[Robotics] Extension of the sensor/controller/actuator model inthe GE

[Herman Bruyninckx]

On Fri, 17 Apr 2009, Benoit Bolsee wrote:

> I had a closer look at the texture plugin model:
Thanks for your efforts!

> it shows that blender
> can load DLL, call functions from it, display custom UI, and save custom
> data in .blend. Adpating this model to the GE is a complex project but
> is possible. The complexity comes partly from that fact that the GE is
> C++, and DLL are not good friends of C++.

Why not? Calling a function from C++ whose implementation resides in the
DLL is not that unusual...?

> Some considerations limit the scope of this plugin model:
> - The plugin has limited access to the scene data: it cannot directly
> access the C++ classes, it must go through a C API.
> - For the same reason, a sensor plugin cannot be triggered by game
> internal data
> - The current logic model may be superseeded by a nodal model in the
> future, it may not be the right time to develop a complex plugin model.

This latter remark seems to be the most important one! The positive
interpretation that I derive from it is that we should try and discuss that
"future nodal model" with the responsible developer(s) in order to make our
aims clear, and maybe to help realise the whole thing...

> However, a plugin system would be perfect to implement custom
> communication protocol, which is an essential need for robotic
> applications. Given this, I would still find justified that a project is
> funded to implement this plugin model.

If the description of such a project can me made, and the appropriate
developers are identified, there might be some money available in some of
the projects whose partners are already active in this forum :-)

>
> Benoit

Herman
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: robotics-bounces at blender.org
>> [mailto:robotics-bounces at blender.org] On Behalf Of Benoit Bolsee
>> Sent: jeudi 16 avril 2009 11:09
>> To: 'Blender and Robotics'
>> Subject: Re: [Robotics] Extension of the
>> sensor/controller/actuator model inthe GE
>>
>>
>>>
>>>  From my point of view, a plugin model as you describe it would be
>>> indeed a good solution. The DNA/RNA approach seem to be
>>> central in the
>>> on-going efforts towards Blender 2.5. Do you (or maybe Ton,
>> if you're
>>> reading :-) ) know if a plugin architecture is being
>>> discussed for this
>>> next release?
>>>
>>
>> I should have looked just 1 minute more at blender doc before sending
>> the Email. There is already a plugin model already for texture and
>> sequencer (nothing to do with logic!):
>> http://download.blender.org/documentation/htmlI/ch27.html
>> I'll read more
>> about it but it seems that the plugin concept is already possible in
>> Blender.
>>
>> /benoit