Addition for Hi Quality Rendering Export

[David Brown]

How many of us would like to have better quality renderings? I know I would but, I don't know if I speak for the majority or not. My thoughts were that if we had an export in Chief that would give us that option, would ART be willing to write a small piece of code to give us that option? I am thinking of something that would resemble simalar output of VRML code (ASCii).

Stephane Marty has a beautiful and free ($50 for commercial use) program called VirtuaLight. It supports Global Illumination as well as other features. It also comes with its small SDK. I would advise anyone who is interested in this quality of rendering to check out his web site at:

http://www.3dvirtualight.com/

I would like anyone's and ART's take on this idea.

[Dermot Dempsey]

Chief currently has 2 ways to export a complete 3D model for use in other rendering programs, VRML and DXF/DWG. Personally I think VRML is a much better 3D file format because it includes the material and lighting data which is not included in the DXF/DWG formats.

There are several high-end rendering programs which already support one or both of these file formats for importing Chief data into them. Artlantis is one that I know supports VRML which means you can start with a model that looks very close to what it does in Chief and then make improvements. Another solution is to use Dean's conversion program that will allow you to convert your 3D DXF into a POV-ray compatable file. POV-ray is a very powerful and FREE raytracing program. If you haven't looked at POV-ray lately, you should re-evalute it because the current version has some great features in it that makes it comparable to any of the best rendering engines.

[David Brown]

You're right about the DXF/DWG formats that do not retain textures and lighting data and that VRML export both of these. But, VRML does not have a high end rendering system and that's where you have to import these files into a program that does. Which you have stated.

Art-lantis sounds like a good idea in which it can import VRML files with textures and lighting. But that is $500. Dean' program requires 3DWin to make the conversion from DXF to POV-Ray. That is about $75. Dean's program was $75 but on his web site it now says $0. (Dean correct me if I am wrong.) Total could be $75 or $145. VirtuaLight for FREE or ($50 for commercial use) still comes out cheaper and it would be only one export process. If you see what VitruaLight can do, there is no comparison to POV-Ray.

I don't want to sound like I am cheap or do not want to pay, because I have payed for programs that give me most or all of what I want. In turn, that may be why I lean more towards a program such as VirtuaLight because I have Lightwave 3D and expect high end renders. But getting DXF files to Lightwave or any other renderer posses the problem of not retaining textures and lighting data. That is why I suggested VirtuaLight.

Do you think it would be an avenue ART would deem worth investigating in the near future? I know other task would take president to this but just like to know your thoughts.

[Dean]

To those who might be interested, I just uploaded my latest edition of DWJsWOPR, today.

This version also adds a bump map feature to your textures to give them a better 3D appearance. This was a task for more experienced POV-Ray users until now. Slight enhancements were also made to improve the radiosity settings.

The Demo version of 3DWIN will work if $75 is too much to spend. It is worth having to convert many other 3D filetypes to POV or DXF. The demo of DWJsWOPR is also free and can be unlocked if you ask nicely