Welcome to test my implementation of shaded beams! It is my first mantra volumetric and first H12 plug-in.
You may use this code/plug-in absolutely free.
Project is placed here [code.google.com], you may build it with hcustom tool - no additional dependencies required.
Thank you!
Full Version: Shaded beam fx
That's cool - but what is it 
Are there any example images or movies that demonstrate what it exactly does?
Are there any example images or movies that demonstrate what it exactly does?
There are an article and movie, which describe and demostrate what is it.
In short - this is a mantra volumetric procedural, which may sample a set of 2-point segments and produce a volumetric, enveloping each segment. But you may inject a CVEX procedure, which may alter each segments appearance.
In short - this is a mantra volumetric procedural, which may sample a set of 2-point segments and produce a volumetric, enveloping each segment. But you may inject a CVEX procedure, which may alter each segments appearance.
Let's introduce next iteration of this fx mantra plug-in
1. changed amount of computed quantities - lowered to just 1, vector4 Bs
2. changed boundboxes computing scheme - each beam has enveloped with group of cubeshaped boxes
All these improvements significally reduced (by 5-10 times) rendering time and made this solution adequate for practical using. For example - 1Kx1K image of system of 100+ beams with noticeable thickness and sophisticated CVEX shader renders with micropolygonal renderer with ~1h15m user time (divided to 4 threads of my old Quadcore660 - ~20-22m). You may find a scene at download section and compare for yourself.
Thank you!
1. changed amount of computed quantities - lowered to just 1, vector4 Bs
2. changed boundboxes computing scheme - each beam has enveloped with group of cubeshaped boxes
All these improvements significally reduced (by 5-10 times) rendering time and made this solution adequate for practical using. For example - 1Kx1K image of system of 100+ beams with noticeable thickness and sophisticated CVEX shader renders with micropolygonal renderer with ~1h15m user time (divided to 4 threads of my old Quadcore660 - ~20-22m). You may find a scene at download section and compare for yourself.
Thank you!