Chris Huff wrote:

> >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.

I take this to mean you can't export POV-ray models to another
modeling program.

I'm guessing you could output a quicktime movie and touch it up with
Premiere or AfterEffect.  Do many POV-ray users do this?  or is it easy
to get lens flares, animated smoke, flames, or explosions using just
POV-ray?

> 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.

I have experimented with GraphicConverter.  It seems to work.

>
> 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.

I know Blob-Sculptor exports to POV-Ray scripts -- what about Poser 4?.
And one of the posts here implies that Bryce4 exports results to POV-ray.
These are programs I am considering buying.

> >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.

Sorry, I meant like the sun/halo effect I produced with sky_sphere.

> 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.

or you could email it to me.  That would be much appreciated by this novice

to POV-Ray!

> >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.).

I found the modeller demos good for learning the basics (objects, cgs,
color and light, etc), but I think POV-ray is more efficient (as a coder
myself) for trig-based motions, geometrical positioning, etc.  But, I'm
thinking that programs like Bryce4/Poser4/Canoma could speed up the
production process for characters, organic shapes, and landscapes *IF* they

can output to POV-Ray scripts. (I did the height-map tutorial successfully,

but feel that Bryce4 would be more efficient and flexible for creating
landscapes.)

> 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.

Yes, I have, but I'm running out of steam after trying numerous demos
over the past two months.  I'm ready to commit to POV-Ray but want
the advice of experienced users as to what else is productive to use
alongside it.

Thanks for the info.

-Vic Pary

Post a reply to this message