CompuServe Thread

#SDP SXP's IPAS

7 messages in this thread
#138576From: Mike White SunDog Pro.Nov 29, 1994 2:14 PM
Hi Andrew, This is in response to your post regarding SXPs. As Gary mentioned, SDP has been involved in the development of SXPs, 14 in fact with more in the works, and they are very adaptable to your needs. The SXPs we have are: Mottle Agate Marbl Earth Squigle Layers Rocks Beaded Granit Turb Amoeba Cubic Stripe Trihex ( These are the correct spellings.) With these routines, you can achieve a multitude of textures. You'll probably be amazed at the diversity these routines offer. For instance, I've found that "Granit" is good for creating grass and carpet as well as granite. This is the case with all of the SXPs. These routines can be used for texture, opacity and bump. All function calls have been included. Our routines are packed with everything 3D Studio offers by way of an SXP. SDP's SXP routines are based on ray-tracing technology. In fact, I believe you'll find that our SXPs are similar in quality to that offered by POV RAY. However, you'll discover that the function calls have been laid out in a manner that makes them very easy for the user to understand. Just plug 'em in and turn your imagination and creativity loose. If you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them. The following two messages provide an overview of SDP's routines. They are distributed by Schreiber Instruments and you can purchase them through your nearest Authorized Autodesk Multimedia Dealer. Again, thanks for your interest. Mike White SDP
#138580From: Mike White SunDog Pro.Nov 29, 1994 2:30 PM
This is part two of a three part message regarding SDP's SXP IPAS routines. Available through Schreiber Instruments and Autodesk Multimedia Dealers. AGATE.SXP – Agate Texture Dialog Description : Size : Overall size of the texture. Fractalization : Overall 'chaos' of the texture. Higher numbers produce more chaos. Jitters : Amount of turbulence to add to the width of the veins. Higher numbers produce more 'jitters'. Iterations : Number of times to loop through the algorithm. Higher numbers produce more detail, but take longer. Turbulence : Overall turbulence of the veins. High numbers produce a very turbulent marble, while low numbers produce smooth stripes. Random # Seed : An arbitrary number used to randomize the NOISE function. Changing this number will change the texture's start point, thereby creating a different looking texture. Vein Color : RGB color of the veins. Primary Color : RGB color of the rest of the texture. AMOEBA.SXP – Animated Amoeba Function Overview : Creates a Plasma-like texture that can be animated. Dialog Description : Size : Overall size of the texture. Brightness : Overall brightness of the texture. Color 1 : 1st Color. Select Red, Blue or Purple. Level : Level of color for 1st Color (0 to 255). If you select Red for 1ST COLOR, this sets ONLY the red component of the color. Likewise, selecting Blue sets the only the blue component of the color. With Purple you are setting the red and blue components of the color. Color 2 : 2nd Color. Select Red, Blue or Purple. Level : Level of color for 2nd Color (0 to 255). If you select Red for 2ND COLOR, this sets ONLY the red component of the color. Again, selecting Blue sets only the blue component of the color. Purple allows you to set the red and blue components of the color. Added Color : This color is blended in with the other two selected colors. Some truly odd effects can be generated by playing with this. Start Offset X : Starting point for the X component of the texture. Y : Starting point for the Y component of the texture. Z : Starting point for the Z component of the texture. End Offset X : Ending point for the X component of the texture. Y : Ending point for the Y component of the texture. Z : Ending point for the Z component of the texture. Start Frame # : Frame to start the animated effect. End Frame # : Frame to end the animated effect. BEADED.SXP – Beaded Texture Function, Dialog Description : Map Size : Overall size of the texture. Map Type : Type of texture to create. Either Weaved (spots interlaced by a line, or Spotted (just the spots). 1st Color : RGB values for the 1st color used in the texture. 2nd Color : RGB values for the 1st color used in the texture. Weaved Options : X Adjust : Somewhat of a 'Scale' for the X component of the texture. Y Adjust : Somewhat of a 'Scale' for the Y component of the texture. Z Adjust : Somewhat of a 'Scale' for the Z component of the texture. Brightness : Overall Brightness of the texture. Spotted Options : Spot Size : Size of the Spots. Lower numbers produce smaller spots. X Streaking : Amount to 'Stretch' the spots out along the X axis. Higher numbers produce more streaks. Y Streaking : Amount to 'Stretch' the spots out along the Y axis. Higher numbers produce more streaks. Z Streaking : Amount to 'Stretch' the spots out along the Z axis. Higher numbers produce more streaks. CUBIC.SXP – Cubic Fractal Noise Function, Overview : Creates some truly STRANGE texture and bump maps. Dialog Description : Size : – Overall 3d size of the texture. Strength : – Affects the strength (in color) of the effect. Color 1 – RGB value for 1st color. Color 2 – RGB value for 2nd color. EARTH.SXP – Pseudo-Earth Planet Generator, Overview : This routine generates 'Earth-Like' planet maps complete with continents and water. Dialog Description : Dominant Feature : Dictates the amount of either feature to appear most in the texture. Selecting Land will produce more land and less water, while selecting Water will produce more water and less land. Colors : Land : BLEND color for the land masses Water : BLEND color for the water. Fractalization : Amount by which to 'roughen' the texture. Higher numbers produce more 'roughness'. Iterations : Number of times to step through the equation. Higher numbers produce more detail, but take longer to render. Size : Overall 3d size of the texture. Higher numbers 'Zoom In'. Random # Seed : An arbitrary number used to randomize the NOISE function. Changing this number will change the texture's start point, thereby creating a different looking texture. Changing the Start Phase will accomplish this also. GRANIT.SXP – Granite Function, Overview : Generates a granite-like texture. Dialog Description : Size : Overall size of the texture. Color 1 : RGB values for the 1st color in the texture. Color 2 : RGB values for the 2nd color in the texture. Random # Seed : An arbitrary number used to randomize the NOISE function. Changing this number will change the texture's start point, thereby creating a different looking texture.
#138584From: Mike White SunDog Pro.Nov 29, 1994 2:32 PM
This is part three of a three part message regarding SDP's SXP IPAS routines. Available through Autodesk Multimedia Dealers and Schreiber Instruments. LAYERS.SXP – Layered Noise Function (Animated), Overview : Creates a layered-line texture on a noise background that can be animated to create strange flowing effects. Dialog Description : Detail : Level of detail for the texture; HIGH or LOW. Size : Overall size of the texture. Brightness : Overall brightness of the texture (Higher numbers produce brighter textures). Random # Seed : An arbitrary number to seed the NOISE function with. Changing this number will change the texture's start point, thereby creating a different looking texture. Changing the Start Phase will accomplish this also. Color 1 : RGB Values for the 1st color in the texture. Color 2 : RGB Values for the 2nd color in the texture. Start Phase X : Start offset point for the texture along the X Axis. Y : Start offset point for the texture along the Y Axis. Z : Start offset point for the texture along the Z Axis. End Phase X : End offset point for the texture along the X Axis. Y : End offset point for the texture along the Y Axis. Z : End offset point for the texture along the Z Axis. Start Frame : Frame to begin the Animated effect on. End Frame : Frame to end the Animated effect on. MARBL.SXP – Marble Texture, Overview : Photo-Realistic Marble Textures. Dialog Description : Size : Overall size of the texture. Fractalization : Overall 'chaos' of the texture. Higher numbers produce more chaos. Jitters : Amount of turbulence to add to the width of the veins. Higher numbers produce more 'jitters'. Iterations : Number of times to loop through the algorithm. Higher numbers produce more detail, but take longer. Turbulence : Overall turbulence of the veins. High numbers produce a very turbulent marble, while low numbers produce smooth stripes. Random # Seed : An arbitrary number used to randomize the NOISE function. Vein Color : RGB color of the veins. Primary Color : RGB color of the rest of the texture. MOTTLE.SXP – Mottled Texture Maker, Overview : Creates a Mottled or Dented appearance useful for texture and bump-mapping. Dialog Description : Size : Overall size of the texture map. Brightness : Affects the Brightness of the texture. Higher numbers make the texture brighter. Multiplier: Affects the return value of the algorithm by raising itself to the power of this number. Iterations : Number of times to loop through the algorithm. Speed : Affects the rate at which the variables in the iterated function are incremented. Color 1 : RGB Values for the first shade in the texture. Color 2 : RGB Values for the second shade in the texture. ROCKS.SXP – Rock Texture Function, Overview : This routine can create a myriad of rock-like textures ranging from Marbles to Porcelains, and the user-defined combinations are unlimited. Dialog Description : Size : The overall 3d scale of the texture (larger numbers scale up) Width : The width of the veins (Marble or Agate), or bumpy areas (When no veins are used). Color 1 : RGB values for 1st color. Color 2 : RGB values for 2nd color. Differentiation : Affects the frequency of veins and streaks in the texture. Perturbation : Applies a bit of chaos to the algorithm. Allow Vein Loss? : Allows the bottom-end of the function to be accessed, thereby eliminating the 'veins'. Use Ultra-Opaque? : Causes the dimmest colors in the texture to be set to black in order to create a better-looking opacity map. Quick set Options : NONE – Allows the user to define the variables. MARBLE – Adjusts settings for a marble look. AGATE – Adjusts settings for an agate look. SLATE – Adjusts settings for a slate look. PORCELIN – Adjusts settings for a porcelain look. ** NOTE ** When the quick set option is set to something other than NONE, the Differentiation, Perturbation, and Allow Vein Loss options cannot be changed. SQUIGL.SXP – Squiggle Pattern, Overview : Creates a squiggly line on a noisey background for texture mapping Dialog Description : Size : Overall size of the texture map. Brightness : Affects the Brightness of the texture. Higher numbers make the texture brighter. Multiplier : Affects the return value of the algorithm by raising itself to the power of this number. Iterations : Number of times to loop through the algorithm. Speed : Affects the rate at which the variables in the iterated function are incremented. Color 1 : RGB Values for the first shade in the texture. Color 2 : RGB Values for the second shade in the texture. STRIPE.SXP – Fractal Stripe Function, Overview : Creates a texture comprised of fuzzy fractal stripes on a background. Dialog Description : Size : Overall 3d size of the texture. Continuity : Affects the chaos of the stripes. Lower numbers produce more chaos. Stripe Color : RGB color for the stripes. BkGnd Color : RGB color for the background. Interpolated? : Applies a smoothing (Hermite) interpolation algorithm to the texture. TRIHEX.SXP – Hexagonal Pattern, Overview : Creates a pattern comprised of hexagons. Three colors may be defined for the hexagons. Dialog Description : SIZE : Overall size of the texture. Color 1 : RGB Color for the 1st order hexagons. Color 2 : RGB Color for the 2nd order hexagons. Color 3 : RGB Color for the 3rd order hexagons. Phase X : Offset for the X component of the texture. Y : Offset for the Y component of the texture. Z : Offset for the Z component of the texture.
#138654From: ALAN IGLESIASNov 29, 1994 9:43 PM
Hi Mike, Thanks for taking the time to UL these lengthy descriptions of your SXPs. I really like these routines, and it's good to see someone paying attention to the SXP part of the IPAS/Plug-in thing. -Alan
#138692From: Yost GroupNov 30, 1994 12:57 AM
Here, here… It's great to see some creative sxp's. – G
#138746From: ALAN IGLESIASNov 30, 1994 9:04 AM
And… I can't wait to get my hands on SXP Script! I've been dying to try to create my own SXPs every since I first saw 'em. MartinD's multiple scripting languages should really open things up for anyone who wants to mess with their own Plug-Ins. Yep, Truly a "democratization", all right!<g> -Alan
#138810From: bruce gorenNov 30, 1994 12:51 PM
Mike, Looks like a fine collection of shaders. Fewer and fewer reasons to pine away for Renderman. Keep up the good work. Bruce N. Goren