PhotoWorks environment poll

In order for reflective objects (glass, metal, some plastics, etc) to render
realistically you need to provide PWx with stuff for the object to reflect.
I think it is well known that using a spherical environment is a good way to
provide PWx stuff to reflect:
http://www.triaxialdesign.com/Tips_tricks/Tips&Tricks AUG-2004.pdf

In SWx2005, the mapping on spherical environments is a disaster - the
equator on legacy environments rotates to become a longitudinal line but the
poles for mapping do not shift along with the equator. We have tried, but
could not work around the errors by adjusting the mapping, the reference
plane, making it new in 2005, etc etc (believe me, we tried). For what it
is worth, we have reported the bugs.

This brings us to my poll:
How many of you knew that there is a new spherical reflective environment
function in 2005? It is not in the what's new highlights for PWorks (which
is weird because it is a really significant improvement), and I think it is
pretty darn hard to find. What is REALLY nice is we don't have to manually
split the image anymore - it takes a single image and maps it to a sphere
for reflections.

Is this new function widely known? Can you find it and figure it out
quickly without help (though just knowing it exists is a huge leg up)? If I
am the only one who missed it, shame on me (bad Ed, bad Ed). But if it is
widely overlooked by folks that need it and if they have trouble getting it
to work, then SWx needs to know and correct that.

 

I think you speak for many of us!

I think Mark Biasotti could help enormously in this area. On the other hand,
I personally would rather see him spend his time on surfaces.


Jerry Steiger
Tripod Data Systems
"take the garbage out, dear"