Introduction
I had just started my programming journey into the digital world when TRON appeared in theaters in 1982. The movie inspired me to pursue my hobby and eventually my career in Computer Science.
Renderings
I have always had a love for 3D modeling. I assembled my first 3D modeling tool during my Sophomore year in college using C++, X11 Motif and Sun hardware. Several years ago I discovered POV-Ray, an open source ray-tracing program that uses a simple Scene Description Language to model primitives. Naturally, this fits well with the models in TRON so I spent a few hours render various TRON-world objects. The following is a lineup of light cycles.
The model for the Light Cycle, using only primitives, is based on work done by Carl N. Hoff. The model and scene code can be found here: https://github.com/jasonacox/lightcycle-povray
I used the iteration aspects of POV-Ray to produce a test animation sequence, and hopefully, a short film. The following is the first scene in my “Spectrum Run” short idea. In this sequence, I experimented with transparency, lighting, and an orbiting camera perspective.
I then played around with motion. In the following sequence, I propel the white Light Cycle toward a digital prism. Upon contact with this prism, the Light Cycle will refract into a spectrum of Light Cycles that begin a quest to color their once monochromatic world with user creativity.
It needs work. The transition is missing an expected inertia. A pull away, birds-eye-view might help tell the story.
Information about animation and sound: http://www.jasonacox.com/wordpress/?cat=11
Software
POV-Ray: http://www.povray.org/
Tron Fan Sites
