random idea: Uru Blender

[Aloys]

This is a totally random idea I just had, and I haven't given it any thinking, so feel free to laugh if it's impossible..
Ok so most of the problems with our toolset and our workflow is that we have to adapt to Blender, and Blender wasn't made for Uru. But:
Blender is released has an open source project under the GPL. And I don't know much about the GPL, but my understading it that we can take the project and modifiy it (within certain limitations).
So... would it be possible to take Blender, and adapt it specifically to our needs?

Now I know the actual work involved to do this would be staggering, but disregarding that, would it be possible under the GPL terms?

[BAD]

Yes.

[Paradox]

Yes, modifying Blender is entirely possible, and would likely run much faster than anything written as a Python plugin.

It would also require someone who knows how Blender's internal spiderweb of coding works, and a complete Plasma library in C++.

The main problem that has always stopped me from experimenting with this idea is that Blender is constantly undergoing changes and having new features added and modified. If we branched a copy and heavily modified it, we would quite possibly lose the ability to merge future changes into our version.

[Aloys]

I forgot that Blender is made in C++.. Although I guess we could still keep PyPRP as a Python script anyway to make things easier. The export speed even for big Ages is really good anyway. (safe for the textures)

The main advantage of this idea IMO is that we could really suit the GUI to our need. We could get rid of all the features we don't use, strip it down to make the whole thing simpler, and add what we actually need.
In a word we could have a real Uru-focused editor.

(Well I say "we", but that's a bit unfair since I'm not a coder. :/ )

Is the fact that Blender always evolve a real problem? I mean, 99% of what we need for Uru is already in Blender right? Sure there could be some enhancements and new features in the future, but strictly in terms of what we need for Uru isn't there already everything we need?

[andylegate]

Obviously I will have no idea what I'm talking about in my opinion here.......but that's never stopped me before!

Remember the saying: "Think outside of the box." ?

That was what I just tried to do in thinking about this.

Instead of a PyPRP plugin........we have the Uru Blender. This version of Blender is exactly what Aloys just mentioned. Stripped of everything that we can't use for making Ages.
Part of that makes a LOT of sense. Then you'd have Newbies like me and others not trying to use functions of Blender that don't work for Uru and then coming here and bawling our eyes out about it. (okay, well I bawl my eyes out about it anyways.....).

So that would be a point in it's favor.

Then again, what Paradox mentioned. Let's say they come out with Blender 2.46. Okay, now how do we use the new version of 2.46? Wouldn't that require a complete rewrite of the Uru Blender?
Then again, will upgrades to Blender affect what we do? I'm trying to think of what changed between 2.44 and 2.45 other than the fact that the latest plugin will only work with 2.45. And I'm drawing a blank. Blender still seemed the same to me. It was the Plugin that changed a lot of things.

I can think of many things that doing this would make easier. You only have to download Uru Blender and install it to get started. Not Blender, the Plugin, Python, etc, etc (at least that's a therory there) and have to install them all, then follow a tutorial just to get Blender set up to do Ages.......

A Uru Blender that not only allows you to create your Age, but has something like PlasmaShop also installed for writing your scripts right there, and compile them into your .bak file.

A Uru Blender with an assistant that pops up when you're trying to do something: "No no no no! Not that way! Is this Andy trying to do something again? Stupid Maintianer! THIS is how you do it........" you know.....something helpful like that....

Of course, not being a programmer and knowing just enough script to get myself in a LOT of trouble, I could be like a little kid wishing for a pony here.....but still, I think it'd be a great idea.

[Chacal]

Paradox is right about the maintenance problem. What could be done would be more like Aloys' second idea: a Uru-specific interface for Blender, with only the controls we need and using Uru/Plasma vocabulary.

[Zrax]

It would also require [...] a complete Plasma library in C++.

Hmm, like libPlasma?

This actually sounds like a very interesting idea, and I'd be willing to put AgeMaker (the current major libPlasma project) on serious hold to work on something like this with whoever else is willing to work on it...

[D'Lanor]

Paradox is right about the maintenance problem. What could be done would be more like Aloys' second idea: a Uru-specific interface for Blender, with only the controls we need and using Uru/Plasma vocabulary.

Uh wait... We already had something like that. All the Uru properties were neatly grouped together. But they have just changed all that to do things "the Blender way" (which is not the way I like it).

[Chacal]

Maybe both are possible and the user could select one or the other?