#Refraction fudgin'
16 messages in this thread
Does anyone have any tricks for simualting refracting glass like spheres and
wine glasses? I'm trying to come up with a way to do this that would work in
an animation. Thinking about using CUB's and renaming the files so they
project in reverse order, along with flippin the normals of the glass object
but this takes a while. I would really appreciate ANY input.
Mitch.
BTY- anybody heard anything lately about the raytracing SXP's someone said they
were working on a while back?
Use texture maps on the transparent object Use spherical mapping and two sided
turned on. Work the texturemap from a rendering of the backdrop scene without
the glass object. Vary the % of the texture. This works for lenses and
drinking glasses. If this is too much like work then get Topas 5.0 which will
do it in the renderer but it takes 10 times as long as 3DS and the quality of
the color depth isn't as good. Soon a refractive raytracer will be introduced
to 3DS and we're all waiting for this.
<< Soon a refractive raytracer will be introduced to 3DS and we're all waiting
for this.>>
Do you know this for sure? That would be great. Refraction is the only thing
3DS can't seem to do being a scan -line renderer.
-Mitch
Hi Mitch!
I`ve seen that you`re in our american beta test team. So you will recieve our
Rayracer Engine RayMan next week. Maybe that will solve your problems…
Michael
– Michael Bassier, Written 19-Aug-1994 @ 08:57:56
Using: Windows NavCIS PRO 1.2
In addition to Don's trick, the "3D Studio Special Effects" book coming from
New Riders next month has a great refraction-simulation technique by Tim
Forcade that uses projector lights. (it's totally animatable too, and it looks
perfect)
– G
When will the book be available and how much? I plan to buy it but could you
give me a little hint how this techinque works anyway?
-Mitch
You'll have to ask Kevin Coleman from NRP re ordering details.
Re the projection light refraction technique… Tim Forcade has sworn me to
secrecy until the book is released, but I assure you that the technique is
EXTREMELY effective.
– G
3D Studio Special Effects ISBN#:1-56205-303-5 Full Color. CD-ROM with all
effects and more. Price:$50 Phone#:1-800-428-5331
____kevin
Mitch,
I read a string on simulating refraction a while back and it went something
like this: make the object that you want to exibit refractive properties
reflective, render an image of whatever it is that will be seen through
the refractive object, map this image onto a plane with using the one
sided material property, scale the plane up a little to simulate the
magnification properties of the psuedo refractive object, place this plane
over the object that is to appear refractive with the normals facing the
refractive object, the plane should be invisible to the camera and appear
on the object that you want to look refractive, giving the illusion that it
is magnifing whatever is behind it.
There was also a magazine I recieved at Siggraph called 3-d user (august
issue) that featured an article on simulating refraction using photoshop or
premiers displacement filters that looked very good. hope this was some
help.
Max
Thanks for the input. I've been toying with tricks similar to the ones you've
suggested, but they seem to work well only for stills or static objects.
M
Your welcome. Did I mention an article in the august issue of 3-D artist about
ray tracing in photo shop. Its worth a look.
>>Your welcome. Did I mention an article in
>>the august issue of 3-D artist about ray
>>tracing in photo shop. Its worth a look.
No offense, but a look is about all it's worth! Seriously, the fake-refraction
approach shown in that article barely works on a doughnut shaped object in a
still image. Attempting that technique on a complex object (i.e. a bust of
Beethoven, a glass of wine, etc.) in an animation is unworkable. Until Tim
Forcade's ulta-secret technique becomes public with the release of "3DS Special
Effects" I'd use Vivid, a shareware raytracer. It's got a steep learning curve
but it works perfectly. You export to Vivid format with 3DS2POV.exe.
Jim
Oh well it made for good reading in the can. Maybe it was just a better
excersise in convoluted techniqe than a real world application.
ME
>>Oh well it made for good reading in the can….
Maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh… It was a nice article on some unique
effects with photoshop. I doubt that it'd be useful to an animator, but I still
think that the article had some value.
Jim
Your point about its usefullness being limited is well taken .
I'm looking forward to the new 3DS special effects book.
ME
>>I'm looking forward to the new 3DS special effects book.
Me too! It's on order. Hope it doesn't get held up too much. I just got a note
from NRP on this forum about how there were tons of unique MLI files in the
book as well.
Jim