POV-Ray [plugin] (updated: 2016/Aug/08)

[maker]

[Sorry. I was busy testing some of my replies ]

"Emission" keyword. (Or translate pov-ray field "power" to "emission" in exported file.) Best to turn off the actual "light" in export, and translate the rgb values to equivalent values of Emission. (Light is {rgb 0} in prev image).

Perhaps you can add the "emission" value to the rgb value. E.g.: emission 1 + rgb (colour of light in Wings) <0.2, 0.4, 0.2> = rgb <0.2, 0.4, 0.2> + 1 (in Pov exported file.)

Actually, I think, you can just export it as an object. If you translate pov-ray field "power" to equivalent emission, it should do the trick. (Needs more tests for this.)

Also, I think (I'm not sure) that radiosity needs to be "on" for it to work properly.

[micheus]

Actually, I think, you can just export it as an object. If you translate pov-ray field "power" to equivalent emission, it should do the trick. (Needs more tests for this.)

Also, I think (I'm not sure) that radiosity needs to be "on" for it to work properly.

Ok, write down everithing you find and post it to the thread: "POV-Ray Tips"

[micheus]

I am wondering what "material emit" is being used in the plug-in preferences > Use material emit? It seems that the only time you want this enabled is when no lights have been added to the scene. Maybe this option should be labeled as something else???

programaticly talking:
"Use material Emit for POV-Ray Ambient" => use_emit_ambient
when exporting the finish property it will check for this setting and finish ambient will be used in accord

Code:

case use_emit_ambient of
    true -> ambient = material definition->emission
    false -> ambient = material definition->ambient
end

I don't know enough to say for sure... but wouldn't it be good to list "Emissive Filter" as "Ambient Emissive Filter" so that new users will know what to look for in the render options????

again, programaticly talking:
"Emissive Filter" => ambient
"Emissive power" => ambient_power

Code:

global_settings { ambient <  ambient *ambient_power >
... }

That's why I asked before (in some post above) if doesn't we calculate this value using the ambient lights added for a wings' scene (when present)? and as you, I also think that it would be named Ambient Light instead of Emissive Filter.

[micheus]

There is a new update on the top

[oort]

Micheus,
Thanks for the updated file. I only have a moment to check. I noticed that for some reason if an object converted to an area light has hard edges it causes the scene to fail to render.

I noticed that an object converted to an area light is visible in the scene but the standard Wings3d area light is not. Assuming that these objects are to be used as meshlights that makes sense... When a sphere is converted to an area light the sphere is mostly dark and does not look like a meshlight... maybe it is not the intent to have them act like meshlights???

Have you posted in the Pov-Ray forum as suggested by maker? Not that you have time for that... Pov-Ray users could probably provide more informed/experienced feedback...

oort

[micheus]

I noticed that for some reason if an object converted to an area light has hard edges it causes the scene to fail to render.

Thanks oort. I found what was wrong. Fixed. (go top)

I noticed that an object converted to an area light is visible in the scene but the standard Wings3d area light is not.

oort, I believe that the Avariant has used it just to implement the orientation vectors (a reason why it was using only three vertices from that plane) - necessary for this kind of light - as I tried to explain here many times (see post #19).

Just an addendum I found:
"How do I make a visible light source?" or: "Although I put the camera just in front of my light source, I can't see anything. What am I doing wrong?"

"How do I make a visible light source?" or: "Although I put the camera just in front of my light source, I can't see anything. What am I doing wrong?"

A light source in POV-Ray is only a concept. When you add a light source to the scene, you are actually saying to POV-Ray "hey, there is light coming from this point". As the name says, it's a light source, not a physical light (like a light bulb or a bright spot like a star). POV-Ray doesn't add anything to that place where the light is coming, ie. there is nothing there, only empty space. It's just a kind of mathematical point POV-Ray uses to make shading calculations. (re.: Tips and tricks to achieve useful things)

Have you posted in the Pov-Ray forum as suggested by maker?

Not yet, but there is a lot of links related to this when I "gloogled".

I believe that we can mature these concept together and make the changes when it be necessary.
At this point I'm going to finish fixing bugs taht you guys have found in order to make the plugin work for the next Wings3d release.

But just to foment these questions, I found some informations about the light on other renders (I would like to add only the video links, but I couldn't - it's better watch in full size):
VRayLight examples

How To Use Textures and Objects to Light Your Scene With and Without Global Illumination in Cinema 4D

How to emit light from Objects in Autodesk Maya

Don't go away.

[oort]

Micheus,
Thanks for fixing the problem with hard edges.

I think I need to read the entire thread from start to finish again...

When I add a sphere > convert object to area light > Reset view to Wings3D default view > Render, I see a portion of the sphere. Are you saying that the object being visible is expected behavior? Also, if I set edges to hard I see a couple of white lines running along the Y axis.

Just noticed that simply adding a sphere > Reset view to Wings3D default view > Render, gives you a couple of black lines running along the Y axis.

oort

[micheus]

Are you saying that the object being visible is expected behavior?

I'm just trying to separate the area light from a object converted to light. The first is the light concept and the second is something that looks like a light.
So, if we want a plane be used as a emmiter we need to create it with more than four vertices and convert it to light.

All examples I found using looks_like key word to produce a emmiter requires a value for global Ambient color as well a big value for ambient color in texture property. This way you'll see the object glowing.

I believe the right way to export this kind of light still need to be found. I think that is necessary to export the object outside of the light declaration as well the object's material outside from mesh declaration, but this'll require to change a big part of the plugin code in order to make possible export de declarations in the proper order.
That's why I told be stopping at this point for now. We'll come back for a version - supporting v3.7 (maybe v4) features.

[micheus]

And here are the results of my tests.
1st image: as exported :: 2nd: edited in pov-ray


(sorry, it's actually emission 5, not 2)

Add keyword to finish: E.g.
Finish {specular rgb 0.25 emission rgb <2, 2, 2> ...}

maker, please make this test file available.

Thanks

[maker]

Here it is
Modifications in the .pov file marked with "//CHANGED"