[Bf-docboard] Review Request

[brita]

I haven't been following the LOD development, I've read the documentation
and tried it along for the first time. I'll just describe my experience and
leave to Daniel to decide if something is a documentation problem, an
interface problem/design decision, or just my problem :-)

Introduction - okay, let's start..
Settings - I tried for a while to 'type' the Lod name into the objects
field before realizing I was supposed to select an object. I was expecting
a range and not a distance field. You mention a 'base level of detail',
that is an exception and automatically set?, but the interface starts
empty. Is this a bug, or you mean that the normal object's mesh is
automatically LOD0 and doesn't even appear on the slots? Maybe this needs a
bit of 'overall functioning' explanation before the 'settings' interface?
As to use mesh and material: "When this option is enabled, the mesh from
the level of detail object is used until a lower level of detail overrides
it."  or else? what is used? In what example cases will I want one or the
other?
Tools - a figure indicating where to click would be nice
Set by Name - cool :-)
Generate - you talk about the decimate modifier, maybe include a link or a
short explanation on what it does? Maybe mention where the interface from
the figure appears?
Clear All - ok

Typos:
The settings for each level of detail *is -> are* displayed in its own box.

Overall: I've read through just thinking 'how do I play with this?', it
wasn't until 'Generate' that I suddenly had a screen full of monkeys and
got really happy :-P. The 'generate' part is nearly at the bottom of the
documentation. I would suggest 'Intro', new 'Overview' or something with
the overall process, such as:
"You can generate the lods automatically from an existing mesh, or you can
model everything and set manually. Or semi-automatically with a naming
convention." How do mesh and materials enter here?
Now, I'd start by 'generate', you'd get instant happiness :-), and then you
can explain 'settings' better when people already have something to look at
if they are trying it along. Finally, how do I test this? This is
important, I've learned how to use the tool, how can I see it working? (I'd
personally also want to compare framerates and vert counts, but that is me
:-P)

This is surely not documentation:
1 - If I press generate, and then press generate again. It extends the
existing lods, but does not add the objects (that will have the same mesh
as the ones that existed?). If this is not intended at all, grey-out
'generate' when existing lods already exist?
2 - If I 'clear all', the configured lods disappear, but not the created
objects, I was expecting them to disappear if I created them with
'generate'.
3- Have you considered put 'packed into group' in the main interface? I may
want to easily pack all my lods even if they are not generated
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