset (DX10 demos coughed up better rendering on SLI-ed 8800GTX’s), it does show just how much cooperation the console could feature in “macro-computing.” And after all, the simulation is based on a custom ray-tracing engine, so there’s no surprise there.

Dynamics introduced through the gamepad can allow you to see how the ray-trace graphics change when you switch viewing angles, allow you to specify the ambient lighting, and even allow you to see how which parts of the full-screen image are being processed by what PS3 unit.

Here’s a great idea to toy with though: taking off from this feat, why not try if a Linux-compatible 3D game could be rendered by three PlayStation 3s? With enough support from open-source devs and Linux distros, games could probably played on more than one unit, each one dedicated to one aspect of the game: master, AI, and graphics! What do you think?