I am still a little bit confused about how to get going more effective with
povray ...

is the standard/common user (does there exist something like that in the
first place?) using povray stand-alone or does he use modelling software
(i.e. Moray)?

if using Moray: Can you(do you) use it to create the 90% scene and then
taylor the last 10% in your own script ??

do you use a painting/drawing to start out a scene ?


in short: Tell me your best practices how to create a cool scene !!

thx
Wolfgang

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I think most people using POV-Ray have a collection of software they use.
I use Moray for some modelling, especially for creating new textures.  I
also use AutoCAD (a little pricey for most, I'll admit), NuGraf/PolyTrans
(also pricey, but an excellent 3D file format converter).  Most of my scenes
are 50% hand-coding, 50% software modelled.  Many people also use
SPatch for modelling organic things.  I think 3DWin is used by many for
converting between different 3D file formats.

--
Doug Eichenberg
http://www.getinfo.net/douge
dou### [at] nlsnet

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99.9% script writing in my case.  I have no skill using modeler programs,
other people do.  It's much a matter of abilities, although preference too.
Considering that half the things POV-Ray can do aren't possible via a GUI
interface I'd say scripting is a necessity either way.

Bob

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99.9% script writing?  I have new respect for your work!  I come from
an engineering background (lots of drafting), so I tend to model most
everything... I leave the scripting to you guys!

--
Doug Eichenberg
http://www.getinfo.net/douge
dou### [at] nlsnet

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Bob Hughes <per### [at] aolcom?subject=pov-news:> wrote:
: Considering that half the things POV-Ray can do aren't possible via a GUI
: interface I'd say scripting is a necessity either way.

  On the other hand, half of the things a good modeller can do are not
possible with the scripting language.

  (Well, theoretically it is possible, but in practice no-one can do
it by hand; for example a complex head model made with a triangle
mesh).

-- 
main(i,_){for(_?--i,main(i+2,"FhhQHFIJD|FQTITFN]zRFHhhTBFHhhTBFysdB"[i]
):_;i&&_>1;printf("%s",_-70?_&1?"[]":" ":(_=0,"\n")),_/=2);} /*- Warp -*/

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Warp wrote:

>   On the other hand, half of the things a good modeller can do are not
> possible with the scripting language.
> 
>   (Well, theoretically it is possible, but in practice no-one can do
> it by hand; for example a complex head model made with a triangle
> mesh).

IMHO, triangle meshes are best suited to scanned data (Stanford bunny
etc.).  I don't think many people are using modelers to make complicated
triangle meshes.  Editors are highly useful for bezier patches, though.

-Mark Gordon

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> IMHO, triangle meshes are best suited to scanned data (Stanford bunny
> etc.).  I don't think many people are using modelers to make complicated
> triangle meshes.  Editors are highly useful for bezier patches, though.

I make use of traingle meshes quite often.  Anything I model in AutoCAD has
to be converted to a triangle mesh to be rendered in POV.  The same goes
for anything modelled with 3DSMax, 3D Studio, TrueSpace, etc.... pretty
much any file found at 3DCafe.
--
Doug Eichenberg
http://www.getinfo.net/douge
dou### [at] nlsnet

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Doug Eichenberg wrote:
> 
> I think most people using POV-Ray have a collection of software they use.
> I use Moray for some modelling, especially for creating new textures.  I
> also use AutoCAD (a little pricey for most, I'll admit), NuGraf/PolyTrans
> (also pricey, but an excellent 3D file format converter).  Most of my scenes
> are 50% hand-coding, 50% software modelled.  Many people also use
> SPatch for modelling organic things.  I think 3DWin is used by many for
> converting between different 3D file formats.
> 

Not to forget non-GUI programs like L-system generators and heightfield
programs.  

IMO all kinds of work (hand-coding/modelling/...) have their advantages for
certain purposes.  

I also often use a scanner and vectorizing programs to gather real world data.  

Christoph

--
Christoph Hormann <chr### [at] gmxde>
Homepage: http://www.schunter.etc.tu-bs.de/~chris/

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i use moray and spatch mostly, but my final scenes are at least tweaked
by hand.  because the models i've undertaken are so complex, i haven't
done many scenes but i have run tests, most of which i hand coded.  once
i get all my models done, i'll be using quite a bit of hand code for
certain things.

Wolf Manos wrote:
> 
> I am still a little bit confused about how to get going more effective with
> povray ...
> 
> is the standard/common user (does there exist something like that in the
> first place?) using povray stand-alone or does he use modelling software
> (i.e. Moray)?
> 
> if using Moray: Can you(do you) use it to create the 90% scene and then
> taylor the last 10% in your own script ??
> 
> do you use a painting/drawing to start out a scene ?
> 
> in short: Tell me your best practices how to create a cool scene !!
> 
> thx
> Wolfgang

Post a reply to this message

Wolf Manos wrote:
> 
> I am still a little bit confused about how to get going more effective
> with povray ...
> 
> is the standard/common user (does there exist something like that in
> the first place?) using povray stand-alone or does he use modelling
> software (i.e. Moray)?
> 
> if using Moray: Can you(do you) use it to create the 90% scene and
> then taylor the last 10% in your own script ??
> 
> do you use a painting/drawing to start out a scene ?
> 
> in short: Tell me your best practices how to create a cool scene !!

I use pencil and paper to sketch things out as I design them.  Then I
hand-code scripts.  That's it.  If I'm using an image_map, I'll create
it via the most effective means (POV render or Paint Shop).

For many functions I have developed script macros that greatly simplify
things.  Some of the macros simply toss together primitives in ways that
get done alot, and others do complicated things, like plotting out the
steps taken by a character walking along a path.

Regards,
John
-- 
ICQ: 46085459

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