Curve path to interpolation curves

[Grogyan]

I/we have almost got half the scripting done for this little wizard to convert a 3D bezier path to a set of interpolation 2D curves.

The end result of this script is intended to help you make rides in your Ages, simple or complex as you like, fairly easily.

But we have a problem that we'd like your opinion to know if you,
prefer to run the script ONCE and move the curve path when editing your Age
or
prefer to run the script each time when you move the curve when editing your Age

in both cases we're excluding the fact that you would need to run the script again if you modify the curve


Depending on what you guys would find easiest, I/we will try to accommodate that method

[Lontahv]

Let me try to clarify:

"Moving" the curve here means translating it in object mode not editing the path or curves.

[Grogyan]

Let me try to clarify:

"Moving" the curve here means translating it in object mode not editing the path or curves.

Doh! Forgot to use simple english
Yes meaning the moving of the curve whilst in "Object Mode"

[D'Lanor]

Sorry, it is probably me but I still do not understand the question. What exactly does this do and what is the difference between the options in practical terms?

Edit: Found the wiki page that takes care of question 1 but question 2 still stands.

[Grogyan]

Easy, take a step back and analyze a Myst game, say Riven (if it were in real time), why Riven, I love Riven
The mag lev ride in that game is composed of dozens of meshes and triggers that all need to move together, and suppose you have animations within that whole animated ride, how are you going to do it.
Easy let Blender do it for you, parenting meshes to a central point with is the "animator", the animator flies around a curve that you design.

While making the Age, say you want to move the ride up or down slightly and test it out in game.
As it stands you'd need to execute the script each time you move it to keep everything in sync, the question is, is this the way you want to do it, or just execute the script once as needed, keeping the interpolation curves relative to the curve object?

I've written up a wiki page to explain as much as I can here
http://guildofwriters.com/wiki/Making_Rides

With the script using interpolation curves based on world space

space meaning the infinite extents on any given axis in all 3 axes

[Lontahv]

Nice tutorial.

[Grogyan]

Sorry, it is probably me but I still do not understand the question. What exactly does this do and what is the difference between the options in practical terms?

Edit: Found the wiki page that takes care of question 1 but question 2 still stands.

The wizard attempts to take the labour intensiveness out of manually adding in key frames

Thanks Lontahv, it ain't finished yet, needs pics, but until we have sorted this problem out, it will be pointless.
Its just there as a guide.

[teedyo]

My question is this: which performs better in Plasma; world coords or local coords? ...or is everything translated to world coords on export? It would seem to me that world coords would perform better because there is less computation involved.

[Grogyan]

My question is this: which performs better in Plasma; world coords or local coords? ...or is everything translated to world coords on export? It would seem to me that world coords would perform better because there is less computation involved.

Almost nothing, though for local space, PyPrp would need to be altered to handle local space objects relative to world space

The question I put to to you all which is easier for you to work with.

Play around with the script and follow the tutorial and send in feedback, likes, dislikes etc

[Lontahv]

If you want to move your ride up or down slightly you just move the objects parented to the empty up or down and the empty stays in the same place. Also, if you have modeled rails that this thing travels on they'd be fairly solid--not much room for error there. Ok, I see your point. How about we have PyPRP check for things that have the constraint "along path" and then have it auto export those with the keyframes etc. so have it all export time so no keyframes are needed?

I could work on this a bit if you want. I could just put all of Curve2IPO into PyPRP's anim section and then run it and use the output for direct saving if it has such a constraint.

What do you think?

Teedyo: Plasma stores things in Global coords.