Apparently, from what I have read, Pov-Ray in some sense is considered the original free render engine at one point, because at one point is was one of the only options out there if you wanted to create 3D images without spending a dime.
Take a look at the long list of changes the new version brings, this to me is a pleasant surprise because I almost would’ve thought it became a dead project years ago.
http://www.povray.org/download/revision.txt
Now while it does seem like a nice fact that this project is still alive, I am left to wonder. When you consider the fact that there are now a number of other comprehensive free render engines that may or may be part of 3D software (Cycles, Yafaray, Luxrender, and BI), you’re left to ask, can Pov-Ray get back into the rendering game (as a competitive solution) or is it too late for it to reinvent itself to where it’s not left as a product of a bygone era?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not at all suggesting that Pov-Ray should be abandoned as a project, but its website for example is incredibly outdated and some parts like its change log reads like a laundry-list of points written in a highschool journal, they also seem to be heading down the GPL software route when other free engines are switching to more permissive licenses (the license for Cycles has already changed and there’s some hints that Luxrender may be re-licensed in the future as well).
So, what are your thoughts as to the future of Pov-Ray and its potential as render software, I personally think that its code nature definitely gives it a market for procedural image generation so there’s potential there, but what about the rest of the industry, how likely are they to getting back into the game?