Attached Link: http://user.txcyber.com/~sgalls/

I have been working on PoseRay 3.5 for some time and I have used it to apply some new techniques for 3D meshes. For people that do not know PoseRay is a free program that mainly converts 3D models into complete POV-Ray scenes.

I have been playing with subdivision surfaces and I gave it a try using LinLin. Since this model is based on the P4 female it has a low resolution mesh. This is evident when zooming on the face where the edge of the eyelids has a coarse appeareance.

I exported LinLin from Poser 4 and used PoseRay to make one Loop subdivision on the mesh and then rendered it directly into POV-Ray. This resulted in no discernable edges. This can be done after creating the scene in Poser so there is no need to work at high resolution until the render step.

I attached POV-Ray renders of the original and subdivided mesh.

The subdivision also works on the UV mapping (obviously) and can be limited to a particular set of groups or materials.

The updated mesh can also be exported to OBJ so that Poser (or any other program) can use it.

Other new PoseRay features (among many others) are LightWave (5 and 6) and RAW triangle import. LightWave files can use PoseRay's subdivision to generate the mesh from their control mesh (if it is present).

Hopefully I will release the new version soon.

later,

FlyerX

This looks very good I`ll need to give it a try...

Cool. I was just playing with some of the uv 'displacement' capabilities this afternoon with my current version. Looking forward to the update.

Very nice. And an excellent demonstration of what subdivision smoothing can do for a lower-poly mesh, when it's working properly. POV-Ray's subdivision algorithm doesn't suffer from the same "ballooning" effect as P5, does it?

The subdivision is done in PoseRay. POV-Ray does not have subdivision. PoseRay subdivides the model before sending it to POV-Ray for rendering.

The subdivision will keep sharp edges (from normals) and can keep existing mesh edges unmodified while changing the rest of the mesh. Also it can be applied to a particular group or material without gaps between the subdivided and not subdivided surfaces. These will be all user selectable options.

The algorithm implemented in PoseRay is the modified Loop's algorithm to account for edges and corners. The UV subdivision is also using the modified Loop algorithm and will keep the UV edges on the mesh.

From the renders I have seen here I beleive Poser 5 uses an interpolating smoothing routine. Meaning that the subdivided mesh goes through the original mesh points. Loop's method is approximating (like a bezier and its control points) Interpolating routines, if it does not check edges, will give meshes an inflated appeareance.

Using Loop's (or any other approximating method) as the number of subdivisions is increased the mesh will resemble a NURBS surface.

later,

FlyerX

this does look kewl! I'm going to have to try my hand in this! -Essie

I see. Thank you. I reached similar conclusions about Poser 5's mesh-smoothing interpolation. Splitting vertices at the edges seems to be one way to "break the spline".

There is a setting somewhere in poser 5 where you can turn off the smoothing for one or more object in the scene. It was mentioned in a recent forum post( this forum ).

You can turn the smoothing off in the objects properties menu in P5. Uncheck the box. Great new feature flyerx. I used Pose-Ray/Pov-Ray a lot before I got P5. Can't wait to try this.

Wow! This has really become an incredible program. Thanks very much for all the tremendous amount of time and effort you've put into it.