sutherla@qtp.ufl.edu (scott sutherland) (10/23/89)
There was some discussion a few weeks ago about a book called "The RenderMan Companion" or something like this. I just found the book at a local book store and it is only $22. I thumbed through the book and noticed that it gives C code for many functions. I have some questions that were NOT answered by a 10 minute perusal for the book. 1) Is the code in the book a complete RenderMan interface? What I mean is, if I type in all the code in the book, will this constitute a RenderMan interface for my Amiga 2000? 2) If the answer to the above question is NO, and I am pretty sure it is, then can someone tell me exactly what the code in the book is supposed to represent, and how it affects the ability of getting RenderMan to work on my computer. 3) Now to the general question. As I understand it, the Render- Man specification is just a complex and complete way of describing an object to a renderer. It cannot, by itself, render an object. Now, can someone tell me exactly what is needed and exactly what I would have to do to be able to use RenderMan on my Amiga, from what code I need, to what I need for an object definition, to how I would have to render the object. I have seen some of the output from this RenderMan stuff, but NO information is given on how it was rendered and on what hardware/software. I believe that the ray tracing program TURBO SILVER SV is capable of rendering many of the images that I have seen in the Companion book, although not with the number of colors (unless you use RGB24 and a frame buffer) nor the resolution (unless using a frame buffer), since it allows for control of reflectivity (256 variations of R, G, and B independently), refractive index (0 to 3.5 I believe), transparency (again with 256 variations of R, G, and B independently), texture mapping (especially with the new user-definable textures such as tree, which will actually put rings inside an object which can be viewed when the object is "cut"), among many other features. OKAY, SO WHAT IT BASICALLY BOILS DOWN TO IS THAT I WANT TO USE THE RENDERMAN INTERFACE ON MY AMIGA AND I WANT TO KNOW IF IT IS POSSIBLE AND IF SO, EXCRUTIATING DETAIL ON HOW IT CAN BE DONE. Thanks, Scott Sutherland sutherla@qtp.ufl.edu
johnm@spudge.UUCP (John Munsch) (10/25/89)
In article <724@orange9.qtp.ufl.edu> sutherla@qtp.ufl.edu (scott sutherland) writes: [Preamble about buying "The RenderMan Companion" deleted] > 1) Is the code in the book a complete RenderMan interface? No. The code you see in the book uses a hypothetical RenderMan compatible library to perform all of its rendering. The code is describing scenes, objects, lighting, and shading to this library so that the library can perform the rendering. > 2) If the answer to the above question is NO, and I am pretty > sure it is, then can someone tell me exactly what the > code in the book is supposed to represent, and how it > affects the ability of getting RenderMan to work on my > computer. See above. The reason you and I don't have it is in a diatribe below :-). > 3) Now to the general question. As I understand it, the Render- > Man specification is just a complex and complete way of > describing an object to a renderer. It cannot, by itself, > render an object. Now, can someone tell me exactly what is > needed and exactly what I would have to do to be able to > use RenderMan on my Amiga, from what code I need, to what I > need for an object definition, to how I would have to > render the object. No one has yet written a RM compatible library for the Amiga is the problem. What makes this so unbelievable is that some of the employees at Pixar have the guts to claim that they are Amiga owners and lovers. No true Amiga lover would ever sit idly by and let the best computer ever designed be snubbed in favor of Macs and (Ohmygod) PC's. I guess they just play games with theirs (no smiley). If you had a RM library then you would either: a) a program that had an interface to it. For instance, the maker of a program like Modeler 3D or 3Demon could add some code that would send completed models to a renderman.library and get back fully rendered pictures. b) use the info in _The RenderMan Companion_ to write programs that will directly describe the scenes, objects, and what-not to the library and then request rendering of that scene. This would probably just require some glue routines for your favorite compiler to access the same renderman.library. One thing which may or may not be a problem for you is that you will need some pretty powerful hardware. The PC version requires a 80386 and 80387 math coproce$$or and the Mac version requires a 68020 and 68881 (if memory serves). I believe Pixar will sell you a PC object version of their library for somewhere under $500 (which won't help you or me) or they will let you have the source to their library for around $6000 so that you could port it to the Amiga yourself. NOTE: The last two paragraphs drew on my memory. Parity errors abound in my head so take all of that with a grain of salt. John Munsch