[Bf-animsys] NLA System SoC - 'Phase 1' more or less complete

[Nathan Vegdahl]

I hate to sound like a broken record, but after playing with the NLA
branch for while now, I have one primary question:
   How are "IPO bags" (or rather f-curve bags) going to fit into this
workflow?  As the interface stands now (where the tracks are organized
by object) I struggle to think of a sane/natural way to incorporate
such functionality.  That doesn't mean there *isn't* a sane/natural
way, just that I can't think of one.

   For what I personally expect to use the NLA system for, the
"f-curve bag" functionality is important to several primary use-cases.
 I'm a little concerned that perhaps it's being brushed off as
something that can be worked out as an after thought.  But I fear that
when we actually get around to putting it in that the workflow
developed by then will be highly ill-suited to it.

   I would, personally, feel a lot more comfortable if we could figure
out before-hand how "f-curve bags" will fit into all of this, prior to
Aligorith doing too much work on this workflow to go back and make any
necessary changes (which might be substantial?).

--Nathan V

On Tue, Jun 9, 2009 at 9:44 PM, Joshua Leung<aligorith at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I figured that I should just leave a little note here about the current
> status of the NLA SoC progress. As of the time of writing, I consider phase
> 1 of this project 'complete'.
>
> What was phase 1 again?
> - Implementation of the workflow + broad outline of the NLA system as
> described http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/User:Aligorith/SummerOfCode2009
> (basically the same as the doc I posted a few weeks ago).
> - Implementation of most (actually, just enough of the core stuff) of the
> backend code to evaluate NLA, including IO-code for new system,
> RNA-wrapping...
> - Implementation of enough basic tools for the basic NLA design to be tested
>
> <--- We are here... it's a good point now to try and animate a few shots and
> get a feel for what's working (I hope that is most if not all of it :) /
> not-working >:( --->
>
> Phase 2 involves:
> - Version patching code
> - Finishing off some of the more complicated evaluation matters (mostly new
> stuff) - F-Curve controls for influence + time, transitions, threadsafety
> for evaluating values that only occur in some strips
> - Long overdue code cleanup work on some things I quickly threw together in
> places
> - Implementing tools which make NLA use more fun + more efficient
>
> Phase 3?
> - Foundations for auto-walker stuff... if I get some time, I might even code
> one if there's sufficient interest :)
>
>
> A cool piece of trivia I should mention at this stage is that the NLA system
> is about as functional as the trunk version :)  That is, in terms of tools
> implemented, it's just about the same (there are 2-3 tools I know of which I
> haven't implemented yet, though there are ways around that). In terms of
> evaluation code, there are many things the new system has that the old
> doesn't (not considering the stuff we've decided to cull or move elsewhere).
>
> Laters,
> Joshua
>
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