RTG for Imagine?

[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.

[vxm]

"I noticed that the flag for the Retina card Was" T "(TRUE)."
 
About graphics cards
 USFC  FALSE; FireCracker
 OPAL  FALSE; Opal
 RTNA  FALSE; Retina
 REMU FALSE

 If multiview is not desired:
 DQRV path/viewer; Default Quick Render Viewer
 DPIV     path/viewer; Default Picture Viewer
 DANV   path/player; Default Animation Viewer


 "I choose setting "2" which gave me a 1024 (vertical?) line screen resolution."

 (Horizontal x Vertical)
 "0"    640x480
 "1"    800x600
 "2"  1024x780
 "3"  1280x600


 "But I'm wondering if there is any way to get Imagine to use the 16:9 ratio screenmode"

 I do not know and this may require changing the binary with a hex editor.


 "Also - is there any way to get Imagine to render to a 16:9 ratio bitmap image?"

 Yes:

 In the directory Projects of Imagine, create a new directory with a name completed by the extension ". Imp" (eg Test.imp).

 In this new directory, create a new directory with a name completed by the the extension ". Pix" (eg Pics.pix).

 Preferences screen, select the button "Rendering Presets".
 Pick the last line "New..".
 At the bottom of this screen:
 
 First field, enter the preset name,
 Second field, the width
 Third, the height

 For example, the display format for a digital video 16/9 anamorphic:
 Name: Anamorphic
 Width: 1024
 Height: 576
 xaspect: 1
 yaspect: 1

 Viewmodes is only useful if you want to display via the Amiga graphics chipset.

 On the Project screen:
 
"menu Project/New" and select the project directory (eg Test.imp)
Pick "New", a window appears:
 Pick "Preset ..." button then select the preset previously created (eg Anamorphic).
 And finally, "Ok".

 Here you should be ready.

PS: I hope that what I answered looks like English because it was long, very long for me.

[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).

[mbrantley]

vxm, that's good stuff -- a very helpful post.

As far as the program being obtuse with things like preferences, remember how old it is. This program (or Turbo Silver) was one of the granddaddies of 3D programs. This stuff was really in its infancy. Seems like Videoscape not much earlier required you to figure things out on graph paper before entering coordinates into the software!

[vxm]

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).

There is no need to thank me because it is true that Imagine can seem daunting at first glance, but it has its advantages and disadvantages as any other software.
 
It's not really a good idea to use any other language than English because discussions must be understandable to a maximum of internationals readers.
 
NB: Finally, I have found the reference manual of Imagine (PDF). I am continuing my research in my hard disks. I am nearly sure to find the latest version.

[vxm]

vxm, that's good stuff -- a very helpful post.

As far as the program being obtuse with things like preferences, remember how old it is. This program (or Turbo Silver) was one of the granddaddies of 3D programs. This stuff was really in its infancy. Seems like Videoscape not much earlier required you to figure things out on graph paper before entering coordinates into the software!

I have not really played with Videoscape. From memory, I think it is historically linked to Lightwave. I have used SA4D and 3DPro. The first, for the modeling and the last, for its possibilities. About TurboReal, he had my preference.

[mbrantley]

I have not really played with Videoscape. From memory, I think it is historically linked to Lightwave.

Yes, you are right. I went digging through some old Amiga programs and found Videoscape and see it was written by Allen Hastings of LightWave Layout fame. And the old Modeler 3D was by Stuart Ferguson, who gave us LightWave Modeler.

I ran Videoscape for kicks and that sure was a blast from the past. But not as useful still as Imagine and the old Amiga Lightwave can be, that's for sure.

This old stuff is fun. :-)

[vxm]

I think that evaluate the first softwares through the eyes of today needs to relativize somewhat.

 Many students have helped to the democratization of the 3D which was just beginning. The contribution of the Amiga was mainly its HAM display mode.