Chambers wrote:

> I don't think you've mentioned this yet, but will your script eventually 
> be released for others to use?  My wife loves the RTC games, and I'd be 
> willing to switch to NoLimits if it meant getting her interested in 
> POV-Ray :)
> 
> ...Chambers

Yes, I do have those plans.

Subject to one thing though...permission from Ole Lange, the author of 
No Limits.  At the end of 2003, I asked him for the specifications of 
the .nltrack file format, telling him my plans to make a program to 
convert No Limits tracks to POV-Ray.  He liked the idea, and sent me a 
text file.  But I wrote the program so poorly that I very quickly wrote 
myself into a corner.  All I had was the ability to export the track and 
supports.  I didn't have a simulator or anything at all.

But now, No Limits has gone through several updates, and the file format 
has changed slightly.  Just a few things added giving more features and 
options to your rides.  I asked him a couple weeks ago for a new format 
and said I plan on creating animations with a simulator, and he never 
responded.

I'm not sure if he hasn't responded because he hasn't gotten around to 
it, or if he doesn't want me doing it, but hasn't said anything, or what.

The simple fact of the matter is, No Limits is a for-profit program. 
Its not free.  The demo comes with a couple tracks and an editor, but 
the editor doesn't let you save, and ONLY those demo tracks can be 
loaded into the simulator.  By using my program, I'm essentially giving 
away the No Limits simulator to anyone with enough patience to render 
each ride.  And with each frame taking only 3-8 seconds to render, a 
full ride takes less than 24 hours to render.

In any case, I don't think I'll be releasing anything until I've gotten 
just about everything in the No Limits track file implemented.  That 
includes supports, different track segment types (station, lift, brakes, 
etc.) and terrain (including the reflective water).  That leaves 
scenery, which includes trees and 3DS objects.  The trees will be easy, 
but 3DS objects...either I'll have to learn the 3DS file format, or I 
find a 3DS->POV converter that has a license that allows me to bundle it 
with my program.

-DJ

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