EMAIL: michaelsobers@mindspring.com
NAME: Michael Sobers
TOPIC: Pursuit / Escape
COPYRIGHT: I SUBMIT TO THE STANDARD RAYTRACING COMPETITION COPYRIGHT.
TITLE: First Response
COUNTRY: USA
DATE: January 15, 2001

RENDERER USED: POVRay 3.1g

TOOLS USED: I used Paint Shop Pro 3 and Corel Photo House 3 for image map manipulation.  
The only model I used that wasn't mine was the Rebel Pilot include file created by Howard Day.  
I have included it in my zip file.  I used Video Mach to compile the frames.

PROGRAMMING TIME: I stopped keeping track after 100 hours ...

RENDER TIME: 38 hours (a little over an hour of total parsing time)

HARDWARE USED: Pentium III / 450 mHz

VIEWING RECOMMENDATIONS: I've only viewed it with Windows Media Player - others should work.

ANIMATION DESCRIPTION:
  The Ka'Dell had been in power for as long as anyone could remember. Economic and political 
strength were on their side.  In recent years, however, that power had been waning, as the 
Ka'Dell forces had been stretched thin along the outer rim territories. Recently, a small 
band of Dentri rebels managed to salvage three Ka'Dell Scorpion fighters. The standard issue 
Scorpions were ill-equipped for the task at hand, but they were all the rebels had at their 
disposal.  Fortunately, the only remaining sensor post in the sector that the Ka'Dell had not 
abandoned was lightly defended by two only droid Scorpions. Dentri spies had reported that 
the post's main ion cannons were no longer functioning due to neglect.  Destroying the post 
would be the first step in returning freedom to this small, forgotten piece of the galaxy. 
The rebels needed only to make visual contact with the post, then begin their attack...    

DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS ANIMATION WAS CREATED:

The frames were created in POVRay, using the standard Windows animation support. First, I 
created grayscale image using a bozo image map.  Then, I edited it using PSP3, carving out 
the river and adding some high rock formations.  The grayscale image was used to create a 
height-field.  I decided that the area was too small, so I then mirrored the hf to give me 
more room to fly around. Later I decided to add water, which is just a box set at a certain 
height with my own recipe of bumps, color, and reflectivity to create the effect.  

I started out using Y-wing fighter models that I got off the web, but toward the middle of 
the project, I decided to design my own ships.  I used mostly blobs to build the ship up.  
After a friend of mine said the ships looked "cute" I changed the scaling and added some 
features to make them look a bit more aggressive.

The sensor hut, radar antennae, and cockpit are mostly CSG. I've added lots of little details 
that will probably never be noticed in this particular animation (like the little power 
indicator on the reverse of the anntennae that fluctuates with time), but hopefully they 
add to the overall effect.

The "outside" camera shots were all created in one "sitting" from the main animation file. 
The "cockpit" shots were created from a separate file and then inserted in the correct spots 
in the animation.  The scenes displayed on the monitors, both in the cockpit and in the hut, 
were also created separately and then mapped onto the monitor screens, advancing one frame for 
each scene frame rendered.  Once the frames were completed, I compiled them in VideoMach.

I apologize for the poor commenting of my code, but I ran out of time and didn't get to clean
it up the way I wanted to. If you can't figure out how or why I did something specific, I'll 
be happy to answer questions you have - just e-mail me.  I also didn't get a chance to really
polish the transitions between camera shots, so you can reserve your constructive criticism
for other areas of the animation (and I know that there are plenty of things that can be
improved - so please let me know your opinions!)

SPECIAL THANKS : I have to thank my wife for her indulgence in this time-consuming hobby of 
mine (she makes a cameo appearance in the final cockpit scene).  I would also like to thank 
all of my friends who gave input during the last few months (especially during the final 
days!)  Thanks also to the POVRay team for a wonderful product, and to Howard Day for the
use of his pilot model.  But most of all, I'd like to thank my Savior Jesus Christ for all 
of the joy and fulfillment he brings to my life.  
