On Mon, Jun 18, 2012 at 10:14 AM, Patrick Shirkey <pshir...@boosthardware.com> wrote: > > On Mon, June 18, 2012 9:47 am, Campbell Barton wrote: >> On Mon, Jun 18, 2012 at 9:38 AM, Patrick Shirkey >> <pshir...@boosthardware.com> wrote: >>> >>> On Mon, June 18, 2012 8:55 am, Campbell Barton wrote: >>>> @Patrick Shirkey, >>>> please don't request specific features on this thread - this has the >>>> effect of turning all planning threads into wish-lists which active >>>> devs tend to skip reading & not take so seriously. >>>> >>>> This is a developer list - if you want some specific engine or one >>>> feature back from 2.4x you can code it right? >>>> >>> >>> Of course. >>> >>>> >>>> What you _could_ suggest is an api for game engines to be more easily >>>> integrated - so adding engine support worked better (something Apricot >>>> project was supposed to resolve but didn't really). >>>> >>> >>> I was attempting to make the point that the whole process of exporting a >>> model with an active rig is not obvious. >> >> Could you explain what you mean by this? - for the developer or for the >> user? >> What should be changed/improved? >> > > >From a Developer perspective it seems to be a bit hard to program for the > exporter API when someone like Eihrul has troubles with getting the iqm > exporter to work cleanly. That suggests to me that the learning curve for > getting things right is a bit steep.
Exporting armatures is tricky - but I don't think the API has bad, more that we could use better docs, examples and possibly add some helper functions (get the bone relative rest/pose in different spaces - its a common problem that different formats expect this data in different spaces). Note that we already worked on this area docs/helpers api functions at least... but could do more. see: http://www.blender.org/documentation/blender_python_api_2_63_release/info_gotcha.html#editbones-posebones-bone-bones http://www.blender.org/documentation/blender_python_api_2_63_release/bpy.types.Bone.html#bpy.types.Bone.vector also x_axis, center, children_recursive ... are helpers to make the api easier to use. However I think converting between different rig representations is also inherently difficult - especially when the format has for example, bones that dont have a length - or the length moves along a different axis then in blender. > >From a users perspective it's really quite difficult to export a skinned > and rigged model correctly. So that suggests the interface is too complex > or abstract. Perhaps there needs to be a wizard that steps through the > process. > > >From an advanced user perspective I see no good reason apart from "no one > has had the time/money" that it is not possible to apply a set of standard > (preset) movements to any mesh (or mesh type). That would allow very quick > prototyping of potential models for game engines and virtual 3d > environments. > > arm, finger, leg, toe, head, eye, mouth > > These are rig configurations that are essential to exporting 3d models and > it seems like a glaring omission that Blender doesn't provide some sane > and well tested defaults which can be quickly applied by a normal user. If > they are already there then they are well hidden or abstracted. Have you used rigify? Sounds like this should do what you want. >> I used cube/iqm as an example but >>> I think it applies across the board. It seems to be an >>> interface/usability >>> issue. From my research it also seems that it is a low priority for >>> developers but I think it would be a very powerful project to have some >>> renewed focus on as blender could be used to spit out whole armies in >>> batch mode. In that regard I am more than willing to discuss some >>> possible >>> improvements but I am not sure that this list is the correct place to >>> discuss such interface issues. >>> >>> An API to integrate games engines more effectively is definitely a good >>> thing(tm). Perhaps they go hand in hand? >> _______________________________________________ >> Bf-committers mailing list >> Bf-committers@blender.org >> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers >> > > > -- > Patrick Shirkey > Boost Hardware Ltd > _______________________________________________ > Bf-committers mailing list > Bf-committers@blender.org > http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers -- - Campbell _______________________________________________ Bf-committers mailing list Bf-committers@blender.org http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers