Attached Link: http://renderman.pixar.com/products/news/rps16.0_release.html

but renderman already had the old tools fixed and fast.from what i understand Firefly is not like that.

I'd like to see Poser be able to use the Up, Down, Left, and Right arrow keys to be able to move a prop or object just a little. Getting precise movement with the dials is tricky unless to have to keep changing the number settings which takes alot of time.

I woud also love to see composite nodes - they would make life much easier for many of us, if only by making things a lot more tidy. I use Postworkshop which saves its node based postwork as Styles - essentially composite nodes - which can then be used as nodes in other styles. While there are the 'primitive' building blocks, their own pre-sets are composites that (in version one) you could unpack to see just how complex they were. You can use these as building blocks and starting points for constructing your own styles, so you can have much of the work done for you, leaving you to tinker to get exactly the look you want, using six to a dozen nodes where you might have needed to juggle with a hundred.

Good thread.  I used to get all upset because I couldn't get a render to ever come out right.  didn't know as much then, though.  However, now that we have a way to get a scene to Luxrender, I actually kinda like Firefly.  I can usually have a decent quality render in less than two minutes, IDL included (cheating a little bit though, I got a six-core Phenom just for this purpose).  While the renders are nowhere near unbiased quality, they actually turn out really well considering that, and I love not having to wait fifteen minutes before I even have a clue what it is going to look like.  I can use it for a preview then let Lux churn out the final.

Now that Firefly has IDL support, plus D3D's Render Firefly script, I think the only thing missing is a little more physics in it.  I would like to see the light do some bending around objects (like real light), I think that would really add to the realism.  I expect that would be a pretty big change to the renderer and don't think it will be implemented because of cost factor for SM's target customer base, but just thought I would mention it.

Quote - I would like to see the light do some bending around objects (like real light),

This is called diffraction, the direct application of Huygens principle and wave nature of the light. Don't expect that the so called "phycically based" rendferes take into consideration this.

Are you sure?

Diffraction refers to various phenomena which occur when a wave encounters an obstacle. Italian scientist Francesco Maria Grimaldi coined the word "diffraction" and was the first to record accurate observations of the phenomenon in 1665.[2][3] In classical physics, the diffraction phenomenon is described as the apparent bending of waves around small obstacles and the spreading out of waves past small openings. Similar effects occur when light waves travel through a medium with a varying refractive index or a sound wave through one with varying acoustic impedance. Diffraction occurs with all waves, including sound waves, water waves, and electromagnetic waves such as visible light, x-rays and radio waves. As physical objects have wave-like properties (at the atomic level), diffraction also occurs with matter and can be studied according to the principles of quantum mechanics.

While diffraction occurs whenever propagating waves encounter such changes, its effects are generally most pronounced for waves where the wavelength is on the order of the size of the diffracting objects. If the obstructing object provides multiple, closely-spaced openings, a complex pattern of varying intensity can result. This is due to the superposition, or interference, of different parts of a wave that traveled to the observer by different paths (see diffraction grating).

The formalism of diffraction can also describe the way in which waves of finite extent propagate in free space. For example, the expanding profile of a laser beam, the beam shape of a radar antenna and the field of view of an ultrasonic transducer are all explained by diffraction theory.

Refraction:

In optics, refraction occurs when waves travel from a medium with a given refractive index to a medium with another at an angle. At the boundary between the media, the wave's phase velocity is altered, usually causing a change in direction. Its wavelength increases or decreases but its frequency remains constant. For example, a light ray will refract as it enters and leaves glass, assuming there is a change in refractive index. A ray traveling along the normal (perpendicular to the boundary) will change speed, but not direction. Refraction still occurs in this case. Understanding of this concept led to the invention of lenses and the refracting telescope. Refraction can be seen when looking into a bowl of water. Air has a refractive index of about 1.0003, and water has a refractive index of about 1.33. If a person looks at a straight object, such as a pencil or straw, which is placed at a slant, partially in the water, the object appears to bend at the water's surface. This is due to the bending of light rays as they move from the water to the air. Once the rays reach the eye, the eye traces them back as straight lines (lines of sight). The lines of sight (shown as dashed lines) intersect at a higher position than where the actual rays originated. This causes the pencil to appear higher and the water to appear shallower than it really is. The depth that the water appears to be when viewed from above is known as the apparent depth. This is an important consideration for spearfishing from the surface because it will make the target fish appear to be in a different place, and the fisher must aim lower to catch the fish.

Quote - The formalism of diffraction can also describe the way in which waves of finite extent propagate in free space. For example, the expanding profile of a laser beam,

Want to complicate more our existence, what about Bessel beams ? A laser beam that has no dispension and can overcome obstacles in its path.

And Airy beams, a beam of light that can bend ?

Quote - This is called diffraction, the direct application of Huygens principle and wave nature of the light.

Yeah, I know, lol.  Couldn't think of the word.  Felt like I was spelling with wooden blocks and making choochoo sounds while I was writing "bending".  You're right about diffraction, maybe ambient occlusion is what I was going for.  And not the fake stuff like older versions used.  Even a quick render with default scanline settings in Max seems to have smoother light distribution.  I think if that were sorted out in Firefly it would become a lower end competitor for the other mainstream, non-bajillion dollar renderers out there, like Mental-Ray, C4D, etc.  Or maybe not, but I think it would make it a heck of a lot easier for those with less experience/Poser knowledge to produce better renders and avoid some frustration.