Mike Raiford <mra### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
> Slime wrote:
>
> >>Big deal, there are lots of us here who use scattering media despite it
> >>being "too slow". My suggestion: If you're too impatient for raytracing,
> >>then don't do it.
> >
> >
> > Now, hold on. He has good reasons for wanting to use emitting media instead
> > of scattering. One of those reasons is speed, to which your only argument
> > seems to be "it's not that bad" or "it could be worse." Well, he's looked at
> > the tradeoff between speed and quality/accuracy of his two options, and he's
> > made a choice. Personally, I think it's a very reasonable choice. I also
> > agree with him on the difficulty of getting spotlights to look nice in
> > scattering media.
> >
> >
> >>I hate it when people ask for advice, then when they don't get the
> >>answer they want to hear they go on some long, drawn out diatribe about
> >>how they were right in the first place, and anyone who advises them are
> >>wrong.
> >
> >
> > He didn't ask for advice on what type of media to use. He asked for help on
> > writing a function to describe the light cone of a spotlight. When
> > challenged on his choice of media types, he gave an explanation for his
> > decision. It's not something we need to get hostile about.
> >
> > It's fine to encourage him to reconsider, but this isn't a case of right or
> > wrong.
>
> Hmm. I may have jumped the gun, there.
>
> ... I do think my suggestion of f_cone with an appropriate density map
> would get him where he needs to be, though. The math behind it escapes
> me at the moment, though to get an exact representation given the
> parameters.
>
> --
> ~Mike



Mike, you're right.
Slime, you're also right.

I needed to hear the "hostility" from Mike and be put in my place.
Scattering media IS good and if I didn't have the patience for raytracing,
I wouldn't have been doing it for the past 5 short years.

I just like to get the exact effects I need (or think I need) and nothing
else, and scattering media happens to give more than I needed, that's all.

The f_cone suggestion is good, and I think it's function is
val=1-min(y,sqrt(x*x+z*z))/y or something (I got it working before) but it
doesn't cut it.

There simply is no substitute for scattering media and you're also right
about merging two (or more) cone containers.

Basically, you helped me in quite a few ways so thankyou and please continue
to have a slightly scathing attitude because it actually tells people what
they need to hear.

Raytracing is Good!

Nathan

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