[Software] LDD2PovRay

[hrontos]

Under Render tab: is there any real quality difference between q9 and q11? If there is no visual difference in final picture, does the rendering take the same time or q9 takes less than q11 although their real output quality is the same?

This is a question probably more towards POV-Ray's docs. LDD2POVRay is not using some features of POV-Ray, so there is probably no difference in Q9 to Q11 settings.

[___]

Aha, OK...I am asking cos I am being in intensive rendering process right now wanting to strip down the time needed for it at minimum but with result still somewhat pleasant, ehm photorealistic, to eyes (I think I have achieved the right compromise just this one question was still back in my mind: q9 vs. q11 as no description of those modes changes in the info/description field)...so I guess I stick with q9 then, thanx.

[___]

BTW don't you know if there is some kind of way how to tell POV-Ray to have the model more "shiny" surface? Something like:

ldd_model {
   finish {
    briliance 0.5
    reflection { 0.1 }
   }
}

[hrontos]

ldd_finishes.inc contain definition of all finishes used by converted models. If you declare some of them directly in pov file, they will not be redefined by ldd_finishes.inc. This means, that you do not have to modify ldd_finishes.inc. You can even create a file with your custom finishes and select it directly in LDD2POVRay interface.

Feel free to experiment.

The approach you mentioned should be also possible (you miss the texture statement), but it will result in multi layer texture which will be even more slowly to render then the current ones.

Edited September 8, 2014 by hrontos

[___]

I know that: I made me my own scripts...ehm, edited ldd_*_base_plane.inc file(s) where I defined almost all that is deffinable so I have set it for respective set(s) and can be reused later if I need to...also lights and such so I do not need to bother setting them everytime my set change (as I quite often using different settings for different models...even form different views of the same model) The only problem is that as you've said if I want edit directly things about the bricks in model it needs to be done in .pov which I do not want to as it is rewritten every time I need to rerender something which basically happens all the time so that way I would lose it all after first rerender...

+ I do not want to change/redefine texture of ldd_model, just change/increase bricks "odlesky" (sorry do not know the english word and as you are slovak as me... ), therefore I write just finish{} part alone...but I did not try it yet so maybe you are right and there needs to be also texture{} part... .

[hrontos]

"finish" is valid only as a member of "texture".

As I said, you do not have to modify pov file, create file with custom version of ldd_finishes.inc.

As a good start copy ldd_finishes.inc to ldd_my_finishes.inc and make some modification.

Check "Use custom finishes" and select the ldd_my_finishes.inc file.

[___]

Hi there

So, I am trying to increase the glossiness of the model's bricks by adding this code to one of my "*_base_plane.inc" files (in LDD2Povray) but it seems it has absolutely no effect at all whatsoever (does anyone know why?):

object {
   ldd_model
   texture {
       finish {
	    brilliance 0.5
	    roughness 1
	    reflection { 0.1 }
    }
   }
}

What is the right solution to this, please?

EDIT:

Sorry, it actually works...I just forgot to REPLACE .inc file in render, gee!

Edited September 10, 2014 by bublible

[Lego Otaku]

I don't know if I found a glitch but something isn't right:

http://www.bricklink...em.asp?P=30359b

ends up looking like:

Where did that 3mm grey disk come from? And the stud on top of the bar, below the mysterious disk looks like it's cracked.

Using LDD2POV 1.2.11.42814 and POVRay 3.7.0.msvc10.win64 (yes both are 64 bits) and running on Windows 8.1 64 bits (obviously )

Update: another run from a different angle also revealed more issues: inverted slopes also have floating discs. It seems to be over any hollow studs.

It is odd that one side is glitched but other side is not?? maybe because the pieces are at an angle that is slightly awkward? Not 45° but some odd number.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Lego Otaku

[Shine]

I've had similar problems rendering pieces with open studs, including how only one side is affected. I remember it being incredibly hard to get rid of and I don't think I ever found a solution.

Mine were O shaped instead of solid though, like it had rendered an extra copy of the open stud's face slightly above it.

Edited September 21, 2014 by Shine

[Cara]

It fixed itself.

[Masta' Blasta']

I don't have much experience with LDD2PovRay, so excuse me if there's something I overlooked, but why do metallic and transparent parts appear to be normally colored plastic in my renders? Is there a setting I need to change? As far as I'm aware, everything that would impact this is set to default...

Here's a pic of my latest render:

The steering wheel and Bohrok tooth should both be "Silver Flip/Flop." The eyes should be "Tr. Yellow" and the flame "Tr. Blue."

Sorry if it's a dumb mistake!

[Shine]

You'll need to modify LDD2PovRay's finishes if you want more realistic metallic colors. There's a string posts about it starting here.

I'm not sure what's up with the flame, though the head looks alright in the image you posted. Did you render the model with a black background then cut it out in Photoshop or anything weird like that? Or if not, does it still do that with all the render settings at default?

Edited October 5, 2014 by Shine

[Cosmonaut King]

Did anyone succeed in installing the LDD2Pov at Linux using Wine/playonlinux or whatever could make it work? I am trying really hard here and it just doesn't go. Any tip? is there any library I should be installing? LDD and POV-Ray are already installed and working really fine!

[noodles]

Hello, I have been having problems with both LDD to POV-Ray and POV-Ray for around a year now and tried to follow setting up tutorials (which I completely stink at) to no avail, I have just created an Eurobricks account to try and get help.

First of all, My system and both software are 64bit and I have reinstalled the software including LDD itself.

Here are the problems:

1. Installation of LDD to POV-Ray does not prompt me to install the Callback File System, Installing it itself requires me to get some license (which i have not done and may be the problem) and does not create a LDDIncludes folder.
   
2. Opening LDD to POV-Ray gives me the error "Access to the path '....\LDDIncludes' is denied" even after I manually made the LDDIncludes folder, but the converter window can be opened afterwards.
   
3. I can only convert the lxf if the 'Don't generate includes' checkbox is checked(not sure if that's a problem).
   
4. Could not run rendering process as there was a Parse Error that ldd_default_colours.inc could not be opened.
   

I hope these issues aren't that difficult to fix. And I might be missing somethings.

Thank you.

Edited October 23, 2014 by noodles

[hrontos]

Welcome to Eurobricks noodles.

1. If this point fails, it does not makes sense to use the converter. Installing CBFS itself does not help, as the driver is bound to the application. I would like to see how your converter screen looks like. Do you have admin priviledges on your computer? What windows version are you using?

2. Where did you created that folder, when you do not have an access there?

3. This is a consequence of the point 2.

4. Without includes this will not work.

[noodles]

Thanks for the reply!

I am the administrator for my computer and it is Windows 8.1.

Here's my converter window

And my settings. I can convert the lxf files into pov files.

I created the LDDIncludes folder manually into Program Files\LDD Tools\LDD to POV-Ray Converter. A window pops out when I launch the converter saying access is denied to LDDIncludes.

Thank you.

Edited October 24, 2014 by noodles

[hrontos]

1. db.lif path has to be expanded. This means that %AppData% has to be expanded to a real path. Put it into windows explorer (not web browser) as a folder path and it will open it for you (or use Run command).

2. Output path cannot be within Program Files folder, because windows do not like writing data there (it requires admin rights). Use some other location (either as subfolder of the folder where db.lif is stored or any other).

[noodles]

Thank you! The issues have been solved and rendering is complete.

Edited October 24, 2014 by noodles

[hrontos]

I am glad it works for you.

Nice first render.

You can try higher resolution, without antialiasing and resize down using bicubic resample. It should help you to get rid of the aliased/jagged edges.

[Calabar]

Thank you! The issues have been solved and rendering is complete.

Beautiful model, very well done!

Could you share the lxf file?

[END films]

I am relatively new to the program (only have messed with the percentages of the basic lights) and I need help with how to get colors right.

The problem is with the dark metallic color I used in what I am rendering. Like the color of this hf armor- . The color looks fine in LDD but not in pov-ray.

1.The part isn't shiny enough. I think using a mild version the chrome effects discussed on this thread (to make it just a bit more shiny) will help but I was confused how to do that.

2. The color is wrong and inconsistent. The color is close to bley when it should be darker. Also, some of the parts have a weird inconsistency of being more olive greenish (this is the most baffling problem and I have seen it in other colors too in previous renders) . Is there a way to improve the color and eliminate the inconsistency?

Thanks in advance for any help/tips/links.

[Shine]

You'll need to modify LDD2PovRay's finishes if you want more realistic metallic colors. There's a string posts about it starting here.

To change the colors, make a copy of the ldd_default_colors.inc file in the same folder the original is in. Name it something else though. Open it up with notepad or a similar program and find the line for gunmetal. Gunmetal is listed as #316 in LDD so modify that line's rgb values to whatever you prefer. You can reduce g's value (which is the second set of numbers on that line) to lessen the amount of green in the color, and reduce all of the values to make the color darker overall. Be sure to only change the numbers in front of the 256s though. In the Colors tab of LDD2PovRay, enable custom colors, then chose your new file in the dropdown.

[END films]

You'll need to modify LDD2PovRay's finishes if you want more realistic metallic colors. There's a string posts about it starting here.

To change the colors, make a copy of the ldd_default_colors.inc file in the same folder the original is in. Name it something else though. Open it up with notepad or a similar program and find the line for gunmetal. Gunmetal is listed as #316 in LDD so modify that line's rgb values to whatever you prefer. You can reduce g's value (which is the second set of numbers on that line) to lessen the amount of green in the color, and reduce all of the values to make the color darker overall. Be sure to only change the numbers in front of the 256s though. In the Colors tab of LDD2PovRay, enable custom colors, then chose your new file in the dropdown.

Thanks for the help.

I will mess around with these suggestions this evening.

I also found through tests the green color inconsistencies were caused by a check box that is called "color variance".

Edited October 24, 2014 by END films

[Shine]

Ah, yeah. That's meant to emulate the natural color variation in Lego's plastic, but it often goes too far and is especially noticeable on large parts.

[noodles]

Hello, I'm having a slight issue. Nothing to do with the program not working, it is fine.

It seems that the base plane doesn't go on forever using the custom camera setting, LDD's default camera also makes the base layer gradient to grey at the top. Is there a way to either have the gradient removed? I still want the base plane shadows though. I guess I could pomposite several images together. Thanks.

Edited October 27, 2014 by noodles