Stephen <mcavoys_at@aoldotcom> wrote:
> Once you have the object in 3DS-Max, can you not export it manually?

I do not export the geometry out of max. In the past I did the modelling, using
Rhino. from this I've exported it to Obj in several levels of detail. Importing
the lowest only into Max for animation. Once the animation is done, I'm using
the "vue-file renderer". It generates a file, containing the Matrix-data of all
objects. In PovRay, only the high-level-objects are used for the rendering and
the matrix-data for sure.

The idea behind this is, that the High-level objects are THAT extreme, you could
NEVER do an animation with this in what app ever! The parsing sometimes took
move then 30 minutes in PovRay. So sometimes I'm using the old MegPov 0.7 with
the "persistence of objects" function. It loads in the geometry ONLY for the
first frame.

In _this_ case, it would be possible to have native-script-based objects, from
PovRay as mesh in Max. Animate them, using the .vue-file-renderer again, and do
the rendering in PovRay, using the original-objects.

> I thought that it was a SDL script. Blender, is as you say, not to my
> taste and I've not tried Houdini. I use Bishop3D to model but I have my
> suspicions that its development is over. So maybe it is time to move on
> to another modeller.

I do 3D since the beginning of the 90s. If someone today ask me what app to use,
I recommend Blender or Houdini.
Blender is not everyone's taste, ok but its still very good and free.
Houdini can be used for free, heaving a lower res for the rendering, but still
all functions available. As well exporting everything. So you can do the
modelling within Houdini and do the rendering in PovRay.
Or you can by an _normal_ version for _non-professional_ use. It has all
function on. That costs about 100 Dollars only!
Only the version for Professional use costs a lot.

Houdini is the absolute HAMMER in 3D it's the absolute super-app! It's using a
node-based interface. Very good for organising extreme projects. Don't be
shocked by this! It's _very_ easy to use. Don't try just to do something on you
own after installation. When heaving no idea of what going on here you are lost!
Download a view tut video-files and you be very fine.

Have fun with this!!

Best rgds,
Holger

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