"Carl Hoff" <hof### [at] wtnet> wrote in message news:4030e2f7@news.povray.org...
>
> (1) --- also thinking about having blinking lights that follow some
pattern.
> Something like on for 2 frames, off for 1, back on for 2, then off for 10
> before repeating.
>
> (2)  The light trail...  Lets say I have a game grid that's 100 units by
100
> units.  I want to be able to set a path for my bike to follow.  Something
> like:
>
> <50,0>, <50,50>, <75,50>, <75,75>, <25,75>....
>
> I think I can move the bike by itself easy enough but I'm but sure about
the
> best way to draw the light trail.  It should have a rectangular
> cross-section and I'm thinking about the idea of generating the whole
shape
> for the path with a prism then putting a 'clock' dependant texture on it
> that's totally invisible in front of the bike position and visible behind
> it.  It'd also need a texture map to put a vertical white line on the
trail
> for something like every 5 units of its length.  Any tips on how best to
do
> that?

In answer to question 1... I'd say have a look at the Clock Modifier macro
by Chris Colefax, if you haven't already. It's at:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/1434/index.html
Can create repeat events in various ways, and using
'frame_number/final_frame' as a parameter should work.

For question 2... use a clocked linear 'spline' path for the bike, and
perhaps apply the trail line in the same way (with a object for the line).
I'm not sure about the prism idea. It would certainly need to be done in
such a way which doesn't have the texture intersecting with other points. If
you use a single already-completed object, that could be a problem. Best
thing might be an object which forms as it moves along, and a 'sphere_sweep'
might be good for that. Just need the values given to it to change with
time.

-- 
Bob H.
http://www.3digitaleyes.com

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