Plugin status

[Aloys]

Semi-related question: Now that the source code for the Plasma Max toolset will soon (?) be released how will that influence PyPRP? (if at all)

[Tsar Hoikas]

Semi-related question: Now that the source code for the Plasma Max toolset will soon (?) be released how will that influence PyPRP? (if at all)

How will the earth be affected when the sun goes supernova?

Greatly, but specifics are unknown or can only be theorized

[Lontahv]

There are a few factors and limits on PyPRP regardless of Cyan's plugin being released. Here are the ones I could think of right now.

A) The big limiting whopper: Blender's API doesn't make advanced/complex-plugin writers feel in control. There is currently no option to write a new material interface plugin (like Cyan did with 3dsMax). This means if you want You-See-What-You-Get you'll need to use the not-quite-mapping-to-Plasma material settings in Blender. The materials are the things to mostly suffer on this front but there are other things as well.

B) People expecting PyPRP to be a clone of Cyan's plugin. This may make some interface stuff different. Honestly though, I want PyPRP to stay PyPRP not some "a version of Cyan's plugin for Blender" junk.

C) Internal changes. Things may change behind-the-scenes a bit after the release because we see "how Cyan did it". This rewrite could be very large for PyPRP(1) but since PyPRP2 uses libPlasma for Plasma related stuff not much should change on that front--the plugin code itself focuses on dealing with Blender's insane-to-convert-to-the-norm API.

D) Features... all at once. Not because we couldn't code some of this stuff in now but because people will _know_ what PyPRP is lacking when they take the 3dsMax plugin for a spin. Ok, those people who will know will most likely be the devs. But hey, nobody's going to code anthing in unless they want to.

These are the things that are running though my head right now.
This list doesn't represent the views of anyone other than myself (when I say "we" here I mean "me"+"other devs lurking while I chatter about coding a certain function in" ).

[andylegate]

How will the earth be affected when the sun goes supernova?

Actually, the answer to that is: None.

The Earth will not exist when the sun goes nova, as it will have been consumed (along with the other inner planets) when the sun enters it's Red Giant phase, expanding it's own diameter almost to the orbit of Mars.

Heh. Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Tsar Hoikas]

How will the earth be affected when the sun goes supernova?

Actually, the answer to that is: None.

The Earth will not exist when the sun goes nova, as it will have been consumed (along with the other inner planets) when the sun enters it's Red Giant phase, expanding it's own diameter almost to the orbit of Mars.

Heh. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Fine, ruin my example. I was counting on people not realizing that fact...

Oh well, back to the drawing board, I'll post another example when I think of one.

[Aloys]

Semi-related question: Now that the source code for the Plasma Max toolset will soon (?) be released how will that influence PyPRP? (if at all)

How will the earth be affected when the sun goes supernova?

Greatly, but specifics are unknown or can only be theorized

Right.
I guess the biggest difference will be the better GUI; and since we're on the topic of new PypRP development I still think (as I've been thinking from day 1, or close) that the biggest 'flaw' in PyPRP is precisely its GUI. As Lon points out a good part of this is due to Blender, but efforts like Szark's PyPRP Properties script or PaladinOfChaos' PyPRP GUI showed that some improvements could be made. Obviously that ain't easy as there's so much to do, so many different things to take care off; and Alcscript does a great job as it covers almost all grounds, but in a very textual way, which while powerfull for advanced stuff isn't so productive for basic things where a couple check boxes could often be enough. New features are great (GUIs, particles etc) but personally I'm already struggling with existing features, trying to remember the proper syntax/tags.. And it becomes quite time consuming when you have to type text for dozens of objects.

[Lontahv]

'bout those GUIs... I made a little something a few months back. It actually can be hooked up to current PyPRP with a few alterations. Of course it's lacking some stuff (mostly, just button-structures for the various Plasma classes).

The main problem though is that the space-handler stuff in Blender is currently a mess and subject to change (for the better) in Blender 2.5.

here's a little pic I snapped of my waveset interface: http://lontahv.googlepages.com/pyprp_GU ... .23.08.jpg

[Aloys]

Interesting. Although I don't understand half of what I just read. :p

[Chacal]

You are on the right track. I think a custom and intuitive interface is vital for the success of PyPRP/Blender, as opposed to the max plugin when it gets out. Not everyone can spend hours each day making Ages. Having to re-learn the interface every week is discouraging. I'd rather buy Max.

'bout those GUIs... I made a little something a few months back. It actually can be hooked up to current PyPRP with a few alterations. Of course it's lacking some stuff (mostly, just button-structures for the various Plasma classes).

The main problem though is that the space-handler stuff in Blender is currently a mess and subject to change (for the better) in Blender 2.5.

here's a little pic I snapped of my waveset interface: http://lontahv.googlepages.com/pyprp_GU ... .23.08.jpg

[Grogyan]

I know the importance of having a GUI, that just handles the basics, lighting, collision, region types, object types

Rather than doing like what you have now Lontahv, is it possible to use a whole bunch of buttons, that simulate check boxes?