RTG for Imagine?

[Ral-Clan]

I am learning Imagine 5 on Amiga.  I read somewhere that Imagine can be made to work under RTG screenmodes - i.e. the render output and maybe even the layout screens.

Does anyone know if it's possible to do this, and if so, how?  I find the workflow (with all the ditors) and layout a little "different" than most other 3d modelling applications for the Amiga.

[Ral-Clan]

As far as I can remember:

The CGFX version allows Imagine to open its screen on a RTG (see the first half of the preferences screen). Although it offers the ability to display the textures rendered in 24 bits, it has the disadvantage of losing the screen refreshes.

 The preview still works in grayscale. Preview in 16 million colors is possible, but via a file to be displayed. ARexx is responsible for these jobs and errors excepted, Aminet has these scripts.

NB: Just in case, sorry for my english, it is not my everyday language.

Hmmm...I didn't realise there was a seperate CGFX version - I wonder which version I have, or how I can even tell....?

I can't find the Preferences screen.  That may sound ridiculous, but it doesn't seem to be in a very "obvious" location - as far as I can recall.  But I will look for it again.

I do have fairly decent knowledge of Lightwave and Alladin4d.  I just find Imagine a little hard to get a grip on - I'm sure once I get it, it will seem obvious in retrospect.

[Ral-Clan]

Okay, I've found the preferences screen, but it's unlike any other Amiga preferences screen I've seen.  For instance, you cannot select standard Amiga screenmodes the way one would normally in any other intuition type screenmode selection window....it gives you a whole bunch of three character "screenmodes" you can choose from and assembles difference preferences in a text string at the bottom.  Which you can then save.  It's very different.

I really don't understand how it is intended to work.  I'll experiment and see what I can discover.

[Ral-Clan]

Thanks.

I am running version 5, but not sure what sub-version (i.e. 5.19?).  I will check.
in the preferences screen I am given the choice of ECS or AGA screenmodes but no RTG modes.

I will investigate more.  

The output I've seen from Imagine looks like very good quality.  It would be a pity if I cannot get it to run in RTG mode.

[Ral-Clan]

The support of CGFX starts a/c of Imagine v5.1.

 There are two ways to configure it:
 Via its Preferences screen or,
 Via a text editor (the config file is in ASCII format).

 In both cases, it is necessary to change the following options:

SMOD 0 or 1 or 2 or 3 (line 55, 0 = 640 1 = 800, 2 = 3 = 1024 and 1280)
 USCG T                        (line 101)
 ASPX 1.000                 (line 103)
 ASPY 1.000                 (line 104)

 NB: This allows you to work on a screen CGFX
 but viewing or previewing images will always be made ​​by the Amiga or graphics cards directly supported by Imagine (Firecracker, OpalVision or Retina).

Thanks, I never would have known those settings without help.

So it seems only the editor screens are retargetable.  But the output (render) screen will be limited to native chipset modes?

When you say "a screen CGFX" do you mean it can ONLY run under Cybergrahpix software, or will it also run under Picasso96?

[Ral-Clan]

Thanks everyone!  This thread has been very informative.  I've actually already been ploughing through "Understanding Imagine 2.0" (pdf) for the past few months.  I found it on an Amiga manuals website.

http://www.bombjack.org/commodore/amiga-books.htm

[Ral-Clan]

Thanks guys!  I examined my installation of Imagine and discovered I was using version 5.1.

I installed 5.19 and I was able to get the RTG screens.

It may seem like a small version increment, but there are a lot of improvements.  Quickrender and full Render show up in RTG mode (Quickrender in Multiview)!

I'm not quite sure HOW it is working as I don't fully understand how the preferences in Imagine work.  I noticed that the flag for the Retina card was "T" (TRUE).

Initially, the resolution was too high, and there were four settings.  I chose setting "2" which gave me a 1024 (vertical?) line screen resolution.  Nice.

But I'm wondering if there is any way to get Imagine to use the 16:9 ratio screenmode I have my Workbench set to.

Also - is there any way to get Imagine to render to a 16:9 ratio bitmap image?  Most anything produced for movies/TV/video, etc. is in that format these days and it would be most useful to be able to render animations in that format.  Lightwave and Aladdin4d can do it.

[Ral-Clan]

Merci Beaucoup, VCXM.

Je comprende, completement.

I hope I got that right.  I believe you are French.  I thank your for your effort in entering the complicated instructions in English.  

I'm sure that Imagine's preferences are sensible, but from a learner's perspective I don't think they could have made it any more obtuse (with all the four letter codes).

I will try your instructions when I am home this weekend.

(PS, If it's easier for you to type the complicated instructions in French, I can read French OK - with a bit of effort).