
For those who have a 386+387 (or 486) machine it is now possible to
produce images with a good level of realism.

Installation is:

0. Define a variable GO32 if you don't have a 387
   dos> set GO32=emu DRIVE:PATH\emu387
   or if you have (or in case of a 486)
   dos> set GO32=

The steps to follow to create images are:

1. Create using a text editor a file with the scene description
   (view point, lights, objects, etc).
   Look at the .scn files for an example; the format description
   is in the file scn2sff.lst.

   CPP (or M4) macros and so on can be used...

2. Next, process the .scn file (let's suppose it is called demo.scn)
   using CPP (or M4) and then by SCN2SFF converter, to obtain the
   input file for the ray-tracer program (demo.sff).

   Example:
   dos> cpp -P demo.scn | scn2sff - > demo.sff

3. Run RTRACE with chosen arguments (look in rtrace.lst).

   Example:
   [Resolution 256x256, no antialiasing, with textures, verbose]
   dos> rtrace w256 t1 V3 demo.sff demo.pic >demo.log
   or
   dos> rtrace w256 t1 V3 O1 demo.sff demo.ppm >demo.log

   Wait a moment... Done.

4. To view the image (file demo.pic or demo.ppm), it is necessary to
   convert it to a standard format like GIF or any other.
   Use the PIC2RAW program to convert to input file for shareware
   program ALCHEMY (demo.raw). ALCHEMY reads the .ppm files directly.
   Or convert with PIC2RGB to a raw format that PICLAB understands
   and do the manipulation with this program (very good).

   Example:
   dos> pic2raw demo

   With ALCHEMY it is possible to convert to many other formats
   (GIF, Targa, PCX, etc).
   It is also possible to view in a VGA card with ALCHEMY.
   To display, use ALCHEMY, PICLAB, CSHOW or others...


There are many .scn and .sff available...

Description:
        logo.scn        - logo of my institute, INESC
        h2so4.scn       - molecule H2SO4
        vitam_a1.scn    - vitamin A1
        header.h        - include for previous 2
        balls.scn       - balls


Hope you like it,

Antonio Costa
(acc@asterix.inescn.pt)
