Why not procedural textrues?

[Reaversword]

Hi, I'd like know why unbiased render engines can't work with procedural textures. Is not a request, but I worked ever with mathematical textures and I love its infinite definition... it's more curiosity than other thing. Anyone know it?

[psor]

Well they could, if the "interface/structure" would be there. Maybe Nik will
add it in the future who knows. Lets say, this is a request!



take care
psor

[Reaversword]

Ok then, I supose it is my wet-dream request.

[Kram1032]

Nah....
It was requested more than once by many ppl, so, you definitely don't own that request

[neepneep]

If indigo rendered to a vector image format then I would like to see procedural textures, but since it doesn't then I just think it is just a waste of time and energy.

[Kram1032]

Why do you need a vector image format for this? O.o
Vector images also aren't built fractally so that you can zoom in to infinity...

[Reaversword]

I'm talking about, effectively, fractals, recursive functions without end.

The fractal, perlin noise, ramps (or gradients), checkboards and so on we can find in maya, xsi or max for example.

[Kram1032]

Yeah, I know.
I just don't get neepneep's point of exporting vector graphics...

[neepneep]

not exporting....but RENDERING vector graphics....Because then you can zoom in infinitely on procedural textures and still have a nice resolution (I'm talking la-la land here)

Since indigo renders bitmaps then I dont think there is a point to having procedural stuff in indigo since there is no benefit whatsoever....just bake the procedural stuff to a texture in the 3D software and export to bitmap.

[psor]

@neepneep

*cough* *cough* *cough*

Of course there is a benefit of it. You can render details without
changing the texture. You can do animations, zooming in out without
loosing detail. You don't have to create bump/displacement maps
for everything, you just use a procedural texture ... I could go on.



edit: Download the fryrender Demo and play with the material
editor and the procedural maps, you'll fall in love ... ;o))




take care
psor

[neepneep]

Sure it would be useful for animations....

...but I'm still thinking about static still images, no movies, no camera zipping around or anything - just one single rendered image and you zoom in and in and in and in and in and in.....


...I might have eaten too much sugar at work again today

[Kram1032]

Oh yes there is, especially with high resolution textures - far smaller size (namely zero + what it needs to process such a texture) and possibility for far higher resolutions

OMG O.o a vector with correct light transport.... imagine! the density of ray would have to be unlimited

[psor]

@neepneep

Don't worry mate! Nik already mentioned programmable shaders,
we'll see what the future will surprise us with ... hehe!



take care
psor