The developer, farsthary, writes:
I've being coding some real volumetrics for Blender, a Raycaster volumetrics, for any object interior media, still the raycaster are in early stages so dont expect it to soon.
In fact I have progress slowly, because in a day I have to do many more things and I could not be a full time coder, and also I am very new to this matter. But after all, I am very happy because I could mix my two passions: 3D and coding, I guess this is my little Cuban dream.
…[The volumetrics] are not only for procedurals volumetrics, but also for scientific visualization (volumetrics from files and datasets).
Volumetrics could have any interior textures, from the material stack and from the shader tree.
Here are some render testings. NOTE: everything is a simple cube [or sphere], no other geometry!!
The following media is ordered from the earliest to the latest development stage (as of this writing). Image details are provided in the tooltip of each image.
Gotta love this guy. Not only is he a genius, but humble as well. Maybe we could start some form of donation fund to help him out financially while he is working hard on this?
Yea He should make donate option just like Genrisch(cloth developer). Volumetric will be a really cool thing in blender. It really helps with doing smokes, fire, clouds etc… Anyway nice Job!
Just amazing!
Increideble work, hope this comes sooner than later!!
Keep it up!
I agreed with Drax.
Yeah, this guy is really outstanding and I also hope that he will be awarded! And I'm also ready to donate him something, maybe can BO organize something in that direction!?
Nice thing. Suppose it's too late for a GSOC entry though. :(
Really interesting case!!!
Its difficult to donate to him because he's in Cuba IIRC ]=
That's still the big thing wich miss in Blender! GREAT!!!
Go CUBA !!!
Shame there's no way of rewarding him. What about items ? Anything he can use or sell ?
Amazing images, great new feature !!
this is incredible!!!
I think Blendernation.com should host the donation if possible. After that money can be sent to Cub via Western Union or http://www.transcardinter.com. Read more here:
http://www.webhavana.com/main.php?lang=en&page=travelinfo.php
I think this is a great project, something everybody has been waiting for years.
Go farsthary!
Heh, that's awesome!
mav > That's a real awesome idea. Donate threw blendernation would be more securising for donaters, and better for greetings developpers and help their great projects.
Rendering are superb, It look that fake fire / cloud and smoke will be an old sport soon in Blender.
Another dream coming true! This opens the floodgates of action-oriented animation!
@mav: I totally agree, I am ready to support him!!! :)
@farsthary: keep up the good work!
cool!! cool!! I can't belive……..
the day has finally come!
thanks thanks thanks farsthary!
Blender for PERSIDENT!!!!
Blender for PRESIDENT!!!!
This looks fantastic, really looking forward to this.
Yeah, great! This is a major feature for blender. Can someone set up a swiss or american bank account for him? When he leaves cuba some time in the future, he could make use of the money.
Great job! Although I don't really understand what volumentrics are. Could someone explain?
Oh…man thats sooooo Cool!!!!
really looking forward to this farsthary.
Yeah….Blender Rocks!
Cuba? But isn't it illegal for "normal" people to own computers in Cuba? Anyways, I'll be glad to donate money to this guy for sure (if possible).
Fire and smoke and fog, according to him, are just one aspect of this project. Seems to me that he meant for MRI scans and such too.
Great stuff! I'm really happy you have shared this so far and I wish you the best of luck, this looks amazing!
I also am very happy to contribute funds to farsthary's cause if such a thing can be set up =)
check out this big render, its awesome!!!
http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crazyvoronoi2ue7.jpg
So cool…. pyrosever wants to play with this
There are a couple of youtube videos in the article, but youtube appears to be down at the moment.
This is truley beautiful! Thankyou for all your hard work.
@ Olaf
A very general overview of volumetic rendering is basically taking slices of data, like an image sequence, creating a point cloud out of them. Then filtering in some form or another to only show the surface you want. From what I know of it, the operation is normally done on a GPU. As another practical example data slices using mri scan of a rock sample to show the distribution of desirable minerals in the rock formation.
Nice job! very nice job!
@WesterTo
Since friday there are officially allowed private pcs in Cuba. They cost US$ 800, which is quite a lot, becaus an average Cuban has an income of about US$ 20 per month.
@carlinhos
Thanks for the info. So farsthary most likely doesn't even have a computer himself? Dude, we should really buy him the fastest monster available. Such a bright guy shouldn't waste his talents.
Can't wait to make some cheese or ice cubes with it xD
Wow… this is definitely a great tool and asset! I will be very glad to be able to use it's power when it's finished. Thank you, farsthary! Thank! Thank!
Ready to donate. Thanks.
AHHHHHHHH!!!!! HOLY CRAP!
Wow truly amazing. As many other have stated i am ready to donate as well. Thanks
This going to put blender in the Universal map !!!
maybe someone already mentioned it.. but this should be a google SOC project =) would make progress faster
i just don't know if whe is still a student
Hey this is looking awesome! Good luck with the rest!!
I am still at the point of being amazed over the (Dynamic) Hair/Fur-particles implant…can't 'true-volumentrics' wait? :)
sooo… if i donate twenty bucks to this guy, i'm giving him about a month of his usual salary? sweet! that's some cheap supporting :P
Blender est mort , VIVE BLENDER…
It's just fantastic, absolut merveillous
YES!!! I've always thought volumetric materials was the main thing that differentiated blender from the rest. Whenever you watched a video made with blender that had smoke or fire in it, no matter how great the animation, lighting, or anything was, the crappy looking smoke/fire really took you out of the illusion. But now that'll be a thing of the past.
Damm! really cool stuff!
Ready to donate. Thanks!
This is fantastic news. Way to go Farsthary!
I'd donate $20!
great work mate, its really nice, but its not really volumetrics as i understand, the volumetrics that blender needs is atmospheric and particle, this method depends on geometry, but still a great addition :) keep up the good work :)
OMG!! YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!
–
Kevin
Fantastic! I've had to fake this effect several times before, which turned out ok, but this will be a great feature. Blender had a big place in my heart back when it was closed, too, but ever since its opening, these great surprises just keep pouring in! Viva Free software, and viva the great work of oh-so-many smart people like this guy!
@mfoxdogg: but you can use duplis on particles with Icosphere's, no? :)
YES!!! Volumetrics!
They should start selling autographs of blender role-models at the blender institute… IF SO
This guy's autograph would probably be in high demand!
the tests look like works of art!
this would probably be nice for people who want to make animations where half the camera is in the water and the other half is above water. Instead of messing with the fog now you could just add a cube with volumetric coloring! I hope the development is near completion…
–Good Luck–
YES!!! Let's give this humble genius a boatload of cash to help him out! Where's the donate button?! :D
What about a donate button at blendernation to help this genius finishing this fantastic and important feature as fast as possible?
Would like to see it in Blender 2.47 ;)
…..Damn i love that!!!!Would be really nice 2 see this in the upcoming Blender Versions!!!
THXXXXXX 2 farsthary
*born anew*
thank you…
Wow! Speechless!
realy nice , been missing volumetrics since i left bryce.
As for suport I think it would be fastest and easiest If he opens a paypal acount and put a donate button at his website. keep up the good work. Donation through blender org would be cool too, it might be a good incentive for other coders to start coding for blender.
They should put up a top hundred list with most wanted features with each feature having its own donation button, the coder (or coder group) that finishes that feature first will get the money.
Insanity. This is so brilliant… I love it. I would be happy to help with donations.
DELIGHT! INTRIGUE! HARMONY! BEAUTY! I ADORE IT!
Give this guy an intern ship @ Blender in Amsterdam!
Hola Brother, te escribo en espanol, como en clave! ERES CUBANO???? WAO, me tienes que haber estado leyendo el pensamiento, blender nececita volumetricos ya! y creo que con eso se ganaria el premio al mejor software 3D del mundo. Una pregunta, estas en Cuba? Mira mi correo es VDMpeniel@yahoo.es escribeme please, yo vivo en las vegas, soy cristiano y estoy en proyecto de comenzar a producir movies 3d, si te interesa, aqui estamos…(quiero aprender a programar tambien)..entre otras cosas tambien esas son mis pasiones 3D y Coding…. Felicitaciones Te la comiste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Victor D
Wow… lots of progress already for something that is supposedly a work in progress.
Bart Robinson
VFX Supervisor
Dynavision|FX
Wow, these images look great. This will allow great explosions, clouds, etc.
NathanKP - Inkweaver Review
Thanks to all!!!!!
WOW! I was in shock wen I check my development in Blendernation.
when I finish the core part of volumetrics (that I have shown by now as interior media) I will extend it to particle/atmosferic volumetrics, datasets volumetrics etc, that part, once finished the core sould be relatively easy, as long as I only will have to know the blender arquitecture, not to recode the volumetrics, so for atmospheric effects you should wait a bit longer (also working on interior media will give me more knowledge on blender inners)
For extending volumetrics I should work also in colaboration with the devs of other areas to.
About donating… Thank again but I could not have any Paypal account and GSOC are forbidden to me (I live in Cuba), but the best support you could give me now are all of your confidence, that I will try to fufill (But that implies a big responsability I dont want to dissapoint all of you)
This is pretty cool, I always listed 'true' volumetrics as a 'needed' for blender to battle the big boys (even though it ALREADY DOES!) the code for this must be insane congrats and i hope the higher ups in blender know about this~ i cant wait to do actual water~ *drools*
Put that message in Blenderstorm, and in one week we will have one more champion in requests.
Brother, sin problema ninguno, de donde rayos saliste???? Eres un genio… un desgraciado genio(afortunado mas bien, y nosotros contigo).eso que tienes ahi, son las imagenes ms bellas y prometedoras(prometen un blender en el primer lugar entre el CG Pro) y no se quien seras, que edad tengas, pero si eres como el 99.9 porciento de los cubanos, quieres salir de tu amada tierra, para tener libertad… esta es tu oportunidad… no la pierdas… te veo dando unas conferiencillas en el Blender Institute, recibiendo la honra que mereces y luego dandote una gira de vuelta para aca… De verdad me enorgullece alguien como tu, sacando la cara por la tierra… Oye, te recomiendo que no te niegues a recibir ayuda… yo mismo en cuanto pueda de seguro querria hacerlo… permitele a la gent ser todo lo cooperativa qu quiera ser, te haces un favor a ti y un no menos grande a ellos… todos quieren ser parte de este proyecto, y como comprenderas, en especial del tuyo… En realidad te hablo en espanol porque una vz aqui se siete bien la tierra… creeme.. Hace poco que sali de alla, estudiaba en el ISDI, me faltaba un mes para graduarme… Mi hermano para lo que quieras aqui estoy no lo dudes… VDMpeniel@yahoo.es
Victor Diaz medina, 5069 E. Durante St, Las Vegas, NV
Zipcode:89119
Phone:702 573 6828
socialsecurity: na es jugando!
HEY FOLKS, I 'M SORRY BECAUSE OF THIS SPANISH BUT THIS GUY NEED SPECIAL ATTENTION, I'M FROM CUBA AND I KNOW WHAT KIND OF SACRIFICE HE 'D BE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY WITH THIS AMAZING JOB… HE NEED ALL OUR HELP!!!!!!!!!! ABOUT DONATIONS, PLEASE, FORGET ABOUT BANKS… IF YOU ARE OUT USA, NOT PROBLEM, YOU CAN USE ANY WAY, IF YOU ARE IN USA, YOU CAN BE SURE, THERE IS SOME CUBAN OVER THERE, WHO CAN DO IT FOR YOU, JUST ASKSOME CUBAN THEY KNOW.. THIS IS ONLY AN ADVICE…. YOU KNOW! GOD BLESS YOU ALL MY DEAR FRIENDS… GO AHEAD FOR BLENDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great stuff :)
The blender developers shows just how good a open source community can be :)
OK - That is actually pretty darn cool! I was getting so impatient waiting for this feature, I thought about coding it myself - but this guy is doing an AWESOME job of it! Those kinda images don't just happen by themselves! That's some good, robust, solid coding - especially integrated with AO, reflections and the likes! Raycasting also happens to be a very nice choice! I can't wait to fiddle with this, and I'm pretty sure someone could code some smoke or fire simulation that takes advantage of this using python even!! :P
Keep it up mate! =] That's some impressive work! :) Does it take into account scattering through the participating media? There are some pretty cool papers out there on allowing the scattering properties to be volumetric too (non-homogeneous) - like in marble, or certain types of crystal for instance! I think the reasonably recent Eikonal rendering paper had something on it, but equally other papers probably better suited to your method! I guess if it's your thesis though, it could have almost anything, it certainly looks very nice in any case! :) Keep it up! =]
So wots up with starting a donation program thingie for all the hard working coders who bring us cool new features????
great!
simply I wonder why anyone hasn't started to coding this before. The lack of volumetric materials is one of the first things that have "deceived" me about Blender, after years using apparently crappy apps like bryce 3D that did this without problems, apparently too.
I think a feature like this is more important than most improvements in Blender in the last years and that i'm not able to find so useful. Hope no offend anyone, probably is just my ignorance.
Raimon
my hero!
just adding to the number of feedback :))
blender has just dazzled me with ATLAST! moments so many times now during the last 2 years I know I'll never be able to be happy and ignorant in the comfort of my package of used-to-ness again.
I wish I wasn't broke so I could donate to help keep this work continue to fighter-jet-crash-plowing new ground!