using moray

[Chronon]

I am also trying to learn how to use Moray (+POV Ray) to make shipsets. Taera, if Moray can't make complex objects, is it worth learning or should I try a different program? I'm just starting out, and it would be a shame to put 50 hours into learning the program only to find out it's not powerful enough to make good shipsets.

[Captain Kwok]

You can make complex objects in moray but they are called CSGs and are combinations/differences of simpler shapes.

[tokche]

for some reason i cant redner anything i make in moray in pov-ray. I get this error: commdan line error: unrecognized output file format x
return from renderer with error status. How do i fix this problem??

[Captain Kwok]

Check render options in Moray...try setting it on .bmp for the output file type...

[Chronon]

Thanks Captain Kwok. I'll keep working my way through the tutorials in Moray...

[Taera]

ok guess i'll write something short about CGSs.

There are four types of CSGs:
Union, Difference,Intersection and Merge.

Union is simply a group that allows you to control and copy and whatever all objects put into it as one object. useful when you have to copy that single turret 20 times. Displays all objects in group.

Difference. You better study this CSG the best you can because it is the most commonly used one. It acts very simple - it removes all the parts of the first object added to it whenever it intersects with the other objects. Try this:
Create a sphere. create a cube. move the cube to (-1.0, 0.0, 0.0). create CSG group. add the sphere and then the cube (in this particular order). Change the "operation" of CSG to difference. press the "evaluate" button aviable when CSG is chosen. Displays only the first object, with parts of it cut off regarding to the rest of the objects.

Intersection is the opposite of Difference. It shows only those parts of the first object in the list that are intersecting with other objects down the list. Displays only the first object, intersected.

Merge is the more advanced one, you wont use it much. What it does is removes all places where all objects added to the group intersect, making it "one object". Displays all objects in group.

Hope this helps.

EDIT: Three things.
First - the Merge is useful when you use transparent textures because then the various objects put together look like one if transparent.
Second thing is that i've once been looking through the Moray/Povray tutorials and found them rather good.
Third there are things i've found useful in moray, and here's the list: super Qs, beziers, and good textures. Super Qs are everything between a sphere and a square, and between a double pyramid and double cone and more; Beziers are extremly powerful, you can create virtually anything if you master these. Textures are extremly important in Moray as they're one of the best textures in whole modelling world, i'd suggest you study these.

[ October 27, 2002, 22:46: Message edited by: Taera ]

[Captain Kwok]

I mostly use unions and differences depending on the need. Intersections and merges not so often as Taera mentioned.

In re: to textures, I think I spend hours sometimes just playing around with them. If you check out the TNG mod thread - you'll see all those darn little windows on the Galaxy class - ugh!