m1j wrote:
> My am is to match the output of
> MentalRay as close as possible.

   Why? The POV-Ray version you posted looks much better.

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Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote:
> m1j wrote:
> > My am is to match the output of
> > MentalRay as close as possible.
>
>    Why? The POV-Ray version you posted looks much better.

Well I disagree with that. The rocks looks best in Povray. The cart looks
best in XSI. Each program has its strengths and weakness. As an artist I
must look objectively rather than be bound by a prejudice. I am attempting
to equalize these quality differences to be able to create the best image
out of either program.

This was not to be a comparison but that is what it became.

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m1j wrote:

> This was not to be a comparison but that is what it became.
> 
> 

Good line.  Yes it is a very open ended sort of exercise but of interest 
none-the-less.  It is not about the final conclusion but about what you 
discover along the way.  Logically, it seems to me that to get a "match" 
you will ultimately have to dumb down the comparitively superior 
abilities of each program.  OTOH, to make a comparison of quality you 
would end up with a circular sort of conclusion. But handled correctly 
the exercise could offer some interesting insights.

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Jim Charter <jrc### [at] msncom> wrote:
> m1j wrote:
>
> > This was not to be a comparison but that is what it became.
> >
> >
>
> Good line.  Yes it is a very open ended sort of exercise but of interest
> none-the-less.  It is not about the final conclusion but about what you
> discover along the way.  Logically, it seems to me that to get a "match"
> you will ultimately have to dumb down the comparitively superior
> abilities of each program.  OTOH, to make a comparison of quality you
> would end up with a circular sort of conclusion. But handled correctly
> the exercise could offer some interesting insights.

This is the best I have ever heard that put.

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Just came in on the tail-end of this discussion.

The pebbled ground looks much better in POV, wheras the metal rims on the
cart wheels look better in XSI (though I believe that could be tweaked in
POV to look as nice or better.)

Hmm...
Softimage XSI Advanced: $6,995
POV-Ray:  Free

Gee, which to choose...   ;-)

Ken

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m1j wrote:
>>   Why? The POV-Ray version you posted looks much better.
> 
> Well I disagree with that. The rocks looks best in Povray. The cart looks
> best in XSI. Each program has its strengths and weakness. As an artist I
> must look objectively rather than be bound by a prejudice. I am attempting
> to equalize these quality differences to be able to create the best image
> out of either program.

   I don't understand you. My opinion was in no way affected by
prejudice.

   The lighting in the XSI version looks very harsh and cold. The
contrast is very high, in a negative way. The lighting makes the
wood texture look dull and artificial. Shadows are too dark and
highlights are too bright and washed-out. The details of the wood
texture are diminished.

   On the other hand, the lighting in the POV-Ray version looks
great. It has some very nice warmth to it. It makes the wood
texture look very vivid and lively. The difference between shadow
and light is nice and smooth. The details of the wood texture are
nicely enhanced. It gives a quite realisting as well as a very
artistic feeling to it, like those incredible nature photographs
you see sometimes in the internet, where the colors are very vivid
and warm.

   To me the POV-Ray version looks a lot better.

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"Kenneth" <kdw### [at] earthlinknet> wrote:
> Just came in on the tail-end of this discussion.
>
> The pebbled ground looks much better in POV, wheras the metal rims on the
> cart wheels look better in XSI (though I believe that could be tweaked in
> POV to look as nice or better.)
>
> Hmm...
> Softimage XSI Advanced: $6,995
> POV-Ray:  Free
>
> Gee, which to choose...   ;-)
>
> Ken

Actually it is XSI foundation at $495.

With that I get one of the best interfaces and one of the leading commercial
rendering engines. And now if I can use it with povray I get both worlds.

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"m1j" <mik### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
> I built this cart in XSI but decided to see what POVRay would do with it. I
> had to change the road look because of differences in texturing systems and
> the fact that part of my textures in XSI are not tillable. I had to fix
> that for POVRay which I will use in XSI as well.
>
> I still need to do a lot of work on lighting. POVRay is clearly slower so it
> is taking me more time to tweak the radiosity and light values. In this
> rendering I have radiosity too bright. My am is to match the output of
> MentalRay as close as possible. The cart still needs sides and something to
> be pulling it. And some cargo. Hay probably.

Un update.

POVRay 1d 7h

XSI ~1h

XSI is better at the shadow detail and speed.
POVRay is better at color bleed and light balance.

Not sure if I have enough knowledge of each to make then look the same. I am
even having some trouble just getting the camera position the same.

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"m1j" <mik### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
> "m1j" <mik### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
> > I built this cart in XSI but decided to see what POVRay would do with it. I
> > had to change the road look because of differences in texturing systems and
> > the fact that part of my textures in XSI are not tillable. I had to fix
> > that for POVRay which I will use in XSI as well.
> >
> > I still need to do a lot of work on lighting. POVRay is clearly slower so it
> > is taking me more time to tweak the radiosity and light values. In this
> > rendering I have radiosity too bright. My am is to match the output of
> > MentalRay as close as possible. The cart still needs sides and something to
> > be pulling it. And some cargo. Hay probably.
>
> Un update.
>
> POVRay 1d 7h
>
> XSI ~1h
>
> XSI is better at the shadow detail and speed.
> POVRay is better at color bleed and light balance.
>
> Not sure if I have enough knowledge of each to make then look the same. I am
> even having some trouble just getting the camera position the same.

Well I guess it would help to add the images!

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