Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!att!cbnewsm!nsw
From: nsw@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (Neil Weinstock)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Modular rendering software musings
Message-ID: <5065@cbnewsm.ATT.COM>
Date: 6 Oct 89 23:44:56 GMT
Reply-To: nsw@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (Neil Weinstock)
Organization: The Flying Squid Patrol
Lines: 37

Hi ho.  I was discussing with someone the other day about rendering software,
and began to consider the notion of modular 3D software.  I am not 
particularly familiar with this area (3D rendering, that is,) so at least 
part of this posting is the question, "does this exist today?"  And pardon
me if this posting is unspeakably naive and/or ignorant.

What I would like to see is a rendering (and animation) system that is
completely modular.  After all, we've got multitasking, might as well use
it.  I want to be able to buy an object designer, maybe a scene layout tool,
a renderer, and an animator all separately.  I could start off with an
inexpensive non-raytrace renderer, then move up to a gonzo one when I get
ambitious. 

The reason I single out 3D rendering is that it seems like a process that is
very modular, and all the modules are nearly of equal importance.  Also,
there's a ton of Amiga software for it out there, so it's not like no one
cares about it.

Now, I know that programs such as Modeler-3D exist, and how animation
programs are often separate from the renderers.  But I still hear things
like "I use Sculpt to design my objects, then use Interchange and do
the rendering with Turbo Silver". (conversion programs? blech)

I have heard that the renderer in Turbo Silver is great, but the user 
interface is sub-par.  Can I just buy the Turbo Silver rendering module?
If not, why not?  The Caligari user interface (non-Intuitionness
notwithstanding) is really neat, but the renderer is not great, at least
not the last time I checked.  Can I buy the Caligari object design module
separately?  Nope.

I think you see what I'm getting at.  Am I really off in the woods?

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\\\\ Neil Weinstock //\\ att!cord!nsw  or //\\ "Oh dear, now I shall have ////
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