Greetings Mr. Nathan Kopp Sir,


   A couple of quick questions in regards to the Photon feature of your
 newest patch. There are statistics available when using the photon feature.

  The first is a counter in the lower left of the window frame. If you are
 lucky enough to get your scene description set up correctly it starts to
 display two pieces of information when parsing the scene. One number to
 the left for the photon map and a second number in parenthesis. What are
 the two numbers and what may be learned from them as they are displayed ?

  Second question is in regards to the statistics reported in the message
 window when a render is finished. Here you have as many as four statistics
 returned - that is the most I have seen so far anyway.

 For example I just finished a render with these reported results:

      Photons:
          Shot - 245,000
        Stored - 117,000

 Priority Que:
        Insert - 124,000
       Removed -     165

  I would like to know what this is telling me in regards to the
 numbers returned. Do I need to adjust my choice of parameters,
 is it is in the ballpark for the process, or this is just useless
 statistics put there to make the process look more important but
 actually tells you nothing ? (just kidding on the last part :) ).


  Thirdly in regards to using the reflection feature of the Photon
 process I would like to know what kind of intensity return to
 expect from a reflected ray after one bounce. I don't believe I
 am seeing anything close to 100% coming off of a smooth surface
 with a reflection value of 1 and landing on a surface with a
 diffuse 1 ambient 0 finish statement. 
  The reflected light seems more on the order of something closer
 to 60% - 70% of the original. Is this again a result of user
 chosen parameters or is this a known characteristic of the process ?
 Not that I am complaining mind you. Even 15% returned of the
 reflected light intensity is better than nothing at all.

  Thank you for taking the time to read this and I am really enjoying
 the new art coming from my computer.

  You dun guud things Mr. Nathan Kopp Sir.

  -- 
  Ken Tyler

  mailto://tylereng@pacbell.net

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