>1) what are the import/export options?
        e.g. Color-It! to POV-ray
        e.g. Bryce 4 to POV-ray
        e.g. 3D Modeller (like Blob Sculptor) to POV-ray
                e.g. POV-ray to RDS
                e.g. POV-ray to AfterEffects or Premiere<

You can't export from POV-Ray to anything. Color-It is an image editing
program, you can use it to generate image maps, height fields, and so
on, as long as the files are in something like TGA or PNG so POV-Ray can
read them.
There are programs that convert from other formats to POV, but I don't
know anything about them and don't know what Mac versions are available.



>2) Are ther tutorials online for making luminous spheres?  I need to
make 2 or more luminous spheres in the foreground similar in appearance
to the sky_sphere.   The POV.doc seems vague on how to use Object Media
to create halo effects or perhaps I need to read more on transparent
pigment filters.<

The sky_sphere is just for the background, I am not sure what you mean
there. You probably want to use a sphere filled with emitting media,
with a spherical density. I could give example code if needed, but since
this is not platform-specific, it should probably go to one of the other
groups like povray.newusers.


>My animations will mostly concern planetary terrains, starfields,
luminous spheres,
planetary rings, and animated technical plots.
Is there any software you use along with POV-ray that you find
essential?
I already have Blob Sculptor demo, ColorIt!, and MS Office 98.<

I am a coder, I write everything directly into the scene file. There
really aren't any programs like this that I feel are absolutely
necessary(For me, that is. Other people can't do anything without
modellers, I can't do anything with them.).
However, something like Blob Sculptor and maybe some other modeller
utilities could be useful. Have you looked at the official POV-Ray Mac
web page? There is a list of utilities there which might be useful.

Post a reply to this message