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</head><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">@Colin @Aubrey<br>
<br>
Hey<br>
<br>
An UI refresh is planned for the 2.7x series, and the commutity has been
very active recently in proposing what the refresh could consist of
(you can see the biggest thread about it here -
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?298932-Blender-UI-Mockups-and-Ideas-Requested">http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?298932-Blender-UI-Mockups-and-Ideas-Requested</a>).<br>
<br>
I created a doc that gathers up some of the more solid proposals in a
unified manner. You are welcome to read and comment, the doc is here -
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ScPMbHv8WRCU2znB7IU2l-W9hH-NLs5weQKLkjqmgpA/edit?usp=sharing">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ScPMbHv8WRCU2znB7IU2l-W9hH-NLs5weQKLkjqmgpA/edit?usp=sharing</a><br>
<br>
Cheers<br>
PLyczkowski<br>
plyczkowski.com<br>
<br>
P.S. I really like both Natural Selection 2 and Overgrowth, great work
guys. If you need a game artist in the future don't hesitate to contact
me.<br>
<br>
<blockquote style="border: 0px none;"
cite="mid:CAOFBCuU1UeoytX8NOAVNx-7UbN9oVK5h90hdeK5+eE-+Ex=Uag@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div style="margin:30px 25px 10px 25px;" class="__pbConvHr"><div
style="display:table;width:100%;border-top:1px solid
#EDEEF0;padding-top:5px"> <div
style="display:table-cell;vertical-align:middle;padding-right:6px;"><img
photoaddress="aubrey@wolfire.com" photoname="Aubrey Serr"
src="cid:part1.07090800.04090305@gmail.com"
name="compose-unknown-contact.jpg" height="25px" width="25px"></div> <div
style="display:table-cell;white-space:nowrap;vertical-align:middle;width:100%">
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:aubrey@wolfire.com"
style="color:#737F92
!important;padding-right:6px;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none
!important;">Aubrey Serr</a></div> <div
style="display:table-cell;white-space:nowrap;vertical-align:middle;">
<font color="#9FA2A5"><span style="padding-left:6px">4 października
2013 17:58</span></font></div></div></div>
<div style="color:#888888;margin-left:24px;margin-right:24px;"
__pbrmquotes="true" class="__pbConvBody"><div dir="ltr"><div>Hey <font>Colin,
thanks for bringing this issue up!<br><br>I'm Aubrey Serr, production
game artist for 10 years, co-designer of the Overgrowth 3D level editor,
co-owner Wolfire Games<br><br>I only mention all of that because I have
found the blender community extremely dismissive of any UI suggestions
(I got "silenced" in blender IRC for suggesting the delete key should
delete the selected sub-object rather than bring up a menu). <br>
<br>I
have had these exact same concerns since we have been using blender in
our production workflow for years and our game is highly modable, it
would be nice to be able to fully recommend it to people, but I also
find the UI to be hostile to new users.<br><br></font></div><div><font>I
agree with the blender guru videos. My primary concern is how LMB and
RMB are mapped on the mouse, and how there are so hidden shortcut keys
that bring up menus -- the worst of both worlds. It would be cool if the
different editing modes used more industry standard toolbars.<br>
<br></font></div><div><font>I understand that there are a few other
artists out there using blender to create professional quality work, and
so my opinion is just one of many, but hopefully it counts for
something!<br><br>
</font></div><div><font>-Aubrey<br></font></div></div><div
class="gmail_extra"><br><br><br></div>
<div>_______________________________________________<br>Bf-gamedev
mailing list<br><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Bf-gamedev@blender.org">Bf-gamedev@blender.org</a><br><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-gamedev">http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-gamedev</a><br></div></div>
<div style="margin:30px 25px 10px 25px;" class="__pbConvHr"><div
style="display:table;width:100%;border-top:1px solid
#EDEEF0;padding-top:5px"> <div
style="display:table-cell;vertical-align:middle;padding-right:6px;"><img
photoaddress="colin.k.work@gmail.com" photoname="Colin Knueppel"
src="cid:part1.07090800.04090305@gmail.com"
name="compose-unknown-contact.jpg" height="25px" width="25px"></div> <div
style="display:table-cell;white-space:nowrap;vertical-align:middle;width:100%">
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:colin.k.work@gmail.com"
style="color:#737F92
!important;padding-right:6px;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none
!important;">Colin Knueppel</a></div> <div
style="display:table-cell;white-space:nowrap;vertical-align:middle;">
<font color="#9FA2A5"><span style="padding-left:6px">4 października
2013 16:47</span></font></div></div></div>
<div style="color:#888888;margin-left:24px;margin-right:24px;"
__pbrmquotes="true" class="__pbConvBody"><div dir="ltr"><div>Hello,</div><div><br></div><div>My
name is Colin Knueppel. I'm animation lead with Unknown Worlds. </div><div><br></div><div>For
Natural Selection 2, we have considered using Blender to rig future
characters. With using Blender, modders could use and learn from our
work unhindered by license, and it would hopefully lower the barrier to
nicer mod assets, even if just animations on existing characters.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Unfortunately, Blender's UI would mean significant
training time for almost any new team members brought into the studio,
so we're likely to switch to Maya instead. I might still change my mind,
but key to our adoption of the program would be some promise that UI
and usability will improve.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Blender Guru admin, Andrew Price, has been doing a
great job describing the problems:</div><div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.blendernation.com/2013/09/26/fixing-blender-part-1-why-its-broken/">http://www.blendernation.com/2013/09/26/fixing-blender-part-1-why-its-broken/</a><br>
</div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.blendernation.com/2013/10/03/fixing-blender-part-2/#utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Blendernation+%28BlenderNation%29">http://www.blendernation.com/2013/10/03/fixing-blender-part-2</a><br>
<div><br></div><div>The recommendations he has for the program will be
posted in two weeks (mid October), and given his clear, researched
perspective of the subject, I have no doubt he will have great
suggestions for the program. I worry that he will be shutdown by the
existing community however, so I have some key suggestions, one of which
would vastly improve the usability of the program in ways no other
program would match.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Here are my suggestions:</div><div><br></div><div>1.
Following the videos, you poll then implement any improvements that are
deemed uncontroversial. I suspect reorganizing tools functions based
upon importance and frequency of use would be an example of something
uncontroversial. Increasing the size of important controls, so that
people know what to try first, would probably be another. Even a handful
of these sort of improvements could greatly smooth new user learning.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Here's the big one</div><div>2. Create task oriented
UI schemes accessible from within Blender. You would have a default
classic Blender option for all the fans of the current interface. You
would then have additional User interfaces that have been customed to
best fit a professional task, like modeling, texturing, rigging, etc..
These UIs could not only consolidate the panels and tools most
associated with the task, but also adopt conventions from other programs
those professionals commonly use. </div>
<div><br></div><div>For instance, Texture artists commonly use photoshop
and painter programs. In the Texture UI, they might be greeted with a
toolbar on the left, which contains marquee selection tools, brushes and
other art program like tools. The layout could have a texture layer
system, color palette, brush tool options on the right. B key brings up
brush, ctrl+c copies selections. In essence, Blender: Texture UI could
feel like an art program, which is the most inviting environment an
artist can have. It would be a joy for anyone coming from Photoshop to
see this. It would inspire love, if done right, and to boot, it wouldn't
interfere with classic users, because they could continue using the
Classic interface.</div>
<div><br></div><div>This could work like so:</div><div>-In the top left
of the header, right of the Blender icon and name, have a dropdown menu
(See image of 3dsMax 2010 or later for an example, like: <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.simlab-soft.com/Simlabimages/sketchup-importer-for-3ds-max/sketchup-importer-3ds-max-screenshot-2b.jpg">http://www.simlab-soft.com/Simlabimages/sketchup-importer-for-3ds-max/sketchup-importer-3ds-max-screenshot-2b.jpg</a>). </div>
<div>-In this menu, you have Classic, Modeling, Texturing, Rigging,
Animating, Compositing, Custom1, Custome2.. and Save Current UI. </div><div>-Selecting
these options optimizes the user layout to the specified task.</div>
<div>-You can then rework the layout to fit your needs using existing
blender UI functions </div><div>-Use the save option to either save over
existing or save a new custom UIs.</div><div><br></div><div>This
approach would allow Blender: Classic UI to continue as is for adamant
Blender users, while making Blender vastly more accessible than any
other 3d program on the market. It could start simple, with just
consolidated tools and panels that already exist. With time, programmers
could add features, like floating toolbars to create that utopian UI
that makes each profession feel truly at home. </div>
<div><br></div><div><div>3. Work with the community to define
conventions for feature uniformity. Part of the purpose of the exercise
would be to make each tool have robust, forward thinking implementation
that would allow them to be used in varying ways and new UI experiences.</div>
<div><br></div><div>For example, but only as off the cuff suggestions: </div><div>-All
tools should have representative icons and titles (like for toolbars). </div><div>-All
tool functions should be accessible through a tool properties panel (no
more hotkey only). </div>
<div>-All of these tool property panels should be callable, so that they
can permanently populate a window if the user so chooses (think about
tools you use constantly, like brushes for modelers or texturers).</div><div>-All
tools and tool properties shall have a description. </div>
<div>-Descriptions shall display any binding names that may be mapped,
as well as any current bindings </div><div>-Each tool and tool property
shall have a python command or python path displayable in the
description, if the user has that option enabled.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Conventions like these would allow for custom
toolbars, custom UIs, aid learning and remapping through inherent hotkey
description, aid scripters and so on. It basically defines aspects of
the program in a robust way, so that reworking the user experience does
cause loss of features. It also gives programmers a checklist of UI
guidelines to implement in the future, maintaining better consistency
across the program.</div>
</div><div><br></div><div>Those are my suggestions. I'm sure some of
this is kind of possible as is. I would argue that suggestion 2 should
be a key features. Suggestions 1 and 3 are things that should be done
consistently.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I hope this is well received. If just some of this
were to be implemented, I'd feel a lot better about using the program in
our studio.</div><div><br></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Colin
Knueppel</div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div></div>
<div>_______________________________________________<br>Bf-gamedev
mailing list<br><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Bf-gamedev@blender.org">Bf-gamedev@blender.org</a><br><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-gamedev">http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-gamedev</a><br></div></div>
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