CompuServe Thread

#Render colors

4 messages in this thread
#99233From: Derek ChimentiApr 29, 1994 11:29 AM
Could you all tell me what your standard rendering process is in 3D Studio? As far as I can tell, TGA is the way to go for best color rendering results. It seems to take up a good amount of drive space though. On my other system, I always render to disk and then lay off to tape. Thats what I want to do with 3D Studio (I have ver. 3.0). If I render to disk, the 3D Studio DISK-TO-VTR option doesn't support TGA files unless you make a .ifl file which is a pain in the a__ if you have a 500+ frame animation! The .flc support is nice but then you only get 256 colors and it looks aweful. WHAD DO YOU DO?! Thanks for your responses!!!! -Derek Chimenti Karl Productions
#99255From: MechadeusApr 29, 1994 12:48 PM
There is a program here on compuserve in the ASOFT Utilities section or What's New or somewhere, it's called DTA(DAVES TARGA ANIMATION UTILITY) that will, among other things, compile a series of TGAs into either a 24-bit FLT flic file or a 16-bit FLX (or FLH) file. You can then play the animation with the included player in realtime in DOS. Since you have 500 frames and are going to a VTR, that's probably not an option. 3DS3 will, I think, render directly to tape (Render/Setup). Check the docs. Otherwise, you could render to an external storage device, like an optical drive. As for making IFLs, there's a utility in the 3DS root directory called MAKEIFL.EXE that works well. Or you could, in the directory where your images are, type: dir *.tga /on /b >filename.ifl This makes an easy IFL. Eric at Mondo
#99289From: Brian Rudolph [Adesk]Apr 29, 1994 4:17 PM
Derek, Disk to VTR most certaintly does support TGA files. It is possible that they were not in the Image directory or something else was wrong. But it is supported. However, I prefer IFL files myself, anyway. There is a utility here on the forum called MAKIFL.ZIP which will generate your IFL files for you. No more text editor! Download it and watch your life get easier. -Brian
#99297From: John TissavaryApr 29, 1994 4:42 PM
Disk-to-VTR does support .tga files. I do it all the time! Just set up the in-point, VTR setup, then chose the first .tga file you wish to record, and it will record each subsequent .tga file with the same non-numerical prefix (test0000.tga, test0001.tga, test0002.tga, etc…). As far as ifl's go, that's the easiest thing of all. Just download makeifl.zip (I may have the spelling wrong) from the libraries here, and follow the instructions in the text file. Nothing could be easier and quicker (well… maybe not _nothing_ <g>) John Tissavary (LUNA cie)