On 2025-08-05 07:47, Mr wrote:
> 
> could you please use conserve_energy keyword with your metals, as they are
> currently so blindingly bright that I can't see the picture ! ;-P

Conserve_energy is intended for transparent textures; it is not relevant
for metals (except maybe transparent aluminum).  The usual problem with
legacy metallic textures is diffuse and ambient finishes that are too
high, and that appears to be the problem with the typeball in this image.

> I wish Cousin Ricky's macros could be included in POV-Ray sources, so that the
> default way of calling a metal would have all that hard-wired. because users
> should be able to trust the defaults to not do that kind of thing.

I have proposed updates of metals.inc and golds.inc that use textures
derived from RC3Metal.  I will probably submit a pull request when my
Git learning curve levels off somewhat.  But this will also require a
consensus resolution to the issue I raise in the p.beta-test thread
"Ambient and diffuse for include files?"

> To sum it up
> use fresnel, ior, conserve_energy

Fresnel, ior, and conserve_energy are for non-metallic textures.  For
metals, the 'metallic' keyword takes care of all these factors.

> and a sum of diffuse+specular+reflection below
> 1.(most clean and shiny metals should have very very low diffuse)

Diffuse+reflection should be below 1; specular albedo should be
comparable to reflection, if you use use specular at all.  Yes, diffuse
should be low, but I would add that the ambient should be even lower;
the ambient-to-diffuse ratio should be no higher than for the other
finishes in your scene.  For a purely metallic texture, both diffuse and
ambient should be zero, though the world usually isn't that clean.

Post a reply to this message