[Bf-funboard] How about some good integrated effects...

[Robert Wenzlaff]

On Friday 07 January 2005 22:11, Chris Burt wrote:

> >     I'm trying to put together a small movie for a game that i'm working
> > on. I've spent a lot of time studying the special effects used on many
> > different games and how they can be achieved with other software suits. I
> > know that there are many different effect plugins available through the
> > python scripts, but i think it would be an excellent idea to integrate
> > some good special effects into the hard coded blender program. Some good
> > effects i would like to see are perhaps automated fibers generator for
> > things like hair, grass, and clothing, perhaps some special particle
> > effects generators like snow, fire, and other common particle systems,
> > and perhaps a special effects generator that does certain camera effects
> > like Depth of Field, blurring, and animated camera pans. I know how to do
> > some of these things in blender already, but having these features
> > integrated would make it much easier on people who want to model,
> > texture, and animate by themselves.  Thanks for listening guys!


Well, I guess this is my cue to make my bi-monthly "What we really need is a 
more integrated plug-in system" speech.  The average user should not be able 
to tell if a tool is a python script, a texture.dll, or a built in tool - 
other than possibly having to clicking the "download extra modeling tools" 
and or "download extra animation tools" button on the Blender site.

Monolithic, in general, means bad.  There is no one set of effects that can 
keep everyone happy.  Breaking these off as separate modules, whether a C 
lib, or a python script means no added dependancies, and fewer unexpected 
side effects (as long as we can keep the API from constantly changing...).

Of the above the only one I see that really needs to be integral is depth of 
field, since that should be a part of the camera object, which everyone 
needs.

A lot of these are judgement calls, and having a clean, well implimented 
plug-in system means you don't have to sweat the call, since the user won't 
be able to tell.
-- 
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Three rings for the Elven Kings....
     after that, their answering machine picks up.
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Robert Wenzlaff        rwenzlaff at soylent-green.con