Hi, all --
I'm going to be a university student next year and, for the longest time, I've been fascinated by the amazing field of computer graphics. For the past few months, I have been ardently studying the literature, writing programs, and enjoying learning the field. I want to be a 3D graphics/game programmer.
However, the very realism present in high end graphics also depresses me. I know real-time graphics isn't photo-realistic, but isn't it simply a matter of computing power and time before we have true photorealism? Aren't the algorithms for photorealism already there? Once that occurs, won't graphics programmers be out of a job?
So my question is: is it worth devoting my entire undergraduate (and eventually professional) career to the study of real-time computer graphics? Or will it be that by the time I catch up to the current state of affairs that I will be too late and everything will have been solved?
Also, is there still any groundbreaking research going on on the academic front for non-realtime graphics? What problems are left to be solved there?
Any input would be greatly appreciated. If my post sounds ignorant and it turns out that it is in the realm of pure absurdity that computer graphics will be solved within a few decades, then please feel free to flame me -- at least I will know that I can hope to make a contribution -- however small -- to the field.
-Arbotron
I'm going to be a university student next year and, for the longest time, I've been fascinated by the amazing field of computer graphics. For the past few months, I have been ardently studying the literature, writing programs, and enjoying learning the field. I want to be a 3D graphics/game programmer.
However, the very realism present in high end graphics also depresses me. I know real-time graphics isn't photo-realistic, but isn't it simply a matter of computing power and time before we have true photorealism? Aren't the algorithms for photorealism already there? Once that occurs, won't graphics programmers be out of a job?
So my question is: is it worth devoting my entire undergraduate (and eventually professional) career to the study of real-time computer graphics? Or will it be that by the time I catch up to the current state of affairs that I will be too late and everything will have been solved?
Also, is there still any groundbreaking research going on on the academic front for non-realtime graphics? What problems are left to be solved there?
Any input would be greatly appreciated. If my post sounds ignorant and it turns out that it is in the realm of pure absurdity that computer graphics will be solved within a few decades, then please feel free to flame me -- at least I will know that I can hope to make a contribution -- however small -- to the field.
-Arbotron