Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!mips!pacbell.com!pacbell!varian!zehntel!donw From: donw@zehntel.zehntel.com (Don White) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Free RayTracer! Message-ID: <6257@zehntel.UUCP> Date: 21 Aug 90 21:35:08 GMT References: <1990Aug17.221224.13698@vicorp.com> Sender: usenet@zehntel.UUCP Reply-To: donw@zehntel.UUCP (Don White) Organization: Zehntel, Inc. Walnut Creek, CA Lines: 75 In article <1990Aug17.221224.13698@vicorp.com> ron@vicorp.COM (Ron Peterson) writes: > >I've just sent a copy of the binaries for my C-Light raytracer in to >comp.binaries.amiga so in a short while they should be posted. I >form.) I have a somewhat enhanced version that I use at home but >it's still a little buggy so I posted the 1.06 version which is the >same one I sold commercially. Perhaps I'll post the enhanced version >if I can stabilize it a little. The same version has been posted to >PeopleLink for those of you who can't wait. > I think you'll see why it isn't really competative with the >other 3D systems on the market, but then that's why you're getting >it now for free! Actually, I think its very simple interface and >CSG oriented approach make it unique on the Amiga. I was one of the commercial sales. I paid a (usenet reduced) price of about 30$ (I think. My memory isn't great.) The actual price was marked as $59.95. I played with it and pretty much agree that it is not competative as marked. But, I believe it would be competative at 30$. One thing I like about is its' mouse control. When you place an object, the object becomes a sort of 3D cursor. Let's say you are moving an object to the left. You can move your mouse to the left until you run out of table, then PICK UP your mouse, put it on the right side of the table and keep moving to the left. You can keep doing this as long as you want. The right mouse button toggles between the vertical plane and the horizontal plane. This is VERY ERGONOMIC once you get used to it. It would be more polished if the ACTUAL mouse cursor were not visible during this process. It pushes up against one side of your screen and is visually confusing. It IS multitasking but unfortunately it suffers from the same problem all ray tracers have, it is SLOW. Also it uses a window to draw into as it traces, it would be better for multitasking to use a farily large buffer in FAST memory if possible and store directly to disk. Unfortunately, C-Light lacks the hard hitting controllability of Turbo Silver or Sculpt. The interface leans toward intuitive object creation but gets harder to use when fine tuning. Also you only have primitive shapes available, you can't create shapes point by point (Am I wrong on this Ron?) It doesn't have the special gadgets of Turbo or Sculpt like IFF wrapping or glass objects or adjustable reflectance level (There is only one setting which I think is too 'perfect' of a mirror.) I would use it as a tool for object creation for the more polished tracers if I could get a translator from C-Light to Sculpt. To make this part better it would be nice if there was a convenient way to change the viewpoint during object creation. (You have to place the object BEFORE you can move the viewpoint and you get this odd diagram to adjust for the viewpoint rather that seeing the VIEW change as you cange the viewpoint. I'd rather be able to TOGGLE between mouse control of the object and viewpoint and use the same mouse control method for both.) The animations that came with C-LightII look cute. (Is C-Light II also going public domain?) IN SUMMARY, the thing I like about it the most is the object creation element of the user interface. I will probably play with it more. (Though not as much as Turbo and Sculpt.) Even though it is now going public domain I am not sorry I paid for my copy of it. Don White. (Ron, I know I told you I would send you some feedback after testing it but, life gets crazy and the first thing to go is home computer time! Sorry! Oh well.) * Don White * * Box 271177 Concord, CA. 94527-1177 * * zehntel!donw *