rock <roc### [at] almostbestwebnet> wrote:
> PM 2Ring wrote:
> >
> > Also, isosurfaces can be faster than you might think. I have a sofa object
> > derived from one of Jaime's LightSys demo scenes. The original is built
> > from isosurface{f_rounded_box()}, I converted it to use superellipsoids,
> > but the isosurface version was the faster! IIRC, I posted the scene file in
> > p.b.i a couple of weeks ago; look for the very shiny blue sofa.
> >
>
> well, one sofa is different from many stones: completely
> different from the original picture posted.

Sure they're different, but the point I was making is that isosurfaces can
render faster than a more conventional shape.

> >
> >>I picture something like ... defining 12 different rock shapes.
> >>Then, whenever you place a rock, randomly pick which of the 12
> >>pre-defined rock shapes to place.  Rotate it randomly y before
> >>placing it.  As each one is placed, randomly texture it.
> >
> >
> > Sure, I can do that:). However, you don't really save memory (in the current
> > version of POV) by doing this, unless you're doing it with mesh objects.
>
> Memory was not the concern of my posting; render time was.
> If I wanted many stones in a single isosurface, my poor
> CPU would kick it's little feet in the air and expire.
> Or at least my patience would.  :D

The attached image uses individual isostones, layed out in a slightly
randomized Archimedean spiral pattern (parametrized by arclength). It
renders much more slowly than the equivalent all-in-one isosurface.

> > For an interesting variation on this theme, see my two recent threads,
> > "MultiMesh" in the General area and "Grass using MultiMesh" in p.b.i.

> Errrrr, I can guess that "multimesh" uses MESH objects,
> What does that have to do with isosurface pebbles?

Read the threads & find out, rock. :) The connection is in efficiently
creating large numbers of similar objects, and hiding the fact that you're
using lots of copies of the same thing.

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