Great Train Renderings

[WesternOutlaw]

I just came across some great train renderings at Brickshelf.

Check this out: Train Renderings

I'm not familiar with LDraw and other programs used to make such highly detailed images. Do any of you know how these are made?

Here's just a few:

[Jipay]

Easy, Ldraw models rendered with POVRAY. Povray is a raytracer that gives this "real" look. It also includes the option to render the "lego" logo on the top of the studs, hence the level of details :-)

[Hobbes]

Nice find.

There are some .pov files in the gallery, so I guess he uses LDRAW in combination with POV-ray utilities. I don't know how to use either of them. I installed them once, openend LDRAW and was like "WHOA! What the...?!" I'm just totally inept using graphic tools. I need to build for real, even if I change "directions" a hundred times during the build. It also shows me problems that might not be obvious in a virtual model at first glance. That's just more practical for me.

I've read about people who only design virtual models, they don't even build for real anymore. With these additional tools to LDRAW you can create entire scenes (example). But still, as nice as these renderings look, it's nothing for me.

[WesternOutlaw]

I'm with you Hobbes. I downloaded Lego Digital Designer twice on my computer (the last time with the new train elements). I hate it and think it takes the fun out of building. Maybe it's a "new generation thing". I'd much rather sit and build different versions of a MOC until I like it.

But I am impressed with the finished product (like these). They look great!

[Jipay]

Ok, time for an explaination.

Ldraw is a library of bricks. You can use it with programming, but you won't achieve anything good. This is why a software called mlcad was created. It uses the bricks database of ldraw but you have a screen on which you can drag and dop bricks, rotate them, move them and such. But the rendering is still not that great.

Therefor it was commonly accepted to use Povray in order to render the construction that you made into mlcad and saved as a cad file. Ldraw uses precise light calculations and calculate the reflection of those light emissions on the surface of the 3d model (lego bricks are codified under the plastic reflection).

And taadaaa, you got those models.

Still the limited number of polygons (and their orientation and geometry) makes it difficult to use the ldraw files in animation (easy when it's solid buildings like ships, ut hard when it comes to bend anything).

[snefroe]

it's not bad, but i've seen better stuff, though...

i guess it's nice to have a real model and the same thing rendered via specific software, but honestly, i'm kinda getting tired of uploading all sorts of software applications i'd hardly use anyway...