All:
I am new to using POVRAY and have always been EXTREMELY interested in the
special effects field. I was wondering, are the techniques that are used by
POVRAY for rendering a scene basically the same as the software that is used
in the special effects industry? I realize this is probably a broad
question, theres a lot of proprietary stuff out there. But if anyone could
at least touch upon this issue, I would be very interested in hearing it!

Thanks!
Harold
http://www.bugcentral.com  Web-Based Bug tracking Service.

Post a reply to this message

Harold Chattaway wrote:
> 
> All:
> I am new to using POVRAY and have always been EXTREMELY interested in the
> special effects field. I was wondering, are the techniques that are used by
> POVRAY for rendering a scene basically the same as the software that is used
> in the special effects industry? I realize this is probably a broad
> question, theres a lot of proprietary stuff out there. But if anyone could
> at least touch upon this issue, I would be very interested in hearing it!
> 
> Thanks!
> Harold
> http://www.bugcentral.com  Web-Based Bug tracking Service.

There are a lot of simularities. The biggest difference
would be as you pointed out that many of the big boy
operations run their own software systems and will even
write new software as need to create the effects they are
lookng for. The movie Titanic is one such production
that a lot of software was developed for. This is not to
say that with a lot of hard work and imagination many of
the effects can't be reproduced or mimicked using PovRay.
To see the power of PovRay as used for animations check
out the i.r.t.c. animation competition on the Pov home
page. http://povray.org

One of the biggest differences you will probably find
between Povray and the software that the commercial
houses use is the type of rendering system used.
Pov uses raytracing to create 3d images. There are
other systems that use different methods to achieve
similar results but with faster render times. Scanline
rendering is a common commercial rendering method but
I've heard will not in the long run produce as photo
realistic an image as the raytracing method will. Now
i'll get flamed for saying that but it's what I've
heard.

-- 
 Ken Tyler

 tyl### [at] pacbellnet

Post a reply to this message

Ken wrote:
> 
> Scanline rendering is a common commercial rendering method but
> I've heard will not in the long run produce as photo
> realistic an image as the raytracing method will.

Among the limitations of scanline renderers are: realistic reflectios &
refracrions, correct shading of transparent&colored objects etc. Some
commercial packages (notably 3DSMax) by default use a hybrid
scanline/raytrace system: reflections/refractions are raytraced,
elsewhere the scanline method is used.
I myself use 3DS4 - an older package, which uses only scanline.
Achieving near photorealism with this is possible only within a rather
limited range of scene types. However, modelling/animation is very nice.
This is how I see it: in still images, POV can quite often give results
on par with any high-end rendering system. Most "special effects" can be
created too, when you are inventive and patient.
When it comes to animations, things are a bit less rosy. Many animated
effects are very difficult/impossible to do - either because of inherent
limitations of the program or because of the lack of appropriate
plugins. Let's face it, you couldn't do Jurassic Park in POV...
This is not to say you can't do great animations in POV, of course. You
just have to invent within the limits imposed. If you don't have the
talent and inventiveness, you won't do anything in MAX, either.
Of course, when we compare the price/value relationship... Well, you get
the point.

BTW! I just heard the new Moray 3.1 has Inverse Kinematics!! This would
add a whole new twist to POV animations.

> Now i'll get flamed for saying that but it's what I've
> heard.
> 

Not here, you won't. You have to go and say it in the Renderman group,
for example ;)

Margus

Post a reply to this message

Ken <tyl### [at] pacbellnet> wrote:
: To see the power of PovRay as used for animations check
: out the i.r.t.c. animation competition on the Pov home
: page. http://povray.org

  Perhaps you mean the irtc home page at http://irtc.org ?

-- 
main(i){char*_="BdsyFBThhHFBThhHFRz]NFTITQF|DJIFHQhhF";while(i=
*_++)for(;i>1;printf("%s",i-70?i&1?"[]":" ":(i=0,"\n")),i/=2);} /*- Warp. -*/

Post a reply to this message

Nieminen Mika wrote:

> Ken <tyl### [at] pacbellnet> wrote:
> : To see the power of PovRay as used for animations check
> : out the i.r.t.c. animation competition on the Pov home
> : page. http://povray.org
>
>   Perhaps you mean the irtc home page at http://irtc.org ?

I mean there is an active link available there right in front of
everybodys nose whenever they visit the page. Why book
mark two pages when one will do  ?

--
 Ken Tyler

 tyl### [at] pacbellnet

Post a reply to this message