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Who are the current plugin makers?
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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.
Who are the current plugin makers? // Roundtable
Post by seanr // Feb 12, 2006, 9:42am
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seanr
Total Posts: 28
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I remember back in the day when MenteMagica, WFMM, and Nekind were making the best plugins ever written for trueSpace, but none seem to be active any more (hopefully with the exception of mentemagica, but that remains to be seen). All of my favorite plugins (trueObjects Plus?!?) no longer work with the latest versions of trueSpace. Who are the current plugin makers? Which one have made the most plugins, the most usefull, the most interesting, etc. |
Post by Alien // Feb 12, 2006, 9:51am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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AFAIK, the only plugin that's been specifically updated for tS7, not just to make it work in tS7 but to work with new stuff in tS7, is Quantum Chameleon's tSNet.
<edit>
Oh, & there's 1 of the forum members, stan, who's updated his plugin to improve [but not perfect unfotunately] compatibility with tS7. You can find that 1 via the plugin compatibility thread.
</edit> |
Post by seanr // Feb 12, 2006, 9:56am
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seanr
Total Posts: 28
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I'm not necessarily asking for plugins made specifically to wrok in TS7 so much as recent stuff in general that will work in TS7. I'd really kill for an updated version of trueObjectsPlus, for example. I also got a lot of use back in the day out of a plugin called LightMan. There was another one called PView2Cam or something like that which would take the current perspective view and put a camera in that spot with the correct zoom and everything so you could save the view for later. Another one called ExtraView pro allowed you to get a list of all those cameras by middle-clicking anywhere in the screen (it sort of works now, but no longer recognizes the wheel button as of TS6 so you have to use the right-click wich interferes with other stuff). All of those plugins used to save me tons of time, but they're all gone or at least no longer maintained. |
Post by Alien // Feb 12, 2006, 10:48am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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I take it you haven't had a look in the Tech forum? There's a thread (http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showthread.php?t=16), created by me that I update as & when I get new info from people. |
Post by Steinie // Feb 13, 2006, 6:27am
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Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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TrueObjectsPlus or TOP+ was one of my favorites! Don't you think alot of those primitives can now be easily made in TS7? Alot of my favorite plugins have been assimilated. That could possibly be causing less and less plugin vendors. (also lack of support by us). |
Post by seanr // Feb 13, 2006, 6:42am
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seanr
Total Posts: 28
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It's not whether they could (I think most if not all can be), it's how. I _really_ want that numeric input capability. I also don't like having to tell trueSpace where to put the objects - most of the time I just want it right in the center of the grid (i.e. double clicking the cube icon should just make a standard cube appear at 0,0,1 but currently does nothing). Also, I used to use the tube primitive in TOP all the time, frequently with the slice option enabled (can't do that in TS7 as far as I know) - see here:
http://web.archive.org/web/20000411141508/www.nekind.com/html/product_top_tube.htm
TOP crashed TS6 when I tried it. Probably does in 7 as well, but I haven't been brave enough to try it yet. :( |
Post by stan // Feb 13, 2006, 8:12am
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stan
Total Posts: 1240
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seanr to place a cube primitive on 0,0,1 you have to change scalable to automatic on preferences panel..then one click on a primitive icon and it loads centered on grid....with scalable the magic ring appears.. |
Post by chrono // Feb 14, 2006, 2:27am
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chrono
Total Posts: 0
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TrueObjectsPlus or TOP+ was one of my favorites! Don't you think alot of those primitives can now be easily made in TS7? Alot of my favorite plugins have been assimilated. That could possibly be causing less and less plugin vendors. (also lack of support by us).
Why make them when you can simply click a button to have them?
Also very few plug-ins have actually been assimilated, if they were TS 7 would have nearly 4 fold the tools that it currently has and probably a larger user group too! One of the major reasons that their are less vendors now was because the TS sdk didn't allow the programmers enough access to TS. If it had we would've had displacement mapping since version 4.0!
SeanR, I think that with some exploration alot of the older plug-ins can be remade within 7's new structure and probably through some semi-complex node set-ups. |
Post by seanr // Feb 14, 2006, 5:43am
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seanr
Total Posts: 28
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Unfortunately, I am not at all a programmer, so I'd really need someone to help with that. I could just about kill Nekind for just disappearing like they did. What the hell were they thinking? |
Post by frank // Feb 14, 2006, 6:29am
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frank
Total Posts: 709
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Hi seanr!
I remember those days too...
When Scott Miles / Primitive Itch was cranking out quality plugins left and right and MenteMagica / Alain Bellon was releasing such products as ThermoClay, Space Time Morph, DynaWave, et al.
The last thing I saw of Alain was a realtime video demonstration of DynaCloth. Back then it was very impressive but not long after that Alain sorta vanished and the plugin was never released. He is reportedly still working on tungsten|SOLID but as far as trueSpace plugins, that is yet to be seen (it's rumored that he may develop under the new tS7 API).
Chikara at CK Gamefactory wrote so many plugins in a short period of time that it's mind-boggling.....and the price he sells them for is just crazy. A message was posted recently on his site about recoding his plugins for tS7 but we haven't seen any new releases yet.
In my opinion, the reason tS plugin developers stop writing is lack of demand for their products. Plus with trueSpace being a low-priced package the plugins would naturally have to be geared around low budgets - so they would require a large number of purchases/users to make a profit.
I go on and on about how cool of a plugin MotionStudio is. I like it so much that although I received an Early-Supporter email stating I would get 2.0 for free, I offered to gladly pay for 2.0 as well.
But, as you know, if there are only a few of us that want it then it's not worth Scott's time to continue working on it.
I feel like tS plugin development is either a hobby or supplemental income for most of these guys. |
Post by Alien // Feb 14, 2006, 6:30am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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Unfortunately, I am not at all a programmer, so I'd really need someone to help with that.
Neither am I, but from what I've read, the best bet for picking up the necessary coding tips is to play around with the script recording tools - have a look in the tech forum, there's some info in there. |
Post by frank // Feb 14, 2006, 6:55am
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frank
Total Posts: 709
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If you are wanting to write plugins (tSx/DLL), check Caligari's API page:
http://www.caligari.com/download/tsx.asp?Cate=DTSX
Currently the tS7 API info is not up but you can get an idea of what it's all about by checking out one of the older APIs.
Generally they are written in C++ (but there have been quite a few written in Delphi) and compiled as DLLs with export functions. You may be able to find sample code and empty "skeleton" project files to get you started.
These used to have helpful tSx info but are apparently not available anymore:
http://tylman.net/truespace/
http://www.pixelmachinery.com/Articles/articles.htm
However, you can scroll to the bottom of the Caligari API page and download some source files from there to use as a starting point (assuming you're using Visual C++)
Hope this helps! |
Post by mrbones // Feb 14, 2006, 6:58am
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mrbones
Total Posts: 1280
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Yes, Frank, Good point, You are right, and I agree with you 100%.
In my opinion, the reason tS plugin developers stop writing is lack of demand for their products. |
Post by mrbones // Feb 14, 2006, 7:01am
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mrbones
Total Posts: 1280
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Frank, You are right, its either one or the other. Some do it for fun, Some for profit. Others because they'd go insane otherwise...:D
I feel like tS plugin development is either a hobby or supplemental income for most of these guys. |
Post by Alien // Feb 14, 2006, 7:02am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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Hmmm.... That info is useful if you want to make stuff compatible with older versions, but it's not really necessary unless you want to get really technical/hardcore about your plugins.
You can learn a lot just from doing stuff while the script recorder is running, then stopping it & having a look at the generated code. A lot of the simpler plugins that I've seen could be recreated without looking at the API info, just by using the script recorder & stuff in the manual [& the Dev Guide when it comes out]. |
Post by mrbones // Feb 14, 2006, 7:08am
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mrbones
Total Posts: 1280
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Frank, Making plug-ins is not easy in a world where software is constantly being upgraded and changed. Im not suprised at how long or short a lot of the plug-in developers lasted. The good, news is that with TS7, making plug-ins will be easier, If thats your thing.
The next killer app could very well be considered to be the end result or of what it can make, not judged by its features alone. I beleive that its fast becoming a world where content could be crowned king in a world of software giants.
If you are wanting to write plugins (tSx/DLL), check Caligari's API page:
http://www.caligari.com/download/tsx.asp?Cate=DTSX
Currently the tS7 API info is not up but you can get an idea of what it's all about by checking out one of the older APIs.
Generally they are written in C++ (but there have been quite a few written in Delphi) and compiled as DLLs with export functions. You may be able to find sample code and empty "skeleton" project files to get you started.
These used to have helpful tSx info but are apparently not available anymore:
http://tylman.net/truespace/
http://www.pixelmachinery.com/Articles/articles.htm
However, you can scroll to the bottom of the Caligari API page and download some source files from there to use as a starting point (assuming you're using Visual C++)
Hope this helps! |
Post by Libor // Feb 14, 2006, 8:05am
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Libor
Total Posts: 11
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I have been writing tSX plugins for trueSpace3/4/5 since 1997 using free tsx Builder from R.A. Robinson (tsx API import unit - Delphi conversion of all tsxAPI C++ functions). Some weeks ago I loaded all my Delphi 3 and Delphi 5 to Borland Delphi 2005 Personal Edition (absolutely free, you can find it on CDs in some computer magazines form 2005). I tried some of my plugins in trueSpace7. They really works withou any problems.
image removed due to size
I think it is the best way how to begin with writing new plugins using original tSX API. Delphi programming is really very easy and I can use a lot of free Delphi components, too. Some days ago I did new plugin for direct loading of zipped scenes from my web server.
If anybody interested, I am able to upload some simple Delphi 2005 PE projects to my web page.
http://www.pcdesign.cz/plugins//Delphi_2005_PE.jpg
I hope my information (based on my long time experiences with tSX programming in Delphi) could be interesting for some new tSX developers. |
Post by seanr // Feb 14, 2006, 8:06am
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seanr
Total Posts: 28
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seanr to place a cube primitive on 0,0,1 you have to change scalable to automatic on preferences panel..then one click on a primitive icon and it loads centered on grid....with scalable the magic ring appears..That pulldown menu is grayed out on mine. |
Post by seanr // Feb 14, 2006, 8:11am
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seanr
Total Posts: 28
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If anybody interested, I am able to upload some simple Delphi 2005 PE projects to my web page.That would be fantastic (as would an English version of your website) |
Post by kujisha // Feb 14, 2006, 3:53pm
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kujisha
Total Posts: 50
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I'm not necessarily asking for plugins made specifically to wrok in TS7 so much as recent stuff in general that will work in TS7. I'd really kill for an updated version of trueObjectsPlus, for example. I also got a lot of use back in the day out of a plugin called LightMan. There was another one called PView2Cam or something like that which would take the current perspective view and put a camera in that spot with the correct zoom and everything so you could save the view for later. Another one called ExtraView pro allowed you to get a list of all those cameras by middle-clicking anywhere in the screen (it sort of works now, but no longer recognizes the wheel button as of TS6 so you have to use the right-click wich interferes with other stuff). All of those plugins used to save me tons of time, but they're all gone or at least no longer maintained.
Light Man can be found here http://www.lunadude.com/tS/tS_filez/lightMan.html and the ts_5 tsx still works with TS7.
Extra View Pro can be found here http://www.blackknightproductions.com/
Don't know if it works with 7 though. |
Post by chrono // Feb 15, 2006, 3:17am
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chrono
Total Posts: 0
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Actually MenteMagica & several others had complaints about the limited SDK. But like many users only did that stuff for a hobby, and 1-3 did it seriously. But Caligari's policy of not intergrating plug-ins dampened developers desires for expanding TS's usability.
SeanR, you should be able to link the lights nodes together into a single master control node or several distinctive area control nodes. Just think of 7 as an enlarged Mesh Forge where nearly everything is stackable. It's a little like Max in a way. |
Post by gerardo // Feb 15, 2006, 6:06am
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gerardo
Total Posts: 11
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Hi,
In the same way, I´m looking for a pluin calls Truepose, to connect with Poser.... someone knows where can I find it????? |
Post by Alien // Feb 15, 2006, 6:49am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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From what I can tell Truepose is long dead. Perhaps if there's enough call for it someone will write an import/export script to handle poser files.
If it's really important to you, you might want to have a word with MrBones, as I noticed on his site that he offers a service for making conversion stuff. |
Post by mrbones // Feb 15, 2006, 7:39am
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mrbones
Total Posts: 1280
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Thanks Alien,
Good news, TrueBones is a great alternative to truePose. More good news,
Its on sale over at my website. http://www.truebones.com/truebonestsx.htm
There is a demonstration video included on this page as well.
Thanks again and Cheers:)
From what I can tell Truepose is long dead. Perhaps if there's enough call for it someone will write an import/export script to handle poser files.
If it's really important to you, you might want to have a word with MrBones, as I noticed on his site that he offers a service for making conversion stuff. |
Post by Alien // Feb 15, 2006, 8:31am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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Thanks Alien,
you're welcome. :)
Good news, TrueBones is a great alternative to truePose.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like TrueBones only transfers the animation? Normally when I see people talking about transferring stuff from Poser they usually mean they want to transfer the whole thing - model, clothes, etc, not just the animation. |
Post by b_scotty // Feb 15, 2006, 11:08am
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b_scotty
Total Posts: 176
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While it would involve a bit of an extra step, I don't see why you couldn't export the Poser file as an *.obj in a static pose, import that into trueSpace then use Truebones to add the animation back in in trueSpace. That really wouldn't be all that different from how truePose worked, it just automated it for you. Not to mention that it chewed up a *lot* of disk space since it saved each frame as a mesh. |
Post by gerardo // Feb 15, 2006, 12:20pm
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gerardo
Total Posts: 11
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Ok,... I hown truebones, but is not the thing I need, because I can´t import the face lipsinc and all the textures in hires, like truepose can do. Because in that Poser is much more that TS, but to built a full animation I prefer TS, so if you know where I can find Truepose or some way to translate a poser animation in to Ts I´ll thank you forever...... |
Post by seanr // Feb 15, 2006, 1:07pm
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seanr
Total Posts: 28
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Light Man can be found here http://www.lunadude.com/tS/tS_filez/lightMan.html and the ts_5 tsx still works with TS7.Unfortunately, it only works with Bridge enabled. I have had to disable it because it was causing so many problems with my scenes (see my thread in the bugs forum). Enabline Bridge also breaks mapped shadows for spotlights which I also need. The source code for this plugin has been made available. Is there anyone who could take a shot at upgrading it? This plugin really saves me tons of time because most of my scenes have dozens of lights. I would be willing to pay for an upgraded version of that (I don't have a lot, but at least some). Here's a direct link to the source:
http://www.lunadude.com/tS/tS_filez/Light_Man_source.zip |
Post by Libor // Feb 16, 2006, 12:47pm
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Libor
Total Posts: 11
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That would be fantastic (as would an English version of your website)
I hope I find time for it. I am going to inform about it in this forum. |
Post by W!ZARD // Feb 18, 2006, 4:03am
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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Unfortunately, it only works with Bridge enabled. I have had to disable it because it was causing so many problems with my scenes (see my thread in the bugs forum). Enabline Bridge also breaks mapped shadows for spotlights which I also need. The source code for this plugin has been made available. Is there anyone who could take a shot at upgrading it? This plugin really saves me tons of time because most of my scenes have dozens of lights. I would be willing to pay for an upgraded version of that (I don't have a lot, but at least some). Here's a direct link to the source:
http://www.lunadude.com/tS/tS_filez/Light_Man_source.zip
Have you checked out Coolpowers (actually coolpowers 4 IIRC). From memory it also has a tool very similar to Lightman - I've not used it myself but assuming it offers the functions you're after it's code may be more compatible with tS7. Could be worth checking it out.... |
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