Render the Scene
All this time, and no eye candy yet! Finally, we are there! But first some setup.
Required Files
You must have the POV-Ray application naturally. It is a free download. You also must have Anton's parts library! The converted file just calls Anton's macros for his parts. The converted file does not actually contain any of the part definitions. Just macro calls that place parts. So you need to download the the library files and make sure they are in the same directory as the other macro files, or in a "library" or "include" directory that the POV-Ray application knows about. To make it easy, just place all the files in the same folder.
The 2 files from the Library that must be in the same directory as the other files are:
library_500.lib material_510.lib
Just as long as all files are in the same directory, things will work.
Subset Frames
Subset Frames
Finally, you want to change the file "fj_holden.ini" one more time. Change the values:
Subset_End_Frame=-1
Subset_Start_Frame=-1
to
Subset_End_Frame=1
Subset_Start_Frame=30
We did not make this change when we set up the scene (previous step) because this is a render setting. This setting determines what frames will be rendered. For example, if you only wanted to see the last frame of the animation, you would change the values to:
Subset_End_Frame=30
Subset_Start_Frame=30
You don't change any of these values to render only frame 30:
Final_Clock
Initial_Clock
Final_Frame
Initial_Frame
If you changed any of those values, you would change the clock, and you don't usually want to do that.
Render!
You want to render the file "fj_holden.ini". Each platform is different, so I'm not going to try to explain them here. Use the POV-Ray documentation to learn how to render the file. Personally, I use a command line version complied from the source code and this is the syntax I use
./path/to/povray fj_holden.ini
That is all I know. I have no idea how to use the GUI versions, so you'll have to figure that out yourself.
And there are also multiple ways to make the resultant images into a movie. I use QuickTime Pro to open an "Image Sequence". But QuickTime Pro costs money. And there are other ways to make movies. LDraw.org has some animation tutorials that you should check out if you need help doing this step.
I'm going to assume you have figured this all out and keep going.
There is only one more thing to discuss before showing the final results.
High Quality Renders
When you have your animation all ready and you want to a high quality render, open the file "fj_holden.pov" and change the line:
#declare setting = 2;
To:
#declare setting = 4;
Then open the file "fj_holden.ini" and change the lines:
Antialias=Off
.
.
.
Radiosity=Off
To:
Antialias=On
.
.
.
Radiosity=On
Warning! This will increase the render time dramatically! But the results will be worth it! You may want to get someone else (or multiple people) to help you render it if you have a lot of frames or if you only have access to a slow computer. There are so many fast computers in the world, having a slow one is no excuse for not making animations anymore.
You can also change the image size in the file "fj_holden.ini" by editing the values for "Height" and "Width". For example, HDTV is 1920 by 1080, a 16/9 ratio. Anton's converted files are always set up fro 16/9 ratio. If you want to stick with that ratio, you must use a 16/9 ratio for Height and Width or your image will be deformed. If you want a 4/3 ratio, then you also must edit the file "fj_holden.pov" and change the line:
right hdtv*x
To
right computer*x
Then you can change the Height and Width to a 4/3 ratio in the file "fj_holden.ini".
We are done!
Download the files
Download project files (this includes the tutorial files and the polished scene below). Compare them with what you came up with if you are having trouble.
Polished Scene
I went ahead and made a more complicated scene. In this scene, I added a minifig to drive the car. I also added keyframes, so the car slows to a stop, the minifig waves, then the car takes off.