updates, updates, everywhere... As listed elsewhere on the site, I am planning updates to the Clock Modifier, continuing updates to the Compressed Mesh macro file, and updated versions of various Other Include Files. Of course, ideas for new features and improvements to any of the existing files are always appreciated, or feel free to make what you will of the following list of current projects, contributed to by many generous POV-Ray users.

pov-ray spline system A completely new set of macros for defining and using cubic splines of various types has been sitting on my hard-drive for a while now... much, much faster than the old include file method, the file allows you to define splines with simply a list of points to interpolate. The shape of the spline can be controlled using optional tension, continuity, and bias values (giving Catmull-Rom, cardinal, or Kochanek-Bartels splines). Or, you can create standard Bezier splines as used in most design and layout software, or hermite splines by specifying a list of positions and velocities. Clock values can be assigned to points: by default, the length (in time) of each spline segment is relative to the distance travelled along the segment. Splines can also be sampled along their length to give even spacing for object creation or animation, and splines can be cached for even faster performance.

Once created, splines can be previewed very quickly as a series of points or a smooth path, or they can be used as the basis of spline objects. These can be created as pipes (connected cylinders/cones and spheres) or blobs, both with varying radii along the length of the spline, or individual objects can be linked along the length of the spline (for chains, tracks, etc). Additionally, you can define your own custom spline object creation macros to make just about any spline based object, without having to worry about looping through the spline or calculating tangents, accelerations, etc. Spline-based animation of objects, light sources, and the camera is also supported, with automatic direction changes and banking through corners.

Work on documentation and samples scenes and animation is continuing, including an update by Steve Strickland of his current spline tutorial.

pov-ray particle system Again using the power of macros, I want to expand on the Liquid Spray and Object Exploder include files to create a fully-featured particle system. I plan not just to allow any object to be used as the particles, but to design the system so that any and all aspects of each particle can be adjusted in different ways, including changing characteristics over time. I also want to offer various motion systems in addition to the current spray and explosion/burst, such as vortexes (tornados), magnetic particles, falling particles (rain, snow, feathers, leaves, etc.), particle clouds, and other particle arrangements.

Either as part of the particle system or in a separate system I would also like to try my hand at liquid simulations such as waves, wakes, ripples, droplets and splashes, etc.

physics simulation system A very popular project, I would like to look at a system that allows objects in a scene to be given physical characteristics, which would then affect how each object behaves and how objects interact. The simulation should cover things like acceleration/deceleration, velocity, fixed or variable gravity (ie. forces that could be patterned and animated), inertia and friction, magnetic forces, and collision detection (including the ability for one object to travel on the surface of another). The simulation might also cover flexible objects, ranging from rubber-like materials that squash and stretch as they bounce, to strings/ropes and other cables, and cloth that drapes, creases, and billows.

Obviously, many of these features would be most suitably applied to a POV-Ray Particle System as well, so the goal would be to allow both system to work together as much as possible.

planetary system Although the Galaxy Include File creates many distant space objects, I would also like to look at a system to create more localised, three-dimensional objects such as planets, asteroids, moons, suns, ring systems, and perhaps even supernovae, black holes, and the like. Hopefully the system would also allow objects to be arranged and animated in complete solar systems.

pyrotechnics system Simulating fire has always been difficult with POV-Ray, although POV-Ray's media features offer a very powerful solution. In many cases, though, media are overly slow to render (and design!), and so I would like to create a system that allows you to create many different effects ranging from a single candle flame, to fire, steam (that is invisible except for the distortion of the objects behind it), wafting/drifting/billowing smoke, fireballs, etc. using textural techniques similar to the Galaxy Include File. The animation you can view by clicking the image at right shows a preliminary example created using just two textured discs.

but wait...there's more Other ideas that have been suggested to me, and that I continue to look at, include:

• A system to create various cloudy skies and other atmospheric effects (that render reasonably fast!)
• A system to arrange groups of objects in random ways (eg. to create an entire landscape from a single heightfield, or to create stacks/piles of objects)
• A technique to allow blobs to be used with other objects for all sorts of effects (such as smoothing sharp surfaces, melting objects, morphing one object into another, etc.)
• A plant growth system that allows fully animated creations, including blossoming flowers, creeping vine tendrils, shedding foliage, etc.

Further suggestions or questions are always welcome...

Website design, text, and graphics © 1999 - 2000, Chris Colefax