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by Redacted · in Artist Corner · 02/04/2007 (4:37 pm) · 100 replies
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#3
02/04/2007 (11:55 pm)
I don't mind the extra click and the pulldown menu. The better material and shape script improvements sounds really cool. Thanks.
#4
02/05/2007 (12:36 am)
Yeah, makeing the exporters look simpular will cut the learning cuve.
#5
@James Bond:
I might just be confused, but it sounds like you're asking for changes to the Max and possibly other exporters. Unfortunately, Joseph and I, along with others, are only working on the Blender to DTS exporter.
I do agree though, that all software should be as simple as is possible to use. Sometimes the tasks are complicated enough that its hard to make the software as simple as everyone desires.
Maybe one option, in regard to the Blender DTS exporter, would be to have the initial screen come up with some sort of a simple overview of the current project, some brief instructions and a big EXPORT button. Added to this, the exporter could save a hidden state variable that controls which panel is active, so that when the .blend file is saved and later opened, the exporter will return to the panel the user had active. Or maybe there's an option that allows the user to choose the default panel, i.e. the one that's active on start of the exporter (choose a specific panel or last panel used).
I bring these minor feature up, because about the only negative I can see with adding an overview panel is it would break the stream of work users are currently used to now. One of these features would allow the users to maintain the current work stream, while making the UI of the exporter a bit more palatable for new users.
02/05/2007 (1:42 pm)
Quote:Yeah, makeing the exporters look simpular will cut the learning cuve.
@James Bond:
I might just be confused, but it sounds like you're asking for changes to the Max and possibly other exporters. Unfortunately, Joseph and I, along with others, are only working on the Blender to DTS exporter.
I do agree though, that all software should be as simple as is possible to use. Sometimes the tasks are complicated enough that its hard to make the software as simple as everyone desires.
Maybe one option, in regard to the Blender DTS exporter, would be to have the initial screen come up with some sort of a simple overview of the current project, some brief instructions and a big EXPORT button. Added to this, the exporter could save a hidden state variable that controls which panel is active, so that when the .blend file is saved and later opened, the exporter will return to the panel the user had active. Or maybe there's an option that allows the user to choose the default panel, i.e. the one that's active on start of the exporter (choose a specific panel or last panel used).
I bring these minor feature up, because about the only negative I can see with adding an overview panel is it would break the stream of work users are currently used to now. One of these features would allow the users to maintain the current work stream, while making the UI of the exporter a bit more palatable for new users.
#7
02/06/2007 (5:18 pm)
I'm not sure how it's accomplished, but would it be a good idea to include an FPS for an action? I've designed a few actions on a character and opened it up in TSTP. It said the FPSs are 23.75, 26.32, 27.78, and 25.00. I didn't change any settings other than the actions (LocRot info). I'd like to keep them all the same, if possible.
#9
It'd be great if we could specify the duration, though.
02/06/2007 (8:11 pm)
Nah, I just get the ideas, you work the magic. =)It'd be great if we could specify the duration, though.
#11
02/07/2007 (6:18 pm)
Why shorten the frames control? Just add it below the Priority one. You can have "FPS: < 30 >" or something like that. 
#14
Just imagine if the Display control panel in Windows used a drop-down list instead of tabbed buttons - you'd be forever clicking on the list box in order to reveal the mystery categories, rather than just being able to scan across the tabs, find your category, and select it.
(You can also notice this sort of design in the blender interface - tabs in the button window and the button blocks are two good examples).
If you want to fit more categories in, i would suggest shrinking the size of each tab button, and if possible, use a second row (like if a category is associated with another). Another idea would be to use multiple drop-down lists in the place of tabs, if you have enough sub-categories for your main categories of actions (look to the garagegames website for an example).
And don't forget... keep it simple! :)
02/10/2007 (8:45 am)
Interesting ideas. However using a drop-down list for the active panel seems a bit backwards - in a lot of modern graphical interfaces, a drop-down list is used to select options, not categories of actions.Just imagine if the Display control panel in Windows used a drop-down list instead of tabbed buttons - you'd be forever clicking on the list box in order to reveal the mystery categories, rather than just being able to scan across the tabs, find your category, and select it.
(You can also notice this sort of design in the blender interface - tabs in the button window and the button blocks are two good examples).
If you want to fit more categories in, i would suggest shrinking the size of each tab button, and if possible, use a second row (like if a category is associated with another). Another idea would be to use multiple drop-down lists in the place of tabs, if you have enough sub-categories for your main categories of actions (look to the garagegames website for an example).
And don't forget... keep it simple! :)
#15
Back when i first made the exporter, the only logical option for extracting animation from blender was to select between Action's and extract the key frame IPO's. This worked, however as one knows, the only thing you can animate with actions is... well, armatures and vertex key's.
You should notice that i also added an option to extract visibility animation tracks from blender material's, which are associated with objects. The trouble is, it is a bit of a hack as the user needs to select a frame range in order to export the visibility key frames - not the nicest of workarounds.
Thankfully now, mostly due to improvements in the python api, one does not need to just limit the animation export to Action's. For a while, i have been thinking it would be better if the whole animation export methodology was revamped.
My basic idea is as follows:
* The user creates separate scenes for each animation they need (note that objects that need to be animated would be linked to duplicates in each scene).
* The scene animations are then associated with each required DTS sequence in the exporter GUI.
* When exporting, the exporter refers to a root scene to export the geometry.
** For non-animated (no IPO), non-skinned meshes, they are exported as-is.
** For animated, non-skinned meshes, they are exported along with a Node.
** For armatures, a tree of Nodes is inserted into the DTS.
** For skinned meshes, they are exported as well as associated with the appropriate Node's from the armature(s).
* When exporting animations, the exporter switches to each scene, in which:
** The frame range is defined by the Sta and End frame range.
** The frame rate is defined by the Frs/sec option.
** Any other options are presented in the exporter GUI.
** Each frame in the current scene is processed between the Sta and End range, in which:
*** All objects and armatures which are animated are processed, with loc,rot,scl values extracted and inserted into the sequence where necessary.
The good thing about this idea would be that the user would be able to use blender's NLA tool in order to create more complex animations. They would also be able to easily animate objects which are not attached to armatures - that of course includes Materials.
Sadly, i don't have the time to implement such an ambitious project. But still, i thought I'd just mention it in case anyone wants to have a go at it :)
02/10/2007 (9:21 am)
Now, regarding 1. Better material support, or more specifically, the animation side and beyond.Back when i first made the exporter, the only logical option for extracting animation from blender was to select between Action's and extract the key frame IPO's. This worked, however as one knows, the only thing you can animate with actions is... well, armatures and vertex key's.
You should notice that i also added an option to extract visibility animation tracks from blender material's, which are associated with objects. The trouble is, it is a bit of a hack as the user needs to select a frame range in order to export the visibility key frames - not the nicest of workarounds.
Thankfully now, mostly due to improvements in the python api, one does not need to just limit the animation export to Action's. For a while, i have been thinking it would be better if the whole animation export methodology was revamped.
My basic idea is as follows:
* The user creates separate scenes for each animation they need (note that objects that need to be animated would be linked to duplicates in each scene).
* The scene animations are then associated with each required DTS sequence in the exporter GUI.
* When exporting, the exporter refers to a root scene to export the geometry.
** For non-animated (no IPO), non-skinned meshes, they are exported as-is.
** For animated, non-skinned meshes, they are exported along with a Node.
** For armatures, a tree of Nodes is inserted into the DTS.
** For skinned meshes, they are exported as well as associated with the appropriate Node's from the armature(s).
* When exporting animations, the exporter switches to each scene, in which:
** The frame range is defined by the Sta and End frame range.
** The frame rate is defined by the Frs/sec option.
** Any other options are presented in the exporter GUI.
** Each frame in the current scene is processed between the Sta and End range, in which:
*** All objects and armatures which are animated are processed, with loc,rot,scl values extracted and inserted into the sequence where necessary.
The good thing about this idea would be that the user would be able to use blender's NLA tool in order to create more complex animations. They would also be able to easily animate objects which are not attached to armatures - that of course includes Materials.
Sadly, i don't have the time to implement such an ambitious project. But still, i thought I'd just mention it in case anyone wants to have a go at it :)
#16
02/10/2007 (9:40 am)
I still don't see why you can't add it below the Priority button. It just makes sense.
#18
(Pardon the crude drawing. My son is really hungry)
02/10/2007 (10:37 am)
There isn't room? Am I seeing something different then?(Pardon the crude drawing. My son is really hungry)
#20
02/11/2007 (4:53 am)
Yeah, I must have missed that. Sorry.
Torque 3D Owner James Bond