Matt Morris wrote:
> 
> I'm pretty much a beginner with POV and I'm just curious the most common
> way to develop coordinates. I mean, it would seem that a modeler is very
> useful for creating scenes and placing objects in certain places until
> it looks right, however I have read that a modeler isn't the way to go.
> (It doesn't seem like any of the IRTC winners use modelers) Other than a
> modeler, how can one create a scene by just typing in code? Wouldn't you
> need some sort of visual representation of what the hell you're doing?
> Or maybe it's just me, and thats the attitude of all beginners.
> 
> Matt Morris

I'll try to answer this one but may fall short.

Yes you will find the proverbial newbie scrambling to to find a
modeler to get a visual representation. It's a natural byproduct
of using paint and Cad programs I would imagine. There is a lot
of merit in using a modeler in the beginning just to get a feel
for how the coordinate system works. I personaly started using
pov without a modeler and suffered as a result for quite a while.
Now I am perfectly at home in this script driven environment and
have no need for one. Others will start with a modeling program
and slowly gravitate away from it when they realize there are
features in pov that no modeler supports and are forced to work
with text only. So you see there are advantages and disadvantages
no matter which way you go. Moray is by far the most popular
modeling program for Pov but I never liked it because it uses
a reversed coordinate sytem that is not the default used by Pov.

Opinion wise I suggest you use whatever method suits you and allows
you to be as creative as you can be. If you follow my lead you will
be a better artist than the modeler alone Pov user because you will
understand the inner working of Pov to a greater extint than you can
in a modeler only environment. This is not to say you can't achieve
great results in a modeler only environment I just feel you will limit
your possibilities.


Any help ?


-- 
Ken Tyler

tyl### [at] pacbellnet

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