[Bf-committers] IRC meeting minutes sunday 28th nov

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi,

1) Bugfix release

- Solaris bug in tracker appeared (got answer today) to be bug in their  
OpenGL. Sun lab is fixing it. Which developer would be interested in a  
free machine? Serious! :)
- unresolved audio troubles still for linux, OSX audio error seemed to  
be found today
- Python, Yafray and engine fixes come in each day, excellent!
- Ton is still on top of the tracker and handle each report daily.

In general, it was worthwile keeping CVS frozen for a period. Will  
today make a page on the website with all fixes until now, and tell  
people what to test more.

Expected schedule is to finally freeze CVS sunday, and have the release  
builders make 2.36. However, we need a fresh testing build asap, so:

TODO:
- release builders: put up testing binary (release candidate) online,  
notify me so I can link to the binary or upload to our sit.
- Splash team (Nathan, Bassam, Stefano): choose new splash, just go  
over the long list of cool submissions already done for 2.35. I will  
mail you personally a confirmation too.

2) New projects

- Transform refactor
Martin mentions steady progress, with some bugs to iron out. Scaling,  
constraints and support for Ipo Keys are on the todo. He also likes to  
check on unifying new transform() with the ones now used in UV-Image  
and IpoWindow.
As 'candy' features to please users he mentions 'individual  
rotate/scale' in editmode (per face). Ton mentions painting tools  
support (like Zbrush), which isn't hard to add it seems. :)
Martin will update stats in wiki.

- Softbody
Jens Ole reports steady progress too. Goal spring forces (to original  
mesh), edge springs with automatic optional diagonals for quads, check  
the wiki report;
http://wiki.blender.org/bin/view.pl/Blenderdev/Softbodies
When 2.36 is out, the work can be picked up to integrate it further in  
the UI. Ton will assist, but hopes there's someone else to finetune  
details and maintain.

- Scene Graph solver
One of the reasons animation editing with Armatures is slow, is because  
we use a brute force approach for recalculating objects (even twice!).  
Also other animation features in Blender (constraints) suffer lag. What  
would help is a general 'graph solver' to insert all dependencies in  
and which nicely tells Blender what needs update on changes.
Jean-luc, Brecht, Martin and Jens Ole all are very interested in this  
topic. Seems to be a coding classic! Jean-Luc will act as main  
coordinator for the project now. He especially awaits input on Blender  
related requirements.

- Animation refactor
As announced, the upcoming (now 2.37) release will be devoted to a  
refresh of the animation side in Blender. The Graph project will help  
with that a lot, but apart from that current code for Armature, Bones,  
Armature editmode, PoseMode, Vertexgroups, Action editing and NLA  
suffers lack of accessibility and clarity. Ton will act as the lead for  
this project, to be started asap after bugfix release. Hos is available  
for consulting. Wiki & forums and mailinglist will be extensively used  
for feedback. Don't expect immediate miracles! Main target is:
- speed (interactive)
- integration (NLA & Action editing should just work)
- allow work todo in 3d window (selection, visualizing, or parent one  
bone to another)
- smarter armatures (joints, builtin envelopes for deform, hooks for  
python & physics)

-Ton-


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Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation ton at blender.org  
http://www.blender.org