From looking at some of his papers, there is definitely GPU and CPU involved.

No way (and I mean this as someone who knows) can you do this completely in software (i.e.: only cpu) - impossible at this time.  Maybe on a quad cpu quad-core with 256GB memory, but not on an 'entry-level laptop'.

Every gaming machine around uses the GPU at full throttle with tricks to get what they get - using the lowest polygon models and least taxing 'realistic' methods possible.  This is pure hardware screaming - and they would buckle under the list you gave.  And the solutions that I've seen for professional grade 3D CG software (Maya, Max, XSI, LW, C4D) were either using a special render card or OpenGL code (i.e.: GPU) to achieve their results.

What number is this issue of 3D World?  I'll need to pick it up when available and read through to catch the sticky bits that might not have been elucidated.

ETA: Don't get me wrong here.  Real-time rendering is currently very possible - but it is only possible through hardware - and that means taking advantage of most newer model graphics cards with good GPU and OGL support.

C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot. C++ makes it harder, but when you do, you blow your whole leg off.

 -- Bjarne Stroustrup

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