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Link Editor Does the "Average" user need it?
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Link Editor Does the "Average" user need it? // New Users
Post by Steinie // Feb 8, 2006, 2:38am
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Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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I know that LE has huge value for alot of users for TS7. I render stills with no intent of doing Animation (short term) and do not plan on writing scripts. LE is great for the inner workings of everything TS but for the average person like me...
Do I NEED the LE panel visible for any of my work? |
Post by Bobbins // Feb 8, 2006, 3:50am
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Bobbins
Total Posts: 506
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You probably don't need the LE a lot of the time if you are just going to run tS7 like tS6, so you can close it. There's always the option of opening it again if you do need it, such as there is now no 'Glue as Sibling' so you'd need the LE to perform the replacement 'encapsulate' function, plus the LE is often a fast way to select objects in a scene.
Ignoring what you can do in the LE is a shame though because it will mean turning away from one of the main reasons for buying tS7 in the first place and not just sticking with tS6.x The LE is a tool that is there to be learned and made to work for you so I would urge you to look into what it can be made to do. |
Post by Steinie // Feb 8, 2006, 12:45pm
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Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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That was a great reply and I will look closer at the benefits of the Link Editor. |
Post by Naes3d // Feb 10, 2006, 1:13am
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Naes3d
Total Posts: 0
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Without trying to be disrespectul, I don't really think that answers the question.
While I know that isn't what you mean, what you typed basically is tantamount to saying that without the LE you might as well have tS 6.6.
I think a better way to answer the question would be to offer an example as to how the LE wouldd help out the pure modeller. |
Post by Bobbins // Feb 10, 2006, 1:24am
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Bobbins
Total Posts: 506
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I believe I fully answered the question as asked. Even the person who asked the question agreed with that. What I typed is not tantamount to saying that without the LE you might as well have tS6.6.
I also provided two examples of what the LE can do for a modeller - encapsulation and quick object selection. That's not bad for a tool that is not primarily designed for a pure modeller's purpose. |
Post by TomG // Feb 10, 2006, 5:52am
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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Hmm examples huh? Repeating some of what was said
1. Active objects that have controls to adjust without modeling
There is the "Tank Girl after 20 years" object - this has a slider on its interface in the LE that moves the vertices along their normals, so it scales the object but not in the regular scale tool manner, more like gaining / losing weight than just getting bigger or smaller.
You can create similar controls for objects that you might use a lot - shrubs or people in a crowd, so you can position them, tweak the slider to make them unique, and you're done. If you don't want to create controls yourself, I am sure there will be plenty of objects made that do have them, giving you as a modeler instant changes.
2. Maintaining your scene
Instant access to objects, often replacing the KFE as a selection tool. Arrange everything in 2D rather than just a 1D list, that can help with finding things.
3. Changing an object's properties
Often times replacing the object properties dialog. Change size, rotation, position etc.
4. New creation tools
Some examples are in there, like a Make Tree and Make Crystal. These generate objects, and are scripts - you control their parameters and set them running using the LE, to generate objects for use in your scene. Here the LE is kind of a universal location for tools that have a larger interface than just a button click to run them.
Another example is the poly reduction tool, which is dynamic. You apply poly reduction, and you get a new object with a slider - move the slider to change how much poly reduction is being done. This is unlike previous tS6.6 tool, where you applied it, and you got a static set object with that level of poly reduction - want to change it? You had to go back and start with the original object and apply the tool again. Not now, you can just adjust it dynamically in the LE.
Those jump to my mind as possible uses that the average user will find VERY interesting :)
HTH!
Tom |
Post by Naes3d // Feb 10, 2006, 7:07am
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Naes3d
Total Posts: 0
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I promised myself I would try not to be as argumentative as I have been in the past, but for the record
"You probably don't need the LE a lot of the time if you are just going to run tS7 like tS6, so you can close it."
The content of that sentence says without the LE you are running tS6.x. I know that contextually that is not what you meant. I said that.
Tom's answer did point to a number of things that a modeller would be interested in. Bobbins respones simply convinced Steinie to explore it further.
Steinie has tS7 and he still felt compelled to ask the question. He had the benefit of being able to RTM, I only have answers to questions like these to judge.
Again, sorry to be argumentative, but that question is something I have been thinking about too so I was interested in the answer. So thanks Tom, I have a different perspective on the LE. |
Post by tomasb // Feb 10, 2006, 7:17am
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tomasb
Total Posts: 261
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In 3ds max you would probably not ask if you need modifiers stack... what you see in LE is something very similar, but much more general...
But as there are not many modeling tools that actualy use LE (modeler does not..), currently it is not that useful as modifiers stack in Max. This will however significantly change in the future when all tools will be added to Player. |
Post by Naes3d // Feb 10, 2006, 8:09am
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Naes3d
Total Posts: 0
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Ok, now it's a whole new ballgame. I am not so familiar with Max, but I think I get the idea of modifier stacks. I can see how the LE would be more relevant to the 3D modeler.
I understand that the LE is powerful, I got that part. But up until now I really didn't get that the LE wasn't just for programming . At least I think.
To make a comparison, some say the Pen Tool is one of the more under utilized tools in the application. The Pen tools make a lot of image edits easier. My original thought was that the LE made modelling more complex (because you basically have to create your own tools). Maybe that isn't the case.
Okay, I don't see the LE as a pure programmers toy anymore. |
Post by stan // Feb 10, 2006, 12:05pm
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stan
Total Posts: 1240
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thanks Tomasb, ..glad to here that from one of you guys....
Naes3d the LE is more complex for artists, but hopefully it will become very useful and powerful for artists too....
as it is I've been searching the LE and stack to find a prameters panel for the new sweep tools, to no avail..is there one?..
the script tools for building nodes in the LE seem lacking too..an edit control can only have an in or out..not both?..I've been looking at converting some plugins I've made in C++....
the player seems a bit like the wild west to me, not to modeler friendly yet..... |
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