Sitex Air (and other associated programs)

[Rodney]

I didn't get far in my initial look into this suite of applications.

Perhaps others may fair better.

 

http://www.sitexgraphics.com/html/air.html

 

AIR is an advanced 3D graphics renderer with a unique architecture and extensive features designed for the rapid production of high-quality images. AIR is a hybrid renderer, combining the advantages of scanline rendering - fast rendering of complex scenes, motion blur, and depth of field - with the flexibility of on-demand ray tracing for accurate reflections, soft shadows, global illumination, and caustics.

AIR supports a broad range of geometric primitives, including polygon meshes, trimmed NURBs, subdivision meshes, curves, particles, and implicit surfaces. All primitives are supported in their natural form; no pre-meshing is required. AIR also provides true (sub-pixel) displacement and high-dynamic range (HDR) input and output.

AIR offers the flexibility of fully programmable shading and procedural modeling. Users can extend the shading language by writing new functions in any programming language. User-written programs can also be used to generate models on-demand.

AIR employs tiled rendering with user-controllable tile order for efficient rendering of complex scenes. AIR is fully multithreaded on Windows and Linux. AIR also ships with Vortex, a distributed rendering manager that enables multiple machines to work on a single image.

AIR doesn’t tie you to a particular modeling or animation program. AIR can be run from a command prompt or used with any of the many compatible companions or plugins for popular 3D software. The Windows version of AIR includes the standalone AIR Space user interface for shading and lighting models.

AIR is used by designers, architects, free-lance 3D artists, and production companies around the world.

AIR is compatible with the RenderMan® standard for the description of 3D scenes. RenderMan® is a registered trademark of Pixar.

 

Note: I've bolded a few areas that piqued my interest for any number of reasons.

 

The primary difference between paid and free versions is reportedly texture/image size.

 

Note that Air itself (like Renderman) is command line driven but has applications/plugins associated with it that provide graphical user interfaces.

 

For WIndows and Linux. Sorry Mac users.

[detbear]

I think the obstacle for those using A:M is the "Age Old" question of how many hoops or bridges you have to jump over to go from A:M into the renderer.

 

There are problems that you have to overcome if your software does have a plugin for a specific render engine. For example: MAYA to Octane has a direct/ built plugin. But there are issues in the process. So if there is no direct plugin, the bridge process adds even more complexity.

 

This is an area that would benefit A:M, but just like Robcat and others have pointed out, it takes resources and time. I wish that it could be done. Renderers are so amazing now adays. And they are getting better by each passing month it seems. And yet, A:M has little access to any of it.

 

This is the hurdle that I wish could be solved. And yet I'm fully aware of why it may not happen.

 

But I don't think there's anything wrong with wishing and hoping......right?

[Rodney]

I wish that it could be done.

 

I'm a little more practical than that as wishing might get one oriented but tends to prevent movement in the desired direction*.

The primary point of posting these links is to provide a seed for those that might already be moving in a given direction.

Someone that works outside of A:M for instance may have insights into Sitex that I would never have because I don't have a greater interest in the outcome (at least not enough to motivate me to proceed further).

And conversely, someone who has already worked with Air might be able to fill in a few missing pieces if they ever find themselves working with A:M.

 

The bridging process is what we have to work with while we wait for underlying technologies to move closer together.

I don't expect a direct correlation to appear (because many incompatibilities exist) and am often amazed when one is discovered.

Regardless, it's important to occasionally survey the scene and determine what is actually there.

 

I get the sense that Sitex Air is older technology striving to be relevant, hence the release on Windows for free.

It's usage is mostly in commercials but it does have a hook into procedural modeling (and crowd simulation ala Massive) that captures my attention and because others have expressed interest in Renderman, Air's use of the RIB format is of peripheral interest to me as well.

 

 

*While we may offer up a token representation of our formal desire... a penny tossed into the wishing well.. wishing implies we have some expectation the object of interest will magically compel itself to move in our direction... and the sooner the better!

 

 

Added: I have an interest in external renderers but that is moderated by the fact that I know from experience that even given a direct link to 'modern' renderers it would not be long before that bridge was seen as insufficient as well. That doesn't mean such shouldn't be pursued but it does suggest there must be very good reason to justify the investment, especially where no one else is interested/willing/able to invest.

[detbear]

Agreed

[jalih]

I have been testing AIR and personally like it a lot. PTEX is working nicely but it is a bit picky about uv-maps when importing models into Air Space. Attached is my first rendering test. Fur of the gorilla is made with using just instancer shader type and no modelling is involved.

[Rodney]

Looking good Jali!

 

Keep testing!

[jalih]

I have done some more testing with Air...

[Rodney]

Interesting!

 

More information please.

[jalih]

Interesting!

 

More information please.

Water is simply made with ocean displacement shader and colored using ocean water shader. Reptile uses DarkTree shaders for skin and eyes. Scene uses physical sky environment shader and one additional light source.

 

I am still not satisfied with the background, it would need misty background with some fog to add more interesting and realistic look.