"Render Ready" Translations

Most models converted with PolyTrans are "render ready", meaning that little or no tweaking of the data is necessary in the target rendering program before a quality image can be rendered. All lights, cameras, geometry, hierarchy and materials are converted. In addition, the PolyTrans converter goes even one step further by matching the texture projection methods and all texture mapping parameters of the input and output file formats, wherever possible.

For example, when importing Lightwave and exporting 3D Studio, the import converter will convert Lightwave's planar, cylindrical, spherical and cubic texture projection methods into equivalent (u,v) texture coordinates understood by 3D Studio as well as mapping the diffuse, specular and other texture modulation methods into equivalent texture modulation methods of 3D Studio (including all parameters such as texture wrap toggles, intensity values and on/off toggles). The translations have all been verified with Okino's NuGraf Rendering System software which has served as the intermediate database into which files are imported and from which files are exported - thus ensuring a proper match between import and export file formats.

A good example of this "render ready" capability is the High'Q's DEM converter (USGS format); this converter reads in satellite-scanned digital elevation data distributed by the U.S. Geological Society. During the conversion process the DEM converter massages the DEM input data into multiple sub-objects of 900 polygons each (for faster interactive camera movement), sub-samples the large DEM dataset into a more manageable size (120000 polygons down to 16000 polygons is typical), computes smoothing information for the polygons (vertex normals), adds default 2d u/v texture coordinates (so that texture maps can be overlaid on the data), optionally centers the data at the origin, then adds and orients a default camera to the scene which will create a pleasing image of the DEM data when rendered.

And you thought importing and rendering DEM data was too complicated! Not any more! This is typical of most of the import converters in PolyTrans --> just convert and render!