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Getting Started
Begin by following the instructions for [Installing RenderToolbox3](Installing RenderToolbox3).
Once you have RenderToolbox3 installed successfully, a sensible next step is to look at some [Example Scenes](Example Scene Descriptions). These contain Collada parent scenes modeled in Blender, and other RenderToolbox3 files including the conditions file, mappings file, and executive scripts. These files make up recipes that produce renderings and should give you an idea of how RenderToolbox3 works.
You can also get started with Blender itself, the modeling application of choice for RenderToolbox3. (And indeed, the only modeling application that we have tested with.)
If you have questions, you can try searching the RenderToolbox3 discussion forum.
There are some example scenes in the RenderToolbox3 ExampleScenes/ folder. These in particular should be good introductions to RenderToolbox3:
- CoordinatesTest is test pattern for verifying spatial transformations and coordinate system agreement. It contains 6 unique shapes, aligned with the coordinate axes. It renders as a plain Collada scene, without any conditions of mappings.
- CubanSphere contains a cube and a sphere (the name is a silly pun on the shape names). The cube and sphere use plastic material. The camera position and sphere color change with each condition.
- Dragon contains model of a dragon, sitting in the corner of a room (this is the scene on the Overview page). There are 3 different scripts for rendering the scene in 3 different ways: a plain old dragon, dragons that vary by material, and dragons that vary by color.
- MaterialSphere contains a sphere and a point light. It renders with the three RenderToolbox3 generic materials: matte, ward, and metal.
Two of these example scenes are annotated here on the RenderToolbox3 wiki. Check out the MaterialSphere Example Scene and the ColorChecker Dragon Example Scene.
To create your own scenes, you must model the camera, lights, shapes, and materials in a modeling application. We have tested RenderToolbox3 with the modeler Blender. The site Blender Cookie has some helpful Getting Started videos.
The videos that are most relevant to RenderToolbox3 are:
- Download and Install
- Interface and Navigation
- Modeling is how you create 3D objects.
- Materials give 3D objects their reflectance properties. You must define materials in Blender, then RenderToolbox3 can modify them.
- Lighting illuminate the scene. You must define lights in Blender, then RenderToolbox3 can modify them.
When you have a scene you like, you must export it to a Collada scene file. In Blender do File -> Export -> COLLADA (.dae).