Fan Made IC Storyline Season 1 (Pay attention to this!!!)

[andylegate]

As far as Blender and the current PyPRP plugin are concerned: No. There is no physx support.

Lontahv said that it's going to be in the next generation of the plugin (2.0) for the newer Blender (when Blender.org finally get's done with it).

I've talked to ddb174 about Drizzle, and he says that it can be made to "Reverse Convert" Uru:CC Ages made with Blender and the GoW plugin into MOUL:a. However, he also reminded me that there is NO reason to spend time on that right now, as there is NO way to add an Age to MOUL:a (so there is also no way to test anything to make sure that any program that can convert (Drizzle) or a new feature for the GoW Plugin that allows MOUL:a type of export to be tested. They could do everything that they think needs to be done, and assume it's right, but without a MOUL:a test server, there is no way to test it and make sure it was done right).

So again, if you have Max and Cyan's plugin the answer is: Yes. Any Age made with it and exported is technically MOUL:a ready (we have to convert it with Drizzle to Uru:CC format to test and use the Age).

But for right now, there is no other way yet to make an Age that is "MOUL:a" compatible using Blender and the GoW plugin, and there won't be until there is a way to test it (IE a MOUL:a test server is set up by Cyan, or they release the MOUL:a server code and people start setting up MOUL:a shards).

[Lontahv]

Serious question guys do we or don't we need to have PhysX support added?

Yes, if we want to create physical objects for MOULa using libHSPlasma we will need to add PhysX support. Why I treat it only as a small issue is because it's only one feature libHSPlasma, out of hundreds it does support. Also, I believe if someone sits down and decides to implement it, it can be done fairly quickly.

As Andy said, the 3dsMax plugin is a MOULa exporter (and only a MOULa exporter) right out of the box, if you want to go way.

Overall, I would say we're ready to make stuff for MOULa right now. But, as I stated before,, the main limitation is Cyan at this point.

[J'Kla]

I appreciate that we are waiting for Cyan.

The way I see it there is a point where Cyan release the tools to make distributable Ages for all versions from CC through to MOULa and we (I say WE but I am low in the order of these things) are approaching this point from another direction a Blender direction.

If we can get to that "MOULa" point from a Blender end then Cyan can concentrate on the Server side and worry about Studio3dMax later.

Yes it would be nice for us to be using the same software as Cyan and I am aware that we need to exercise patience.

It's become clear that Cyan are reluctant to tell us exactly what work is actually holding them up (Not the funding time answer) but specifics that we could (where there is expertese in the community) find a fix/work through/around.

So if we had a Blender approach that could cover all bases wouldn't that be beter for our side considering that not only is 3dMax an extremely expensive approach but the rcomended version (version 7 or version 8) are no longer openly supplied by Autodesk. Did I mention that a legal copy of 3dMax is bloody expensive.

A lot of the community have invested heavily in understanding Blender, the learning curve is not shallow. I feel it would be nice if we were in a place where we were not expecting fan age builders to use pirate software.

Fan's I have spoken to feel the Blender/Drizzle approach is within the economic reach of a home age builder (Bearing in mind they cannot get their hardware the same way).

I know I am at a point where I need either Python (There is plenty Blender support on the wiki) support or the Cyan produced tools to make an interface with the KI along the lines that The Jalak age has. I have Puzzles and storyline whizzing round in my head that's blocked for the want of variables and if then else statements. Or small in age animations that work on a repeat until with multiple events.

I can write psudocode that describes it but I am buggered if I can figure out a way to embed this in an age, and even if I did is this a dead end. I have ages I want to visit with multiple avatars and explore solutions with a team approach that are blocked as long as my age is solo.

[Aloys]

Again, Blender vs Max is not the problem. The problem is the rest of the process. We can create Ages, but we need to be able to test those Ages in MOUL. Cyan has to take those Ages and then:
1) Approve them somehow, (no process has been decided/published about that despite lengthy discussions)
2) Upload them to their servers
3) Make them accessible in the game (probably through the Nexus)
4) Make them accessible through the patcher
All of this we can do nothing about; this is all in Cyan's court.

Creating Ages, whether with Max or Blender is not a problem. As Lontahv says even if we have to adapt our tools (or even create new ones) it can be done, it is only a matter of motivation; and to have that motivation we need to have our Ages in the game. Obviously we also need to be able to test our tools and Ages before actually publishing stuff; and to do that we also need to have our Ages in a test server. This doesn't even need to be a Cyan-owned server; but to have a separate server we need the server files. And Cyan doesn't want to release them, so we have to wait for the sources.. We could actually start testing Ages offline if we had Cyan's debug client, but they won't release it either.
There are various ways we could help Cyan.. This is suggested all the time. They won't answer or they answer 'no'. All we can do is wait.

This has been running in circle for two years; the only 'real' progress that has been done has been the files released by Chogon (Max tools/Ki/Avatar biped). And while this is really nice, but this is not what we need, this was just to make us wait.

[J'Kla]

Which is exactly the point I am making I am not suggesting it's a Max vs Blender issue. All I am suggesting is If we get Blender closer to a server ready version then Cyan may look at our server request in a new light just because it is less work than doing Server AND 3dMax tools.

They won't tell us what we can help with so all we can do is either nothing, whinge and nothing or something constructive that might help.

I am just trying to find someting to fill that third option because the first is driving me nuts and the second is childish.

[andylegate]

RAWA said that the very next thing on the "List" for release to the fans is: A test server.

So you'll be getting what are asking for in that sense. It's the "When" that none of us know of.

Going ahead and making the plugin export to MOUL:a format, or having Drizzle convert CC Ages to MOUL:a format now, will in no way make Cyan "hurry up" and give us the test server.

They are not holding back giving us the test server, it's the very next thing to be released to fans. They are not looking over here waiting to see if anyone is making a tool that will convert CC Ages to MOUL:a, nor are they looking over here waiting for the GoW plugin to have the ability to export in MOUL:a format. So pushing it through will not expedite having a test server from Cyan.

So, yes, everyone here has stated, it can be done, and I'm pretty confident it can be done on short notice. But again, if you think it's going to make Cyan "hurry up", you're barking up the wrong tree.

They'll release a test server: when they release it. It's as simple as that.

[J'Kla]

Not barking up any tree just looking for change, any change from anybody.

[kaelisebonrai]

What change?

What possible change could happen? =P

Cyan isn't going to release the server until they're good and ready. =P

The only "change" that is even vaguely possible, is a MOUL compatible server. Fan-made. =P And that is only vague. =P

[ddb174]

Actually, Moulagain servers are worse than Alcugs(Pots) servers in a number of ways, even ignoring the fact that we don't have the source for a Moulagain server:

-Moulagain downloads Python and SDL files every time it starts up, increasing server load (possibly a separate server, but still) and delaying startup time a minute.
-Moulagain avatars are ugly and plasticy looking (*moreso*, I mean ;)
-Moulagain has a bug where you can't use the KI or click on the players list while sitting down.
-Moulagain has visually worse versions of some Ages, e.g. Ahnonay
-Moulagain has a bug where sometimes players are in an Age, but they don't show up on your players list.
-Moulagain manifest files are insanely bloated

On the plus side though, Moulagain has faster Age loading times, and a new kind of shiny reflection. But unless we can fix some of those other problems with the source code, it's a deal-breaker.

[GPNMilano]

Actually, Moulagain servers are worse than Alcugs(Pots) servers in a number of ways, even ignoring the fact that we don't have the source for a Moulagain server:

-Moulagain downloads Python and SDL files every time it starts up, increasing server load (possibly a separate server, but still) and delaying startup time a minute.
-Moulagain avatars are ugly and plasticy looking (*moreso*, I mean
-Moulagain has a bug where you can't use the KI or click on the players list while sitting down.
-Moulagain has visually worse versions of some Ages, e.g. Ahnonay
-Moulagain has a bug where sometimes players are in an Age, but they don't show up on your players list.
-Moulagain manifest files are insanely bloated

On the plus side though, Moulagain has faster Age loading times, and a new kind of shiny reflection. But unless we can fix some of those other problems with the source code, it's a deal-breaker.

There's a couple of other classes as well. pfObjectFlocker and plGrassShaderMod come to mind.

On a side note, this downtime has allowed me to experiment with the plugin a bit. I'm almost fairly certain I could redo a few of the broken toys Cyan has left us if we could get our hands on the 3d models of them. (Namely the Wall. Yes. I'm fairly confident I could actually fix that thing with their plugin, if I could import the wall into Blender I could then export it to max and have all the stuff I need to get that damn thing working again. I nailed down the climbing blockers in their plugin that control the walls.