[Bf-blender-npr] priority targets for Freestyle and Blender NPR capabilities

[Tamito KAJIYAMA]

Hi all,

Many thanks for all the feedback to the discussion of priority tasks.
It's nice to see many of you are very interested in improvements of
Freestyle and Blender NPR capabilities.

Thanks to Light BWK, a couple of polls were done on Facebook to collect
opinions on priority development targets. A poll summary is as follows:

http://freestyleintegration.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/blender_npr_poll_results.jpg

I also got a lot of feature requests from Japanese blenderheads on
Twitter (https://twitter.com/blenderyard/status/481038201356689408 in
Japanese). Here is a list of the requested items:

- built-in SVG export.
- adding Z depth information to rendered Freestyle lines.
- face intersection for feature edge detection.
- fix for unexpected gaps in strokes.
- support for layer masks (note: this requires strokes' Z depth info).
- line stylization by vertex weights.
- line stylization based on normals.
- line visibility accounting for face transparency (e.g., textures with
alpha channels).
- multi-threaded Freestyle rendering.
- a preview window for line styles.
- node-based line stylization.
- multiple edge groups.
- view map caching.
- inclusion of 2D/3D curves as feature edges.
- Freestyle edges marks on curves.
- preserving object groups when importing line styles by Link/Append.
- selection of line styles by scene render layers when importing them.
- a mesh modifier for copying normals (preferably topology-independent
normal transfer between meshes).


Based on these new inputs from Blender NPR stakeholders, I propose a
revised list of targets for the next Blender 2.72 release:

1. Freestyle performance tuning for space and time.
2. Freestyle integration into Cycles.
3. Adding Z depth information to rendered Freestyle lines.
4. built-in SVG export.

The first item takes the highest priority since that is a specific
request from the Gooseberry project which is going to use Freestyle for
film production. However, performance tuning efforts may just fail and
there is no guarantee of a success, so I will try to make sure some of
the other targets will be delivered to 2.72 so that the funded project
will be justified by deliverables visible to end users.

Thank you,

-- 
KAJIYAMA, Tamito <rd6t-kjym at asahi-net.or.jp>


On 23/06/2014 17:21, Light BWK wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Based on work demand, we think these are of priority for BNPR
> 1. Adding Z depth information to rendered Freestyle lines. (needed a
> lot in motion graphics)
> 2. Support for vertex groups in feature edge selection and line
> stylization. (very wanted feature)
> 3. UI for face/edge marks animation (not priority but wanted)
>
>> - reduced memory consumption in Freestyle (Task 1)
> Wanted, urgently
>
>> - Freestyle integration into Cycles (Task 2)
> High priority for better exposure
>
>> - built-in SVG export of Freestyle line drawing (Task 3)
> Not priority, but nice to have
>
> To sum up, order of priority for BNPR
> 0. reduced memory consumption in Freestyle
> 1. Support for vertex groups in feature edge selection and line stylization
> 2. Adding Z depth information to rendered Freestyle lines
> 3. Freestyle integration into Cycles
> 4. built-in SVG export of Freestyle line drawing
> 5. UI for face/edge marks animation
>
>
>
> Best regards,