---- DATABASE ERROR ----<h1>Web Walking: Media<br>
</h1>
by <a href="mailto:contact@povray.tashcorp.net">Mike Kost</a><br>
<h3>Introduction</h3>
Swinging through the internet jungle, from virtual vine to virtual
vine,
in search of tasty bits of information! Diving right in, this first
article in the Web Walking series focuses on what other websites can
teach about using Povray's media feature. You mean this is an overblown
collection of links? You betcha. Now, on we go...<br>
<h3>Vine 1: Povray Documentation</h3>
Yes, the tried and true <a href="http://www.povray.org/documentation/">Povray
documentation</a> is a great reference on media.<br>
<ul>
  <li><a href="http://www.povray.org/documentation/view/3.6.1/95/">1.3.6.1:
Simple Media Tutorial</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://www.povray.org/documentation/view/3.6.1/419">2.6.2:
Media</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://www.povray.org/documentation/view/3.6.1/420/">2.6.2.1:
Media Types</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://www.povray.org/documentation/view/3.6.1/421/">2.6.2.2:
Sampling Parameters &amp; Methods</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://www.povray.org/documentation/view/3.6.1/422/">2.6.2.3:
Density</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Vine 2: Online Tutorials<br>
</h3>
First stop is <a
 href="http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/%7Epbourke/povray/media/">Paul
Bourke's Media Tutorial</a>. Paul walks through scattering, emitting,
and absorbing media effects.<br>
<blockquote><img alt="Image from Media Tutorial" src="bourke.jpg"
 height="240" width="320"><br>
</blockquote>
Next
up is Rafal
Maj's <a href="http://www.raf256.com/3d/povray/tutorial/cloudscraper/">"Media
-
quality Vs speed"</a>. Rafal produced a framework for reducing media
quality to speed up rendering times.<br><b>Update:</b> Rafal's page seems to go up and down. Your milage may vary.<br>
<blockquote><img alt="Media - quality Vs speed image"
 src="cloudscraper.jpg" height="240" width="320"><br>
</blockquote>
Christoph Hormann demonstrates media water effects as part of his <a
 href="http://www-public.tu-bs.de:8080/%7Ey0013390/pov/water/water04.html">"Realistic
water with POV-Ray"</a> article. <br>
<br>
Professor Genevieve (Jenny) Orr discusses <a
 href="http://www.willamette.edu/%7Egorr/classes/GeneralGraphics/Media/index.htm">"Media
and Particle Systems"</a>. These examples were created for Povray 3.1, and do not render properly as downloaded. To get a good rendering, add '<tt>version 3.1</tt>' to the top of the .pov source.<br>
<blockquote><img alt="Media and Particle Systems image" src="sphere.jpg"><br></blockquote>
<h3>Vine 3: Examples And Macros<br>
</h3>
Kurt Bangert and Carolina Blaesing-Bangert give examples of
lightsabres, the nothern lights, water, and lighting via media on their
"<a href="http://www.travelnotes.de/rays/media/media.htm">Media Examples</a>"
page.<br>
<blockquote><img alt="Light saber image" src="saber.jpg" height="240"
 width="320">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img alt="Northern lights image"
 src="noli.jpg" height="240" width="320"><br>
</blockquote>
And finally, Gilles Tran creates media clouds with his <a
 href="http://www.oyonale.com/ressources/english/sources13.htm">MakeCloud
macros</a>.<br>
<blockquote><img alt="MakeCloud image" src="makecloud2_demo_day.jpg"
 height="240" width="320"><br>
</blockquote>
<h3>Closing Comments</h3>
Is a great link missing that explains Povray media tips and technique?
Send it in and it'll get linked up: <a
 href="mailto:contact@povray.tashcorp.net">contact@povray.tashcorp.net</a>.<br>
<h3>Notes and Disclaimers<br>
</h3>
All the images above were rendered from Povray source provided by the
linked websites. If there's no easily usable source - no pictures!<br>
<br>
Published: 08/05/05<br>
Last edited: 08/15/05<br>
<br>
Copyright (C) 2005 <a href="mailto:contact@povray.tashcorp.net">Mike
Kost</a><br>