Hi everyone. I would like advice for a "sub-newbie". Here's what I mean:

I used to play around with POV a lot a long time ago when it was published
in one of the computer graphics magazines and I got it through buying the
book "IMLAB". That was way way back when POV was only about version 1.0

Ever since, I had diminishing time to do my personal POV projects as POV
advanced and the only thing I did was kept trying to read the POV manual on
how to use the new features when they were added. Even then, I never
achieved it due to lack of time.

So up till now, my knowledge is still v1.0 standard. My reason of writing
this message is to ask the more advanced users if they knew what would be
the best and quickest way for me to catch up with the latest version's
features without too much effort.

Thanks in advance.
Lhainel

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"Lhainel" <mac### [at] yahoocom> wrote:
> So up till now, my knowledge is still v1.0 standard. My reason of writing

My 2c:

1. Figure if you have the time now.

2. Don't worry about features.  Figure out what you want to make, and then
use the  manual as you go.

3. IMHO there's really nothing like doing.  If you don't have anything in
mind right now that you want to make, go write a macro that'll build a
glass of water with parameterized dimensions, liquid color, ior etc.  Do
it.  :)

4. There are good tutorials out there, but it honestly sounds like you need
to start typing. (Just my 2c) ;-)

Charles

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Lhainel nous apporta ses lumieres en ce 2007/06/05 23:05:
> Hi everyone. I would like advice for a "sub-newbie". Here's what I mean:
> 
> I used to play around with POV a lot a long time ago when it was published
> in one of the computer graphics magazines and I got it through buying the
> book "IMLAB". That was way way back when POV was only about version 1.0
> 
> Ever since, I had diminishing time to do my personal POV projects as POV
> advanced and the only thing I did was kept trying to read the POV manual on
> how to use the new features when they were added. Even then, I never
> achieved it due to lack of time.
> 
> So up till now, my knowledge is still v1.0 standard. My reason of writing
> this message is to ask the more advanced users if they knew what would be
> the best and quickest way for me to catch up with the latest version's
> features without too much effort.
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> Lhainel
> 
> 
Take the time go go trough the tutorial. Hand copy all the examples provided, 
don't cut and paste. For each examples, try some variations to see the effect.
Once you finish the tutorial, read the manual, and don't esitate to consult them 
whenever you are not sure about some detail.

-- 
Alain
-------------------------------------------------
You know you've been raytracing too long when you look at real clouds and 
criticise their media and radiosity settings.
Tom Melly

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"Lhainel" <mac### [at] yahoocom> wrote:
> Hi everyone. I would like advice for a "sub-newbie". Here's what I mean:
>
> I used to play around with POV a lot a long time ago when it was published
> in one of the computer graphics magazines and I got it through buying the
> book "IMLAB". That was way way back when POV was only about version 1.0
>
> Ever since, I had diminishing time to do my personal POV projects as POV
> advanced and the only thing I did was kept trying to read the POV manual on
> how to use the new features when they were added. Even then, I never
> achieved it due to lack of time.
>
> So up till now, my knowledge is still v1.0 standard. My reason of writing
> this message is to ask the more advanced users if they knew what would be
> the best and quickest way for me to catch up with the latest version's
> features without too much effort.
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Lhainel


I agree with Charles get a project and develop your Pov skills with each

lips :-)


Stephen

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Stephen nous apporta ses lumieres en ce 2007/06/06 07:57:
> "Lhainel" <mac### [at] yahoocom> wrote:
>> Hi everyone. I would like advice for a "sub-newbie". Here's what I mean:
>>
>> I used to play around with POV a lot a long time ago when it was published
>> in one of the computer graphics magazines and I got it through buying the
>> book "IMLAB". That was way way back when POV was only about version 1.0
>>
>> Ever since, I had diminishing time to do my personal POV projects as POV
>> advanced and the only thing I did was kept trying to read the POV manual on
>> how to use the new features when they were added. Even then, I never
>> achieved it due to lack of time.
>>
>> So up till now, my knowledge is still v1.0 standard. My reason of writing
>> this message is to ask the more advanced users if they knew what would be
>> the best and quickest way for me to catch up with the latest version's
>> features without too much effort.
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>> Lhainel
> 

> I agree with Charles get a project and develop your Pov skills with each

> lips :-)

> 
> Stephen
> 
> 
> 
RSOACP: Reflective Sphere On A Checkered Plane.
Very simple, and a very good oportunity for creativity... It's hard to belive 
how many variations were done while only scratching the surface of the theme.
To be posted on "povray.binaries.images"

-- 
Alain
-------------------------------------------------
   I'm so ugly I stuck my head out the window and got arrested for Mooning.
   	Rodney Dangerfield

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"Lhainel" <mac### [at] yahoocom> wrote:
> the best and quickest way for me to catch up with the latest version's
> features without too much effort.

The povray manual and included tutorials are excellent and very objective.
But I'd suggest you to concentrate on the basics rather than fancy
features:  basic geometry objects, CSG modelling, texturing and
transformations, specially positioning objects relative to each other and
respecting a given unit.

Povray improved a lot since 1.0:  global illumination in the form of
radiosity, photons causing caustics, isosurfaces to model any shape
imaginable, media to simulate particle interaction, camera focal blur,
user-definable patterns via functions, trace to help you position objects
acurately against a given surface and lots of other predefined basic shapes
and patterns.  And soon enough, povray will be able to use all the CPUs you
got in a given machine.

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Not to mention SDL - that alone has done more to improve povray than any
other feature, imho.

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