One solution is to export to DXF (low or medium resolution) and convert to
a mesh file (using Crossroads for instance). I've run comparative tests
some time ago on a 256 bezier patches / 2 Mo mesh and the mesh has the
following advantages : it parses faster, render faster, uses less memory,
it can be replicated in a scene many times with negligible memory overhead
(while replicating bezier patches more or less replicates the memory used
for each object), and it can be easily uv-mapped (if using a uv-mapping
syntax). The only negative aspect of meshes is the file size, which can be
huge. Since spatch lets you choose between several mesh resolutions, you
can do your tests on a small resolution mesh and use the medium (or high,
but these one are really big) mesh for the final tests. Of course, huge
meshes will take time to parse too. Mesh2 (Superpatch, UVpatch) meshes
parse much faster than official meshes.

Gilles

Joel Gilmore wrote:

> Hi all,
> Well, I guess I'm kinda new to the rendering scene, but I've jumped
> straight in, and started putting together a chess set.
> Using my own pieces, I modeled a pawn, and put eight of them on a chess
> board, added nice lighting (IMHO :) etc.  Then I decided to have a shot
> at doing the Queen.  Using sPatch, I modeled a rather nice head, using
> the lathe tool, then adding dimples around the top.
> I exported to pov, but when I looked at the source code, there was over
> 5000 lines!  And when I render, it takes a bit over two minutes to just
> parse the code.
> Is there anyway to reduce this time?  Or, alternatively, get some sort
> of a preview so that I can try and place it all accurately?  I could
> perhaps export it to Moray instead, but I've already put together the
> pawn and so forth in Pov, and I quite enjoy working with the source
> code.
> Thanks :)
> Joel

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