SGK nous illumina en ce 2008-09-02 23:09 -->
> Hi there,
> I am looking for a program (either in existance or created for me) which can
> allow me to create small photo realistic images (400x270 pixels) of the sky
> with clouds and sun beams on a Linux system on demand and in large quantities.
> I am neither a programmer nor do I understand anything about raytracing apart
> from the very basic principles, but have been told it would be the best method
> to create photo-realistic images.
> This link:
> http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=sky+cloud+sun+beam&s=int
> shows the kind of images I would love to achieve - although without inclusion of
> the earth - this is really only meant to be sky, cloud and sunshine.
> Basically I don't need an interface - just being able to enter some command line
> parameters such as dawn, sunset, blue sky, stormy and a randomizer seed would be
> enough.
> Could anyone help me with this or suggest some solutions?
> I was thinking that may be the Linux version of Povray could be used for this,
> as I have seen some great cloud images, but don't know if this is the case.
> I also don't know how fast this would be, as I would like to generate these
> images on demand on a linux system (Xeon running CentOs)
> Any advice will be more than welcome.
> :)
> sgk
> 
> 
> 
If you want to see the beams of light in the air, then you need what some call 
"volumetric" clouds and athmosphere.
This is achieved, in POV-Ray, by the use of scathering media. That king of 
rendering is intrincicaly SLOW with any programm, even at relatively small scale.
While you can make some quick and realistic clouds that will render relatively 
fast, the simulation of the scathering of light in the air is what's slowing you 
down.

POV-Ray can do what you want. There are some other renderers out there that also 
can do that. Some are free, and other can cost you a lot, but the price is not 
an indication of the quality you'll get, the ease of use, applicability to your 
needs nor speed.
Get ready to get a computer with FAST CPUs! You can skip on the video card, as 
it will not be used to create your image, just display the final result, any low 
end one will do.

-- 
Alain
-------------------------------------------------
Taste cannot be controlled by law.
Thomas Jefferson

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