[Kazan]

Originally posted by stithe2000
Must haves for upcoming PCS2:
1) All importing options that was in the last release of PCS.

All editors will have data importing, if I don't code it bobboau will once i upload PCS2 to CVS tommorow when i get back to iowa

2) Aurora's auto path option.

Bobboau will have to describe this to me, and possibly code it

3) Model Scale (measured in meters like in modview32

that's trivial

4) Model rendering screen in all formats that FS2_open supports

what do you mean? textured, flat, wireframe? or do you mean GFX features? that would be bobboau's job.. but he's going to have to learn openGL

5) In render show all. Such as thrusters glow points, etc. This will help with modellers getting the effects, and details right on the model more effienctly.

the renderer was incompete in PCS1 - all editors will display their data in PCS2 - it will be context based

but it would be fairy simple to add a toggle for "context" or "all" of such details (i'd NEVER turn on "all" - too cluttered)

Wish list:
1) An error box, so that if there is a model fault the modeller can locate and correct a bit faster.

one of the features of the editor will be "constraints checking" - which means ensuring that no two polygons have a duplicate centroid, and that all polygons have at most 20 points - the internal model editing features should be capable of resolving these errors with user interaction, or automatically

2) An object remover/importer/ hierarchy adjusting tool. This option will help modellers like myself who are constantly upgrading models to keep up with the new SCP features.

it shouldn't be difficult to allow you to copy an entire SOBJ from one model to another, manual and tree-based hierarchy editing shouldn't be difficult either - you'll also be able to edit the detail levels, debris lists, and splits

I do not mind redoing a whole model if there is a mess up in the mesh, but these are things that may help in the long run! Thanx in advance guys, and keep up the good work! Looking forward to seeing what you guys create! Good luck!

thank you

==============================================


Ok, let me write a short thing on how things are working here.  I have already designed and implemented PCS Model Format (PMF) which all editing is done in.  This makes the internal data game inspecific so that in the future it can support both FS2 and Ferrium, also it makes it easier to write support for new model formats - you only have to translate from TypeX to PMF, which doesn't involve a BSP split.  Translating most formats to PMF should be considered trivial (tedious) at worst.  The only time that the BSP enters into it is parsing the BSP from a POF to load it into a PMF slot, and generating BSP (on save) when saving to a POF.

PCS2 will support up to 10 simulatenously loaded models - switching between working with models via a radio-group menu.  Copy+Paste support will be replaing "import from pof" so you'd just have to select File B, what you're copying, copy, select File A, and paste.

Gun/Missile hardpoint and turret editing are each in one menu - you just create turrets, they're one list and you specify type (gun/missile) when saved to pof it puts the appropriate ones into the appropriate lists.  (in order found)


The GUI that i have already begun to implement is designed to look vaguly like ModelView - it will have a large segment of the window dedicated to render - then controls will be laid out along the right hand side.  Editors will be spreadsheet like, and each is tabbed between via a radio group in the toolbar (which i need graphics for), i was hoping to inline a little bit more - such as putting the "Add new" button onto the next row in the spreadsheet, but as far as I can tell wxGrid doesn't support having a button on it - i will see what i can do and may be able to possibly implement ths behavior myself (which I will be happy about)

Coding this is wxWidgets is anything but trivial - which means in win32 code it ould be a nightmare!


im going to bed soon, i'll be on the road at not long after 6am tommorow - I have to go from Green Bank, WV to Ames, IA - hopefully i'll be posting again by this time tommorow night.

[Taristin]

Sounds good. So long as it works, and works well, is all that matters.

[Bobboau]

one thing that I think would be easy but more so if mentioned early would be batch conversion, selecting more than one model of format X and converting them to format Y, particularly if this could be done via a comand line (so if I come up with a new model format I can quick convert everything, and others can do the same once I've finalised the new format)

[ShadowWolf_IH]

autopathing.  and the auto orient from the docking in Aurora.  Other than that, I'm good to go.

[stithe2000]

First off thanx for the feedback.... Yes a scaling system is a bit trivial, but for a modeller like myself who works on models like the B5 station... It helps! At least make it a selectable option...
As for the rendering... Any and all options, but textured would be very much appreciated by all! Again.. Thanx in advance for your efforts!

[stithe2000]

One question before I forget... Will your PCS2 render window render the glass feature that has just recently being added to most models being created or modified? If not, no biggy! thx

[Liberator]

Why should it?  If the texture is done right it shouldn't matter.

[stithe2000]

It is one of those nice to have things, but not needed....

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Goober5000
He has released the ModelView source code.  But everybody wants to develop his own tool.

ModelView only needs one or two more things done to it and it'll be a fully-featured POF editor.  It also shouldn't be a large step to add in the auto-pathing, etc.

Heck, I might try it myself one of these days.

PCS / MAX2POF as convertor, Modelview as the WYSIWYG editor/tweaker would be ideal IMO.

  My first thought would be that it'd be easier to leverage the existing mode view code rather than to (effectively) re-write it.

Originally posted by Raa

Yes, but the damned plugin doesn't work all that well. I have a 20% success rate with it. And that's optimistic.

?

Odd; the only major  failures I've had have really been my fault (detail objects with 0x instead of x, unlinked object).... although I haven't made paths/dps or glowpoints yet

[Taristin]

Originally posted by aldo_14

?

Odd; the only major  failures I've had have really been my fault (detail objects with 0x instead of x, unlinked object).... although I haven't made paths/dps or glowpoints yet

Well, I'm using max6, which isn't what either you, or styxx have AFAIK. But even when named exactly the same, including case, and hierarchy set up correctly, the plugin crashes.

Hell, it crashes on a single object (LOD0) only conversion..

[Nuke]

just dont remove the conversion scaling factor option

[stithe2000]

Threre should be a standard conversion size for the model, and then the size is adjusted in the program... That will allow for complete detail modelling... Especially if you can import subobjects... You can piece together your model carefully, and right the first time around with these options/ features. However, it is to the descision for the creators to make for PCS2.... We'll just have to wait and see... Meanwhile, I'll just cross my fingers!

[Nuke]

you could always set it up to convert the scale on save as pof, before bsp is calculated, rather than on file open. that way you can enter all your coords directly from the modeling program. there would need to be an exception created for opening a pof for a minor adjustment, to force the save conversion factor to 1. so that you dont scale something thats already the size you need it to be (anti moron feature).

id perfer autogen support for everything though.

[Kazan]

Originally posted by stithe2000
Yes a scaling system is a bit trivial,

i meant that in terms of how difficult it would be to code

[Kazan]

very pre pre alpha

[FireCrack]

YES window.init();


Well, i'l see how this turns out...

[Bobboau]

ok this is my idea currently for the overall interface

all you'd need from the tree is a pointer to the currently selected object, if all data types are derived from the same class then I think this can be done easily enough.

both dividers between the three windows would be fully resiable, and scrol bars would popup when needed.

you'd be able to move items around within there own data types via drag and drop (at least for submodels)
and that second copy button would be an "import from other file" button.

I wan't to know if pepole even like this format though, I have a feeling it's going to be a hard sell to Kazan and I won't even bother if nobody likes it.

[Bobboau]

forgot the dman thing...

[Bobboau]

as you can see the editor pane only has the data to the specific item you have selected, so if you have a point within a bank it has just the data from that point, if you select the entier bank it will have just the editable properties for the bank, but none of the childeren.

[stithe2000]

Originally posted by Kazan


i meant that in terms of how difficult it would be to code

Oh! OK! lol! Disregard my last then! lol!