[Bf-committers] [30452] branches/soc-2010-jwilkins: == MatCap Shade Mode ==

[GSR]

Hi,
jason.a.wilkins at gmail.com (2010-07-17 at 2229.35 -0500):
> So actually, the way it behaves right now is almost exactly the same way as
> if you did the 5 or 6 steps to set up a matcap material and then started
> switching images.  It currently does allow you to select any image loaded
> into blender.

Ahh, OK, it sounded like it was doing something special with images. I
tried to compile & test your GSoC branch, but crashed on launch.

> What you seem to be objecting to is making it even easier to reference a
> matcap by loading an *entire directory* of matcaps at once into the selector
> without having to open the file select dialog.  Actually I guess what it
> really is is that regular images might not be referenced this way.  I'll
> consider that but for now I'm moving on since this feature isn't an official
> part of my GSoC project :)

No, what I am objecting is about special cases. If an image is needed,
it should go like any other, so user benefits from the rest of the
infrastructure, like being able to adjust curves or paint over it or
packing (or not packing).

In this case what seems to be missing is multi select to load many
images, just like importing many meshes from another .blend already
works fast. Improving that for image loader would benefit everyone,
like when you have to pick many image maps to do a multi sheet UV
work.

BTW, MatCaps are also a nice way to do NPR renders, been there, done
it, just set a texture with Nor coordinates, IIRC. ;] It could even be
used in postpro too, as material swapping trick, but Map UV node
misbehaved in edges. So please do not assume where the MatCaps are
going to be used. :]

It is rather old, 2001 or older, based in the following forum+product
and paper: http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=26323
http://www.worley.com/Media/images/html/g2/eaton_artmode.html
http://www.cs.utah.edu/npr/papers/LitSphere.pdf
The "new" Zbrush part is probably generating the sphere from photos
via user guidance.

GSR