Navigation suggestions

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Navigation suggestions // Feature suggestions

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Post by Docwolph // Feb 7, 2008, 2:18pm

Docwolph
Total Posts: 20
Three things I would like to see changed in trueSpace more than anything. These changes one fairly small the others requiring more attention, would open up the program enormously.

1) The object Object Navigation Widget. It is really a very unique item and I see no reason to seriously change it except that it could stand to be more visible, that is less transparent to make it easier find and read. Color coding the widget to denote the Axis you will be pulling or rotating on would be very helpful. Also find some way to integrate and remove the separate rotation widget to reduce clutter.

2) Basic view navigation. While there are widgets for this, clearly meant to be used with a mouse, they are cumbersome, especially on larger screens, having to reach all the way over to the widget to move, rotate, and zoom the view. Some parts of the widget, particularly the axial pan/movement and rotation components are too small to use quickly and accurately. Then there is the use of icons and/or hotkey (if set) to switch, very clumsily, between moves/panning, rotating, and zooming.

To fix this, I would suggest the mode of navigation used by, seemingly, every other program available. That being the "Alt + Mouse button" scheme. It would require the update to using three button mouses. This system is very fluid and fast making just getting around much easier and speeding up overall productivity. The feel is far less restrictive and makes the program much easier to use fully. Just the notion of being able to circle around to the back on and object then close in intuitively as fast or faster than you can say the words "Get around back and get in close" would make many other problems easily over come.

3) Real Tablet compatibility. As it is, when you check "Tablet" in the preferences dialogue panel, trueSpace doesn't go nuts. But control remains slow and actually painfully awkward (you still have to press a hotkey or icon to change navigation function and using the View Nav Widget limits your available movement) when one is used to using a tablet in other programs.

Overall Movement must be faster and more stable. "Stupidly fast" would not be out of the question. This to reflect the more natural movements even mouse users tend to use. This will reduce or eliminate the feeling of smallness in the workspace.

These changes would make trueSpace, maybe feel more, some will certainly too much, like other programs, but given that other program deliver an equal or better experience at the same or lower price point, it is important to consider, just the basic operation of the program.

I've been a trueSpace user since Version 3.0, and in hindsight and comparing to current programs, trueSpace has equal or better utility than most. Using the tools are no less aggravating than using Maya's (and it is really hard to set your own hotkeys in Maya). However, navigating the space has always been a drag and a turn off.

Occasionally hard to find widgets and slow clunky navigation controls all need to be fixed if, I feel, trueSpace is to truly attain the userbase needed to help make this program more than just an older name on the 3D block, but a major name to be always said first before others selling for less than $1000..

Post by splinters // Feb 7, 2008, 2:29pm

splinters
Total Posts: 4148
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It does not necessarily need improving rather it needs 'learning'


Six letters: Z, X , C, A, S ,D


The first three toggle between move rotate and scale while the latter 3 turn off X, Y and Z axis respectively. After years of using tS I know no more intuitive way and I am trying to set the same up in Hexagon.

Post by Steinie // Feb 7, 2008, 2:49pm

Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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Have you tried some of these widgets? You can resize them or place them anywhere you want.

http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showthread.php?t=4046


Mouse Maya style:

http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showthread.php?t=2660

Post by spacekdet // Feb 7, 2008, 2:54pm

spacekdet
Total Posts: 1360
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1) I know, let's make it like a cage (http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showpost.php?p=45131&postcount=109) that surrounds your object! Oh, wait... 8^P

2) Left click/drag on the center sphere of the nav widget to move it where you like. Right click on it to open options including scaling it larger.

Hotkeys are the way to go here and oddly enough, I don't find them clumsy.
Display Options like setting objects to display as bounding boxes also really speeds up navigation- even into stupidly fast territory.

Mouse wheel already zooms in, not sure what else is missing- what would holding ALT get us?

As a long time tS user I'm probably not telling you anything you don't already know. It's just nice to answer a post that's not about acquisitions, even if I'm not actually conveying any useful information.

Post by Docwolph // Feb 7, 2008, 5:15pm

Docwolph
Total Posts: 20
Splinters,

I tried that. Been doing that since Ts 5. It still feels like wearing two left high-heeled boots on uneven ground. You may be used to it, but it is serious aggravation to have to directly select a function be it by hotkey or icon.

Steinie,

That Widget is always out of place and, in this case, is only available on the "player" workspace. It would also need to be in the center of the object to make any kind of usable sense. Further, it is not actually on a "top layer" (say with the icons) so it can and does get lost under scene geometry.

That "plug-in"? When that little gimme works, I'll pick it up.

Spacekdet,

I'm not getting on you, just replying to your comments.

1) I'm not sure if you are trying to make a funny. Sorry, if I come off as gruff. I don't get it? I said the Object Nav Widget was fine except to level of transparency and coloring coding. Minor tiffs, and not high on my complaints list. But it could be better.

2) I tried moving the View Nav Widget. It either gets lost under scene geometry or just gets in the way. The best option is to not have a Widget at all.

Hotkeys are at best clumsy and only serve to take up three keys that could be dedicated to tools. I find them rather slow. Even knowing my keyboard blind, doesn't take away form the fact that at times I have to stop and think about what to do just to move my POV.

Alt+Mouse works better and faster. Alt+LTMB = zoom (actually move in and out from center or selection). Alt+ RTMB = Pan. Alt+ MMB= rotate POV (not really a good idea most of the time. (I can program my Wacom pad to omit that function of duplicate another.) The scroll wheel is good for zooming much of the time.

As far as the Acquisition goes, I think MICROSOFT owns AVID (XSI). I would not be too surprised if they required this change anyway for tS 8, just to keep pace with other programs.

Post by GraySho // Feb 14, 2008, 10:28am

GraySho
Total Posts: 695
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I agree that the alt-navigation would be very nice to have, but that's just my point of view. Even better would be to let users customize their navigation EASILY and all that discussion would have an end. It cost me seconds to set it right in SILO. It cost me hours or even days to do it in tS, maybe hours searching the forums, maybe even buying a course how to set up navigation???


Customization is the key. There are more and more users who are using more than one grafix software, and they want to use the same navigation in all of them.

Post by RAYMAN // Feb 17, 2008, 8:09pm

RAYMAN
Total Posts: 1496
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If you read my posts from the past I always was someone

who wanted the Maya style navigation (even to the point that

I was laughed at !

Yes Thats what most 3d programs use nowadays !

There is a setup for that in workspace (for download ) !

Thanks again !

Peter
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