[Bf-gamedev] UI; Improvements and Customization

[Colin Knueppel]

Hello,

My name is Colin Knueppel. I'm animation lead with Unknown Worlds.

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.

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.

Blender Guru admin, Andrew Price, has been doing a great job describing the
problems:
http://www.blendernation.com/2013/09/26/fixing-blender-part-1-why-its-broken/
http://www.blendernation.com/2013/10/03/fixing-blender-part-2<http://www.blendernation.com/2013/10/03/fixing-blender-part-2/#utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Blendernation+%28BlenderNation%29>

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.

Here are my suggestions:

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.

Here's the big one
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.

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.

This could work like so:
-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:
http://www.simlab-soft.com/Simlabimages/sketchup-importer-for-3ds-max/sketchup-importer-3ds-max-screenshot-2b.jpg
).
-In this menu, you have Classic, Modeling, Texturing, Rigging, Animating,
Compositing, Custom1, Custome2.. and Save Current UI.
-Selecting these options optimizes the user layout to the specified task.
-You can then rework the layout to fit your needs using existing blender UI
functions
-Use the save option to either save over existing or save a new custom UIs.

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.

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.

For example, but only as off the cuff suggestions:
-All tools should have representative icons and titles (like for toolbars).
-All tool functions should be accessible through a tool properties panel
(no more hotkey only).
-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).
-All tools and tool properties shall have a description.
-Descriptions shall display any binding names that may be mapped, as well
as any current bindings
-Each tool and tool property shall have a python command or python path
displayable in the description, if the user has that option enabled.

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.

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.

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.

Sincerely,
Colin Knueppel
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