Dear All,

I am thinking about setting up a library site of POV-Ray procedural
textures as this is probably the most difficult problem new users
encounter.

In order to become a useful resource this would require people
(beginners to gurus) to donate textures to the site with few
restrictions on their use.

Please let me know whether you think this would be a good idea and a
feasable one.

Duncan Adamson
dja### [at] docicacuk

PS: If you think this is a good idea please send any texture include
files that you wish to donate to me at dja### [at] docicacuk and when I
have a few I will set the site up.

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That sounds like a great idea!

	I have another good idea. Since you're probably going to get more than
one texture to describe an object (just think of how many cloud textures
you might get!) I think it'd be cool to rank the textures based on
render time.

	Ben
	<><

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"Ben Birdsey" <cla### [at] mailcom> wrote in message
news:3A817D26.4D7FF917@mail.com...
>
> That sounds like a great idea!
>

It is - however, IIRC, someone else has already done this.
http://texlib.povray.org/textures.html

However, I think these textures are fairly old and don't use any of the
newer features, so go for it.

Post a reply to this message

> I have another good idea. Since you're probably going to get more than
> one texture to describe an object (just think of how many cloud textures
> you might get!) I think it'd be cool to rank the textures based on
> render time.

I texture library is planned for povray.co.uk, but i still have to find a
suitable (and free) upload \ image manipulation component - dont really want
to write my own, but may have to ...


--
Rick

POV-Ray News & Resources - http://povray.co.uk
Kitty5 WebDesign - http://kitty5.com
Hi-Impact web site design & database driven e-commerce
TEL : +44 (01625) 266358 - FAX : +44 (01625) 611913 - ICQ : 15776037

PGP Public Key
http://pgpkeys.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x231E1CEA

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Seeing as response has been good so far, how about some textures then?

I agree with Ben that the textures should be ranked by render time on a
standard scene. (Anyone got any better ideas than the following?)

1) Sky textures simply as sky-spheres (obvious)
2) Ground textures on a simple plane
3) Other textures on a simple sphere.

Now to specifics,

I am a purist at heart and hate image_maps so I feel the site should only
contain procedural textures.

I would like to see a freesource site where anyone can use the textures
for any purpose and can see no way to stop people from using any textures
in this way.  Therefore the only copywrite I can suggest is that a user
makes a mention of the author.  however if anyone has any particular
copywrite issues mention them to me(I make no guaruntees).

Anyone wanting to submit me a texture(anything from simple rgb values to a
full blown 30 page texture) please send me a .inc file along with any
particular copywrite specifics (bear in mind i am not a laywer so be kind)
to dja### [at] docicacuk.

Duncan Adamson
dja### [at] docicacuk

PS Any bright ideas, please mention them to me.

PPS I sent this mail and the previous one to p.t.t, p.b.i and p.t.s-f.  I
thought they were all valid for this topic but if anyone has thinks this
is off-topic for any of these please let me know.

PPS This won't work if no one sends anything so lets see some community
spirit(did I just say that?)




Tom Melly wrote:

> "Ben Birdsey" <cla### [at] mailcom> wrote in message
> news:3A817D26.4D7FF917@mail.com...
> >
> > That sounds like a great idea!
> >
>
> It is - however, IIRC, someone else has already done this.
> http://texlib.povray.org/textures.html
>
> However, I think these textures are fairly old and don't use any of the
> newer features, so go for it.

Post a reply to this message

"Duncan Adamson" <dja### [at] docicacuk> wrote in message
news:3A828C5B.EBDFD81F@doc.ic.ac.uk...
>
> 1) Sky textures simply as sky-spheres (obvious)

IMHO this might not be the best idea - sky-spheres have many limitations.
Actually, the whole issue of sky textures is fairly complex. You might want
to get some more feedback from users in this ng before commiting yourself on
how to handle sky textures.

As for copywrite - to be honest I wouldn't let it get complicated. Textures
should be provided free. If people have a texture that they want payment for
then they shouldn't submit it. (however, I'm not a lawyer either;)

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"I texture library is planned for povray.co.uk, but i still have to find a

> suitable (and free) upload \ image manipulation component - dont really want
> to write my own, but may have to ...
>
> --
> Rick

If you want a free image manipulation program.  http://www.gimp.org  Its over
kill and takes a while to learn but it can probably do what you want, and it has
a scripting language so you can automate it too.

--
Dan Johnson

http://www.geocities.com/zapob

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> If you want a free image manipulation program.  http://www.gimp.org  Its
over
> kill and takes a while to learn but it can probably do what you want, and
it has
> a scripting language so you can automate it too.

I was referring to an asp image manipulation component, so I can allow users
to upload images and the server can automatically create a thumbnail of the
right size etc.


--
Rick

POV-Ray News & Resources - http://povray.co.uk
Kitty5 WebDesign - http://kitty5.com
Hi-Impact web site design & database driven e-commerce
TEL : +44 (01625) 266358 - FAX : +44 (01625) 611913 - ICQ : 15776037

PGP Public Key
http://pgpkeys.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x231E1CEA

Post a reply to this message

> I am a purist at heart and hate image_maps so I feel the site should only
> contain procedural textures.

how is it that procedural textures are more 'pure' than imagemaps? 
aren't they both art?  isn't the idea to make the best image as
possible?  why is a limited toolbox better than a full one?  do
mechanics try to fix cars with only cresent wrenches?  do carpenters
only use hammers and saws?  even ancient woodworkers had a multitude of
tools to choose from.  should painters only use oil paints?  should
sculpters only use marble?  i love povray and i love procedural
textures, but i don't appreciate 'holier than thou' attitudes about the
way a 3d image should be made.  pov vs expensive package, procedural vs
nonprocedural, hand scripted vs modeled; it's all a bunch of nonsense. 
certainly, when someone makes a superior image based only on hand coded
script and procedural textures, praise is well earned.  however, you may
have noticed, this rarely happens.  the best images from pov have come
from those artists like gilles tran and h.e. day who have as many tools
as they can get their hands on and have learned when and when not to use
them.  and what about professionals?  have they all gone to the 'dark
side' because they use tools other than pov?  are their images worth
less than an advanced pov image?  i don't think so.  of course, you (and
many readers here) may disagree, but i wanted to get my opinion out
there.

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Hey hoo,

Nice with some comments, as long as it doesn't develop into a "war", and
so far it hasn't.  :o}  I like the way you expressed your thoughts Ryan.
Personally I am wether a fan of imagemaps or procedural textures, I'm
sort of neutral.

BUT I try to understand why these questions arise in the first place. I
think, the thing we must understand here, is that artists want praise
for their "work". They don't want, or deserve, praise for something they
didn't work for... With imagemaps, no one knows how much work has gone
into the picture, the final raytracing, and how much praise it deserves.
That's why some of us don't want to use imagemaps. It's frustrating,
when people can't find out how to credit our work.

But I'm afraid it's an illusion to think, procedural textures are safer
to use.. They don't necessarely show the truth either; the truth about
the amount of work behind the picture. A lame POV-user can grap and use
whatever procedural texture he finds...


Hugo

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