FRACTAL TRIPEXPLORE INFINITYTAKE A TRIP ✦
RENDER THE IMPOSSIBLE

Distance Estimation & Ray Marching

How implicit fractals become lit 3D surfaces without first becoming giant polygon meshes.

VISUALRESEARCHEDDEEP DIVE
Distance Estimation & Ray Marching fractal artwork
Original Fractal Trip procedural render
RENDER THE IMPOSSIBLE

Take safe steps through empty space

A distance estimator approximates how far a point is from the surface. A ray marcher advances by that estimate: big steps far away, tiny steps near detail.

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Why it matters

NormalsSample nearby distances to estimate surface orientation.
ShadowsMarch secondary rays toward lights.
Ambient occlusionApproximate how enclosed a point is.
LODAdapt step counts and detail to screen size.
Hybrid renderingCombine 2.5D height fields with true 3D inserts.
CachingReuse previously sampled regions in interactive explorers.