I'd add a small point of clarification.....

1. Any 2d->3d mapping will involve distortion for anything
   other than a planar object.... POV simply gives you some
   choice to which distortion you apply.
2. The "object carved from" text comes from the fact POV
   treats all textures as 3-dimensional fields -- the
   different mapping techniques are different methods of
   mapping 2-d space into 3-d space.  This is inherently different
   from surface->surface mapping techniques ("uv - mapping") employed
   by renderers with 2-d primitives.... POV doesn't use surface
   textures, only volume textures.

   For a comparison, Bryce 3d has both 2d and 3d textures,
   while Ray Dream has 2d textures only (I believe).

   POVTM ( http://www.twysted.net/ ) has a slope-dependent texture
   option for height fields.  Slope is an inherently 2-d concept...
   thus this repesents an extension beyond the POV texturing
   paradign.  But then, when grass grows on a mountainside,
   it doesn't grow inside the mountain, only on the surface --
   on mountain-like scales, it's 2d.

Dan


K. Tyler wrote:
> 
> Paolo Bormida wrote:
> 
> > Hi all !
> > I have a (hope not stupid) question....
> > Is it possible to wrap an image (using an image map texture I suppose)
> > around an object such a sphere in a way it is not distorted ?

>     Have you tried the map_type option?
> There are several image mapping types
> type 0 - planer, type 1- spherical and there is also
> cylindrical, toroidal, and maybe more I have forgotten.

That's all.

-- 
http://www.flash.net/~djconnel/

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