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Scatter Demo Images
About Truespace Archives
These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
Scatter Demo Images // The Garage
Post by remnar // Aug 7, 2008, 12:46am
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remnar
Total Posts: 105
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Hello. I been working on this model side plugin for too long now, and I'd like some opinions on if you think I should complete this project or give it up. I have included an attachment zip file containing 20 jpeg images. Each image demonstrates the core features of the plugin.
Because of how buggy it was, I had to adjust some things so it would look like it works as intended lol. Also on some bugs, I am not sure if it's truespace or me. Such as when demonstrating the shader gradient effect, no matter how many times I delete and replace a object or change a shader, or delete the temp shaders, it still kept the last shader (polka dot) in the effect (a ts or my bug?).
Also the scattering onto the nodes of a keyframe animation as shown, is not accurate at all. So I had to group the objects that were generated and adjust the group so they sort of fit where they supposed to go (this is my bug). Also when I first tried tried to create a gradient effect with the first 2 boxes (the spider and flame box) I got a bad input error. But when I made a new scene and put new boxes and shaders to use, it had no reported errors.
When doing the voxel demonstration, having the % at 50 caused an access violation the first time. So I had to redo it and it worked at 25% as shown. So basically I have a ton of work to do to fix the bugs. However if you feel this plugin is not worth the effort, or feel it can be useful please share your opinions. |
Post by remnar // Aug 7, 2008, 12:59am
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remnar
Total Posts: 105
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I forgot to share some actual art that was done during testing a few years ago. |
Post by Steinie // Aug 7, 2008, 1:02am
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Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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Don't forget "I'll Bee Darn"...:) |
Post by remnar // Aug 7, 2008, 1:03am
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remnar
Total Posts: 105
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A few more |
Post by Jack Edwards // Aug 7, 2008, 1:05am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Remnar, I think it would be much more viable in Workspace using the new plug-in API. You'd have a much larger userbase and should be able to get a decent return on time investment. |
Post by remnar // Aug 7, 2008, 1:06am
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remnar
Total Posts: 105
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Steinie, sorry I didn't have any saved images you have done with this plugin. I hope you don't mind, I saved your posted image to the help folder unless you don't want it to be included in the package. It'll be part of a small gallery that comes with the documentation. |
Post by remnar // Aug 7, 2008, 1:11am
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remnar
Total Posts: 105
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Remnar, I think it would be much more viable in Workspace using the new plug-in API. You'd have a much larger userbase and should be able to get a decent return on time investment.
The thing is, how are plugins implemented in the workspace unless they are scripts? The only thing I can think of is package dll's. I am not even sure if the concepts of this plugin can even be implemented in a script. I'm not experienced with the scripting yet. I guess I should check it out thanks. |
Post by Steinie // Aug 7, 2008, 1:19am
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Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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Remnar, anytime you want to use my work using Scatter is fine with me. Very cool program and one of my favorites. |
Post by Jack Edwards // Aug 7, 2008, 2:11am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Workspace plugins are ATL objects wrapped in a DLL that is loaded/linked by TS at run time. You have direct access to all built in Workspace functionality and can completely integrate into the existing UI.
VS2005 or VS2008 is needed to compile the SDK without modifying it. |
Post by GraySho // Aug 13, 2008, 11:04am
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GraySho
Total Posts: 695
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I very much would like too see this plugin for workspace. I like the plugin very much and used it quite a lot. |
Post by remnar // Aug 14, 2008, 7:28pm
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remnar
Total Posts: 105
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Thanks, I'm going to release version 0.0.2.2 beta as soon as I get some video tutorials done. Also I am not going to use an installer package like I did last time, I'll just use plain old .zip. As for going to workspace, I am not sure if it's going to be possible doing it in a Script. It will also depend on the features of the SDK and what is possible to do with it. I am assuming the SDK would be used to create unique script objects, render, and interface elements. |
Post by Emmanuel // Aug 15, 2008, 2:30am
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Emmanuel
Total Posts: 439
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Remnar, I am looking at the scatter_11 and 12 jpg files from your zip and it reminds me the animated arrow (http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showthread.php?t=3971) topic.
I use Greg Basset's ObjectEffect plugin to animate the arrow body, but that method lead to create many objects to simulate a continuous body. This can be a problem in big scenes... even in Modeler :)
The best solution would be to have a unique mesh and get one face to "grow" : adding faces along a path the way Macro/Sweep tool works... but in an animation (one face added = one frame).
Do you think the new version of Scatter could help or is it definately designed for particles solutions ? |
Post by remnar // Aug 16, 2008, 7:02pm
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remnar
Total Posts: 105
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Scatter is a non-animated particle generator that uses geometry and other functions to "scatter" objects across another. It would be a problem if the new workspace objects take up more ram and processing. Currently the plugin uses polyhedrons and that's probably what I'll stick with.
I want the plug to eventually calculate across Nurb curves, surfaces and edge loops but that is way beyond my skill. The current Sdk gives you access to the main nodes and to the control handles and knots, however all in a 1 dimensional array which makes it pointless unless you do the surface and curve calculations your self. Once I learn how to do that I'll probably add the functions into Scatter.
I also want the plug to copy over animation from the original particle object, converting world to object coordinates, that way the animation also get's orientated and scaled as necessary.
I am hoping the new SDK will support getting edges through pointers and mouse clicks unless the previous SDK which you had to do that yourself. Thanks to people who helped me out, I have functions that get edges.
The project is really kind of too easy in concept yet it's very difficult for me to make. I just don't have the scruples for this kind of stuff. I only got back into it because I'm bored lol. It's taking way way too long to make something so simple. I'm sure if someone else were to make something like this they would have been done years ago.
The only thing that I have done that is actually useful in a way is create user functions which is like an addition to the current SDK with the help of others of course. I also have created a package of custom controls to be used for plugin interfaces in Delphi. I also have vector, matrix and quaternion files but they need work. I don't understand all of it. I was able to compile these from reading books and reading code samples. You know copy&paste lol.
I also want to note that since I cannot afford these expensive compilers for business, I am using a modified version of Delphi 7 (7.2se). It got stripped down to the essentials instead of all the extra garbage the full package comes with. Also it was free, but no longer supported because Borland didn't like the idea too much even now when they are several versions ahead. So my plugins will be free. Also I can't see spending $1000 just to toy around. The visual studio 2005 express editions (which is free) are crap, as they didn't come with a resource editor, which means you can't make forms and stuff visually. So unless you know how to manually code all that stuff in (using a text editor for the resource file lol), or can make a plugin w/o using a interface, it's not worth the time. |
Post by remnar // Aug 20, 2008, 3:28pm
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remnar
Total Posts: 105
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I been working hard on a video tutorial. However because I sound too awkward when talking (I'm not used to talking much lol), I had to spend a long time editing the wav file, and even still it sounds a bit awkward at some points. So I am also making a captioned version. What I want to know is what is preferable to you? Is having a voice to listen to better than having a caption to read? |
Post by Steinie // Aug 20, 2008, 3:32pm
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Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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It is nice to have both like in Tom's bitesize tutorials. |
Post by Emmanuel // Aug 20, 2008, 8:55pm
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Emmanuel
Total Posts: 439
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What is preferable to you? Is having a voice to listen to better than having a caption to read?
I think a caption to read is good to describe an action, a feature, how to operate a tool. It forces to summ up the key informations.
Next, it can help non-english speaking people that can translate written words more easily than a voice.
On the other hand, voice works better to illustrate a typical workflow, when you explain things that are not necessarily on screen.
So I would say both are complementary and will depend on the content of the tutorial :) |
Post by GraySho // Aug 25, 2008, 10:54am
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GraySho
Total Posts: 695
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http://www.spacerat.at/truespace/grasstest.jpg
Here's an old test with scatter. |
Post by RAYMAN // Aug 25, 2008, 11:58am
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RAYMAN
Total Posts: 1496
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That sounds very nice !
I too would love to see a working version for workspace side !
Peter |
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