why POV-Ray is the best ray-tracer available today and why I shouldn't
bother wasting my time investigating the others, even the free ones.

Thanks,
Hershel

Post a reply to this message

In article <3c8b6598@news.povray.org> , "Hershel Robinson" 
<her### [at] yahoocom> wrote:

> even the free ones.

Because there are no other free ray-tracers that are still supported or still
being developed?

As for commercial programs, if you have several thousand US$ to spare there is
nothing wrong if you buy and use them.  Of course, you should be honest and
really buy them and not get them from other sources.

    Thorsten

Post a reply to this message

On Sun, 10 Mar 2002 15:56:28 +0200, Hershel Robinson wrote:
> why POV-Ray is the best ray-tracer available today and why I shouldn't
> bother wasting my time investigating the others, even the free ones.

Why should we waste valuable ray-tracing time trying to convince you?  
Try it for yourself; if you like it, use it.  We're not a cult, you know.

-- 
#macro R(L P)sphere{L F}cylinder{L P F}#end#macro P(V)merge{R(z+a z)R(-z a-z)R(a
-z-z-z a+z)torus{1F clipped_by{plane{a 0}}}translate V}#end#macro Z(a F T)merge{
P(z+a)P(z-a)R(-z-z-x a)pigment{rgbf 1}hollow interior{media{emission 3-T}}}#end 
Z(-x-x.2x)camera{location z*-10rotate x*90normal{bumps.02scale.05}}

Post a reply to this message

In article <3c8b6717@news.povray.org>,
 "Thorsten Froehlich" <tho### [at] trfde> wrote:

> Because there are no other free ray-tracers that are still supported or still
> being developed?

Well, there are, several actually. However, none of them are nearly as 
capable as POV-Ray, and none of them have the community POV-Ray has. It 
looks like all the other major ones have ceased development.

-- 
Christopher James Huff <chr### [at] maccom>
POV-Ray TAG e-mail: chr### [at] tagpovrayorg
TAG web site: http://tag.povray.org/

Post a reply to this message

"Hershel Robinson" wrote:
> why POV-Ray is the best ray-tracer available today
> and why I shouldn't bother wasting my time investigating
> the others, even the free ones.

POV-Ray has high-quality rendering output, advanced scripting capabilities,
but not least a fantastic user community. I don't think you can find any
other ray-tracer with a community around it as inspirering and helpful as
this one.

Rune
--
3D images and anims, include files, tutorials and more:
Rune's World:    http://rsj.mobilixnet.dk (updated Feb 16)
POV-Ray Users:   http://rsj.mobilixnet.dk/povrayusers/
POV-Ray Webring: http://webring.povray.co.uk

Post a reply to this message

In article <chr### [at] netplexaussieorg> , Christopher
James Huff <chr### [at] maccom>  wrote:

>> Because there are no other free ray-tracers that are still supported or still
>> being developed?
>
> Well, there are, several actually. However, none of them are nearly as
> capable as POV-Ray, and none of them have the community POV-Ray has. It
> looks like all the other major ones have ceased development.

Hence I said "still supported or still being developed" :-)

    Thorsten

Post a reply to this message

On Sun, 10 Mar 2002 15:56:28 +0200 Hershel Robinson wrote:

>why POV-Ray is the best ray-tracer available today and why I shouldn't
>bother wasting my time investigating the others, even the free ones.

  Hi, Hershel. We don't believe in telling someone how to waste their
time - that's a personal choice ;)

-- 
Alan
ako### [at] povrayorg
a k o n g <at> p o v r a y <dot> o r g

Post a reply to this message

"Hershel Robinson" <her### [at] yahoocom> wrote in message
news:3c8b6598@news.povray.org...
: why POV-Ray is the best ray-tracer available today

It probably isn't, but you can't go wrong for it's price.
And you can get the source code!

: and why I shouldn't
: bother wasting my time investigating the others, even the free ones.

You should check out everything you can. If you want
the very best, you will have to spend alot of money.
Never limit yourself. Try all the different flavors of
Pov too (like MegaPov).

: Thanks,
: Hershel

Have a great day!
=Bob=

Post a reply to this message

In the words of Invader Zim: "You have no idea what powers you are toying
with! Release the pig!!"

POV-Ray can do some truly incredible things and 3.5 is a major upgrade that
it now truly rivals things like 3DS. The only thing it doesn't do is have a
mesh editor and there are programs for that too. The thing that I like best
with POV-Ray is the coding part. I can't mesh model with my hands worth
crap, but I am a decent programmer. POV-Ray fits in perfectly. :)

"Obey the fist!!!"
"Hershel Robinson" <her### [at] yahoocom> wrote in message
news:3c8b6598@news.povray.org...
> why POV-Ray is the best ray-tracer available today and why I shouldn't
> bother wasting my time investigating the others, even the free ones.
>
> Thanks,
> Hershel
>
>

Post a reply to this message

Ron Parker <ron### [at] povrayorg> wrote:
> We're not a cult, you know.

  Really? Now I'm disappointed.

  ;)

-- 
#macro M(A,N,D,L)plane{-z,-9pigment{mandel L*9translate N color_map{[0rgb x]
[1rgb 9]}scale<D,D*3D>*1e3}rotate y*A*8}#end M(-3<1.206434.28623>70,7)M(
-1<.7438.1795>1,20)M(1<.77595.13699>30,20)M(3<.75923.07145>80,99)// - Warp -

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IMHO,

http://10best.raytrace.com/short/shortvote.html

Post a reply to this message

"Thorsten Froehlich" <tho### [at] trfde> wrote in message
news:3c8b6717@news.povray.org...
> In article <3c8b6598@news.povray.org> , "Hershel Robinson"
> <her### [at] yahoocom> wrote:
>
> > even the free ones.
>
> Because there are no other free ray-tracers that are still supported or
still
> being developed?
>
> As for commercial programs, if you have several thousand US$ to spare
there is
> nothing wrong if you buy and use them.  Of course, you should be honest
and
> really buy them and not get them from other sources.
>

Just out of curiosity, what other raytracers (free or otherwise) support
direct scripting to the extent of pov?

Are there other rt progs where a text-file can be the single source for
complex scenes, and where meshes and similiar can be occasional luxuries
rather than an essential element?

Post a reply to this message

On Sun, 10 Mar 2002 20:13:02 -0000, Tom Melly wrote:
> Are there other rt progs where a text-file can be the single source for
> complex scenes, and where meshes and similiar can be occasional luxuries
> rather than an essential element?

Well, there's BMRT...

--
#macro R(L P)sphere{L __}cylinder{L P __}#end#macro P(_1)union{R(z+_ z)R(-z _-z)
R(_-z*3_+z)torus{1__ clipped_by{plane{_ 0}}}translate z+_1}#end#macro S(_)9-(_1-
_)*(_1-_)#end#macro Z(_1 _ __)union{P(_)P(-_)R(y-z-1_)translate.1*_1-y*8pigment{
rgb<S(7)S(5)S(3)>}}#if(_1)Z(_1-__,_,__)#end#end Z(10x*-2,.2)camera{rotate x*90}

Post a reply to this message

All graphical modellers I have seen and tried was a complete turn-off for
me. On the other hand I am used to programming from my childhood and POVray
was immediately attractive, when I found it. Since then, I have not been
disappointed by this program, or by the friendly community here.

Hugo

Post a reply to this message

In article <3c8b8493$1@news.povray.org>,
 "Thorsten Froehlich" <tho### [at] trfde> wrote:

> Hence I said "still supported or still being developed" :-)

You said "there are no other free ray-tracers that are still supported 
or still being developed", but there *are* free raytracers that are 
still being actively developed and supported. My point was that none of 
them have the features and community of POV-Ray, and either can't 
compete or are targeted at a completely different audience. There are a 
few that had sizeable communities, but they are now pretty much dead.

-- 
Christopher James Huff <chr### [at] maccom>
POV-Ray TAG e-mail: chr### [at] tagpovrayorg
TAG web site: http://tag.povray.org/

Post a reply to this message

> We're not a cult, you know.

What?! So David K. Buck isn't a god? What a rip-off! I'm outta here.

Post a reply to this message

I've been using/learning POV-Ray for 3
years now (so, I'm a total newbie on some
things... That'll stick to every POVer, I
guess), and it still fascinates me.

I can program algorithms and have immediate
effects visible. For over a year now I am working
on a particle system, and the SDL of POVRay
is just awesome.

The community is great, and you can always,
ALWAYS have the feeling of having achieved
something when you've finished an image.
Look at 3DS, for example. Hand on the mouse,
squish, squash, here's a car. Squish, squash, a
house.
Well, okay, it may not be that easy. But you
always get so many options, controls, whatever,
that it sometimes seems to be more luck than
skill to achieve something.

I do think that there are great artists out there
not using POV-Ray, don't get me wrong. But
the satisfaction I get is bigger, because I can
tell myself:
Aside the raytracing job, and the SDL,
everything POV-Ray spits out is my job.
Textures I averaged, finishes I experimented
with, medias I fiddled with.

You really are NOT limited when using
POV-Ray. With other programs, you need
to have a lot of skill to actually write something
that thing would understand...



--
Tim Nikias
Homepage: http://www.digitaltwilight.de/no_lights/index.html

Post a reply to this message

> Why should we waste valuable ray-tracing time trying to convince you?
> Try it for yourself; if you like it, use it.  We're not a cult, you know.

LOL!  Well said!  Love that response!

Jim


"Ron Parker" <ron### [at] povrayorg> wrote in message
news:slr### [at] fwicom...
> On Sun, 10 Mar 2002 15:56:28 +0200, Hershel Robinson wrote:
> > why POV-Ray is the best ray-tracer available today and why I shouldn't
> > bother wasting my time investigating the others, even the free ones.
>
> Why should we waste valuable ray-tracing time trying to convince you?
> Try it for yourself; if you like it, use it.  We're not a cult, you know.
>
> --
> #macro R(L P)sphere{L F}cylinder{L P F}#end#macro P(V)merge{R(z+a z)R(-z
a-z)R(a
> -z-z-z a+z)torus{1F clipped_by{plane{a 0}}}translate V}#end#macro Z(a F
T)merge{
> P(z+a)P(z-a)R(-z-z-x a)pigment{rgbf 1}hollow interior{media{emission
3-T}}}#end
> Z(-x-x.2x)camera{location z*-10rotate x*90normal{bumps.02scale.05}}

Post a reply to this message

"Tim Nikias" wrote:
> The community is great, and you can always,
> ALWAYS have the feeling of having achieved
> something when you've finished an image.
> Look at 3DS, for example. Hand on the mouse,
> squish, squash, here's a car. Squish, squash, a
> house.
> Well, okay, it may not be that easy. But you
> always get so many options, controls, whatever,
> that it sometimes seems to be more luck than
> skill to achieve something.

That's true.

Of course, if one likes it that way, it's also possible to have it that way
in POV-Ray. There are so many include files and macros around ready to use
which also have many options and controls, and where the user don't have to
do all the work on his own.

These macros and include files can be found on this news server and
scattered around the web. Many links available at
http://www.povray.org/links/POV-Ray_Include_Macro_and_Object_Files/

Rune
--
3D images and anims, include files, tutorials and more:
Rune's World:    http://rsj.mobilixnet.dk (updated Feb 16)
POV-Ray Users:   http://rsj.mobilixnet.dk/povrayusers/
POV-Ray Webring: http://webring.povray.co.uk

Post a reply to this message

Ron Parker wrote:

>  We're not a cult, you know.

We're not? Dang!

Post a reply to this message

Tom Melly wrote:

>
> Just out of curiosity, what other raytracers (free or otherwise) support
> direct scripting to the extent of pov?

The only one IMO that only comes close is Virtualight, which is more of a GI
renderer than full-featured package, although it does support nurbs and has a
few neat features like refraction blurr and blinn shading. The quality is
roughly equivalent to POV, but, after 8 years of POV-Ray, I'm not about to
dive in and learn another SDL, especially with all the new 3.5 toys to play
with.

Post a reply to this message

I hope I can get my money back for that goat...

Cheers!

Chip Shults
My robotics, space and CGI web page - http://home.cfl.rr.com/aichip

Post a reply to this message

It seems like BMRT has been acquired, altogether with support site, and is
being actively incorporated into the paid product (ExLuna?).

There is no development happening there for the very long time now... BTW,
BMRT author now (not surprisingly) works for Pixar.

"Ron Parker" <ron### [at] povrayorg> wrote in message
news:slr### [at] fwicom...
> On Sun, 10 Mar 2002 20:13:02 -0000, Tom Melly wrote:
> > Are there other rt progs where a text-file can be the single source for
> > complex scenes, and where meshes and similiar can be occasional luxuries
> > rather than an essential element?
>
> Well, there's BMRT...
>
> --
> #macro R(L P)sphere{L __}cylinder{L P __}#end#macro P(_1)union{R(z+_
z)R(-z _-z)
> R(_-z*3_+z)torus{1__ clipped_by{plane{_ 0}}}translate z+_1}#end#macro
S(_)9-(_1-
> _)*(_1-_)#end#macro Z(_1 _
__)union{P(_)P(-_)R(y-z-1_)translate.1*_1-y*8pigment{
> rgb<S(7)S(5)S(3)>}}#if(_1)Z(_1-__,_,__)#end#end Z(10x*-2,.2)camera{rotate
x*90}

Post a reply to this message

Vadim Sytnikov wrote:
> It seems like BMRT has been acquired, altogether with support site, and is
> being actively incorporated into the paid product (ExLuna?).
> 
> There is no development happening there for the very long time now... BTW,
> BMRT author now (not surprisingly) works for Pixar.
> 
Vadim, Your information is a little bit outdated. Larry Gritz, author of
BMRT, worked for Pixar, but about 1 year ago leaved it and created his own
company, called Exluna. BMRT is now maintained by Exluna (previously L.
Gritz was only developer) and still developed (although not very
actively, as it seems), but their main product is Entropy, RenderMan 
compliant renderer (it's not raytracer, but scanline renderer, using 
somewhat similar technology as PRMan, Pixars renderer). Exluna has 
gathered quite a number of CG gurus (Matt Pharr, Pat Hanrahan, L. Gritz 
himself, Steve Upstill etc.)

Post a reply to this message

Ooh. Interesting. Thanks for the info, Vahur. *goes to see exluna.com* :)

Post a reply to this message

Rune wrote:

> "Hershel Robinson" wrote:
> 
>>why POV-Ray is the best ray-tracer available today
>>and why I shouldn't bother wasting my time investigating
>>the others, even the free ones.
>>
> 
> POV-Ray has high-quality rendering output, advanced scripting capabilities,
> but not least a fantastic user community. I don't think you can find any
> other ray-tracer with a community around it as inspirering and helpful as
> this one.


The Blender community is alive and well, too.

Although Blender is not a raytracer.


-- 
/*Francois Labreque*/#local a=x+y;#local b=x+a;#local c=a+b;#macro P(F//
/*    flabreque    */L)polygon{5,F,F+z,L+z,L,F pigment{rgb 9}}#end union
/*        @        */{P(0,a)P(a,b)P(b,c)P(2*a,2*b)P(2*b,b+c)P(b+c,<2,3>)
/*   videotron.ca  */}camera{location<6,1.25,-6>look_at a orthographic}

Post a reply to this message

Ron Parker wrote:
> 
> Why should we waste valuable ray-tracing time trying to convince you?
> Try it for yourself; if you like it, use it.  We're not a cult, you
> know.

Which is good.  It was taking me away from the Cult of Evil Sex Magic.

-- 
ICQ: 46085459

Post a reply to this message

Hershel Robinson wrote:
> 
> why POV-Ray is the best ray-tracer available today and why I shouldn't
> bother wasting my time investigating the others, even the free ones.

If you use another freeware ray-tracer, your gonads will atrophy.

If you use a commercial ray-tracer, your gonads will atrophy, and you
wont have enough money to get treatment.

-- 
ICQ: 46085459

Post a reply to this message

Hershel Robinson wrote:
> 
> why POV-Ray is the best ray-tracer available today and why I shouldn't
> bother wasting my time investigating the others, even the free ones.

No.

By all means, go investigate them.

-Xplo

Post a reply to this message

"Hershel Robinson" <her### [at] yahoocom> wrote in message
news:3c8b6598@news.povray.org...
> why POV-Ray is the best ray-tracer available today and why I shouldn't
> bother wasting my time investigating the others, even the free ones.
>
> Thanks,
> Hershel
>

Community, support, price, flexibility, development, capability, power, plus
much much more!
If you find an image renedered by some other software that you like, post it
and challenge someone to duplicate it.  I guarantee within a week someone
will have it for you. I have been using POV for about 7 years now and would
highly recommend it to anyone.  I could go on and on, but I'm sure others
will do that for me.

-tgq

Post a reply to this message

> The Blender community is alive and well, too.
Not anymore.
> Although Blender is not a raytracer.
>
>
RAY

Post a reply to this message

"RAY" <RAY### [at] yahoocom> wrote in message
news:3c994c8b$1@news.povray.org...
>
> > The Blender community is alive and well, too.
> Not anymore.
How is that so?
Maan

Post a reply to this message

In article <3c99f80a$1@news.povray.org>,
 "Maan M. Hamze" <mmh### [at] pleiadesnet> wrote:

> > > The Blender community is alive and well, too.
> > Not anymore.
> How is that so?

Blender itself is apparently quite dead. I wouldn't describe the 
community around a dead product as "well" (as in "attracting new users" 
and actively growing and developing), though it will probably remain 
"alive" for a long time. People just usually aren't interested in 
learning a product that is no longer being developed.
Maybe someone will start a clone project or the company will release the 
source code, that would keep the community alive and well.

-- 
Christopher James Huff <chr### [at] maccom>
POV-Ray TAG e-mail: chr### [at] tagpovrayorg
TAG web site: http://tag.povray.org/

Post a reply to this message

> How is that so?
> Maan
>
>
 Take a look at their site.

--
__________________
 RAY

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