Perlin noise in Real-time Computer Graphics

In general case noise means unwanted signal of different nature. In computer graphics and image synthesis term “noise” is used to call a pseudo-random function which is generally used to generate procedural textures. Perlin noise is one of the most well-known noise functions. Noise is generally used to create procedural textures, such as marble, wood, cloud textures. This requires noise to be a function of two parameters, which are texture coordinates. However, if we extend noise function to three or four dimensions, we would get a powerful function which would allow us to modify geometry, generate procedural volumetric effects and vortex fields for particle simulations. This paper shows how to compute noise function on GPU and how to use it in advanced real-time visual effects.