Kirk Andrews wrote:
> Some improvements.  Still can't find my pegasus to get there, though...
> 
> (clouds were added in post-processing, of course.  I'm not patient enough for
> media.)
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
Beautiful.

My one suggestion, the water texture is stopping me.  I feel that with 
that kind of almost still ripple there would be more variety, as if gust 
s ripple some place and still in others.  Just seems a little too 
regualr for that type of chop.  Maybe try throwing in a couple of 
blackhole warps to vary things a bit?

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Jim Charter wrote:
> My one suggestion, the water texture is stopping me.

I think what the water *really* needs is variable reflection.

(Just in case anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about: 
http://www.povray.org/documentation/view/3.6.1/348/ )

That much should be only one or two extra lines of code. :-)

-- 
William Tracy
afi### [at] gmailcom -- wtr### [at] calpolyedu

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William Tracy <wtr### [at] calpolyedu> wrote:
> Jim Charter wrote:
> > My one suggestion, the water texture is stopping me.
>
> I think what the water *really* needs is variable reflection.
>
> (Just in case anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about:
> http://www.povray.org/documentation/view/3.6.1/348/ )
>
> That much should be only one or two extra lines of code. :-)
>
> --
> William Tracy
> afi### [at] gmailcom -- wtr### [at] calpolyedu

Well, it did have variable reflection, but then of course the clouds were added
in post processing, and so was the reflection of the clouds, which messed it
all up, no doubt.  What I'll have to do is actually add the clouds into the
scene as an image map in the distance, and then the water will reflect it
properly.

The black hole warps are a good idea also--you're right, water is always smooth
in some places and rougher in others.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be putting more work into it...eventually.
Unfortunately, for now I have some catching up to do in other, less interesting
subjects.

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> Well, it did have variable reflection, but then of course the clouds were added
> in post processing, and so was the reflection of the clouds, which messed it
> all up, no doubt.  What I'll have to do is actually add the clouds into the
> scene as an image map in the distance, and then the water will reflect it
> properly.
> 

Or real clouds instead of a picture of them :)

> Unfortunately, for now I have some catching up to do in other, less interesting
> subjects.

Work? Bah that always annoying...

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> Or real clouds instead of a picture of them :)

<begin soapbox>
There have been many admirable efforts to get good-looking clouds purely through
media, and a few have been quite successful.  But even if I skipped all the
testing and retesting (...and retesting...and retesting...and retesting...) and
just cut and pasted their code, there's no guarantee that the clouds would look
even half-decent in my scene, with a different scale, different light and
radiosity settings, etc.  Even the very best media-cloud results don't look as
good as actual pictures of clouds, although they do have the distinct advantage
of actual 3D placement within your scene and interaction with your light
sources.

By using real pictures, however, I can easily choose clouds that look precisely
like I want without waiting hours for it to render (and make adjustments and
render again, and again, and again) so I can see if it even looks like I want.
So, very often, unless you need a cloud to serve a very particular purpose in
your scene, image-clouds can usually provide just as good or even better
results with much less frustration and time.  I therefore argue that POVers
should not be ashamed or afraid to use simple pictures for their skies.  :)
</end soapbox>

....

....

....well, I write all that, and now I am feeling tempted to try those blasted
media-clouds again...

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Well, if render times are the only issue, you might want to play with this:
http://runevision.com/3d/povgoodies/

I could have sworn that there used to be some macro called "FastCloud" 
floating around. In fact, I remember it filling up my search results to 
the point that I had to hunt to find anything else. Now I can't find it 
at all. Am I going nuts?

-- 
William Tracy
afi### [at] gmailcom -- wtr### [at] calpolyedu

One major known problem with supporting V-class is the complexity of its 
PCI bus adapter (EPIC and SAGA). Support for the V-class isn't going to 
happen until some really masochistic person who has access to a V-class 
is, uh, challenged by this.
     -- from the Linux-on-HPPA FAQ

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"William Tracy" <wtr### [at] calpolyedu> schreef in bericht 
news:47bbc1f4$1@news.povray.org...
> Well, if render times are the only issue, you might want to play with 
> this:
> http://runevision.com/3d/povgoodies/
>
> I could have sworn that there used to be some macro called "FastCloud" 
> floating around. In fact, I remember it filling up my search results to 
> the point that I had to hunt to find anything else. Now I can't find it at 
> all. Am I going nuts?
>

No. Not nuts. There is the FastClouds macro by Zeger Knaepen which I use 
very often and gives really excellent results. I know Zeger posted the code 
some time in the past but I am unable to find that post again.


Thomas

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High!

Sven Littkowski schrieb:

> Do maybe a tiny platform on the left hill, just big enough for a single 
> little bank to hold 2 persons. 

Oh yes, a tiny little bank office, so small that two customers barely 
can squeeze themselves in front of the automatic counters...

...you surely meant "bench", didn't you?

See you in Khyberspace!

Yadgar

Now playing: Traumboy (Frl. Menke) - New German Wave rules!

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"Thomas de Groot" <t.d### [at] internlDOTnet> wrote in message 
news:47bbe388$1@news.povray.org...
>
> "William Tracy" <wtr### [at] calpolyedu> schreef in bericht
> news:47bbc1f4$1@news.povray.org...
>> Well, if render times are the only issue, you might want to play with
>> this:
>> http://runevision.com/3d/povgoodies/
>>
>> I could have sworn that there used to be some macro called "FastCloud"
>> floating around. In fact, I remember it filling up my search results to
>> the point that I had to hunt to find anything else. Now I can't find it 
>> at
>> all. Am I going nuts?
>>
>
> No. Not nuts. There is the FastClouds macro by Zeger Knaepen which I use
> very often and gives really excellent results. I know Zeger posted the 
> code
> some time in the past but I am unable to find that post again.

yes, I should put it on my website actually :)
but for now: see attachment.  And here's a demo-scene:

--BEGIN CODE--
#include "fastclouds.inc"
fastclouds(<750,600,-500>*1000,.455,.1,0,10,.05,0,<1.5,1.3,1.1>,1)
fog {
  fog_type 2
  distance 75
  color rgb <213,205,194>/255 //<.6,.7,1>
  transmit 0
  fog_offset -1
  fog_alt 2
}

sky_sphere {
 pigment {
  planar
  color_map {
   [0 rgb <22,44,68>/255]
   [.5 rgb <88,120,179>/255]
   [1 rgb <213,205,194>/255]
  }
 }
}

--END CODE--

These are the macro-arguments:
1. Sun Location
2. cloud 'Cast' (0=no clouds, 1=fully clouded sky, can be >1)
3. 'Fluffyness', controls the sharpness (or lack thereof) of the clouds
4. Translate-vector for the cloud-pattern
5. Size of the cloud-skysphere (*500)
6. Size of the cloud-pattern
7. Minimum transparency, or: the main-transparency of the clouds (could be 
seen as the cloud-thickness)
8. Color of the Sun
9. Color of the clouds

also, you can provide your own cloud-pattern by #declare'ing CloudForm 
(which should be a pigment)

cu!
-- 
#macro G(b,e)b+(e-b)*C/50#end#macro _(b,e,k,l)#local C=0;#while(C<50)
sphere{G(b,e)+3*z.1pigment{rgb G(k,l)}finish{ambient 1}}#local C=C+1;
#end#end _(y-x,y,x,x+y)_(y,-x-y,x+y,y)_(-x-y,-y,y,y+z)_(-y,y,y+z,x+y)
_(0x+y.5+y/2x)_(0x-y.5+y/2x)            // ZK http://www.povplace.com

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Attachments:
Download 'fastclouds.inc.txt' (2 KB)

"St." <dot### [at] dotcom> wrote:
> To me, this residence(?) looks unused now, as though it was abandoned in a
> hurry as it's now slightly overgrown around it. The tower doesn't look
> damaged in any way, i.e., through war, or bad workmanship - on the contrary,
> this place was built to the highest of standards, which, (in all
> likelihood), meant that it was built for a King, or moreover, a Prince, as a
> King would have two or more towers.
>
>   However, I think it needs 'more' trees around the tower and spreading up
> that hill to the right of it. It would also be nice if that tower had some
> ivy thrown around near the base, although, scale-wise, you may need quite a
> bit, which might produce a long render time. Worth a play though. :)
>
>    http://graphics.uni-konstanz.de/~luft/ivy_generator/
>
>      Beautiful scene.
>
>
>        ~Steve~

Thanks.

Good idea:  I had downloaded the ivy generator before on my old computer, but
not yet on my new one.  I'll be sure to add some ivy next time I render.

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