New 3D renderer
Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:05 am
Hi Aaron.
If i remember well, in to-do-list there was a new 3D renderer that should substitute L3DTVi2. I've controlled just now and it's not present in lists (2.4c, 2.5, unscheduled)
I imagine that you want rely on an external 3D engine (like Torque).
If it's true, my opinion is that is a GREAT idea! L3DT is (for me) the best landscape generator of the world (and i, continously, make research through Internet to find better tools), and his job is to create landscapes.
If i can give you some tips, development plan of L3DT should focus on:
1) better improve heightfield generation (and it seem that it's present in your development plan)
2) externalize, through plugins, import/export processes (see above). It don't concerns export into 3D viewers or engines (see point 7 below).
3) externalize, through plugins, filters processes like erosions, ridges, etc. Actually it seems to me that an imported heightfield could be modified hardly (only in DM). Some ideas could be found taking a look at Leveller (that you just knows) and GeoControl (great tool concerning of filters, but poor about the rest).
4) externalize, through plugins, other modeling aspects like making rivers, waterfalls, roads that concerns non-vegetation aspects
5) manage vegetation coverage mapping (it's in your "wish list") that allows to place standard 3D objects "references" (created with 3DStudio, Maya or others well-known foliage tools like XFrog, SpeedTree, etc.). Import plugin could be the welcome in this case
6) foresee a step that manages skyies and clouds through import of a sky dome. It could be, again, realized with a plugin (very hard to develop, i suppose) or relying on images realized through an external tools like SkyPaint or Terragen
7) foresee a final step (in "Calculate" workflow) that allows export to a 3D environment relying on an external 3D engine that could have an internal 3D viewer, could export itself to an external 3D viewer or could build an application that package all stuffs in an executable app. Better if 3D engine/environment is open-source (Ogre, Irrlich, etc.), but low-costs engines/environments like Torque could be a valid alternatives
As you see the word "plugin" recurs many times. Therefore a L3DT plugin repository that contains free or purchasable plugins developed by willing developers could be set to host them.
In few words, L3DT could become a "plugin assembler" that have a well known pluggable interface. L3DT would become only an heightfield modeler engine that rely on external components. But L3DT would become too a "plugin", or an external tools for a 3D engine/environment.
If this scenario seems to you realistic, could announce a competion (like IOTM) for the best "plugin developer of the month, or the year", at the moment that L3DT SDK is ready. In this way L3DT would be a L3DT community's creature, and not only Aaron's creature.
I hope to be been clear in my exposition.
Cheers.
Mauro.
If i remember well, in to-do-list there was a new 3D renderer that should substitute L3DTVi2. I've controlled just now and it's not present in lists (2.4c, 2.5, unscheduled)
I imagine that you want rely on an external 3D engine (like Torque).
If it's true, my opinion is that is a GREAT idea! L3DT is (for me) the best landscape generator of the world (and i, continously, make research through Internet to find better tools), and his job is to create landscapes.
If i can give you some tips, development plan of L3DT should focus on:
1) better improve heightfield generation (and it seem that it's present in your development plan)
2) externalize, through plugins, import/export processes (see above). It don't concerns export into 3D viewers or engines (see point 7 below).
3) externalize, through plugins, filters processes like erosions, ridges, etc. Actually it seems to me that an imported heightfield could be modified hardly (only in DM). Some ideas could be found taking a look at Leveller (that you just knows) and GeoControl (great tool concerning of filters, but poor about the rest).
4) externalize, through plugins, other modeling aspects like making rivers, waterfalls, roads that concerns non-vegetation aspects
5) manage vegetation coverage mapping (it's in your "wish list") that allows to place standard 3D objects "references" (created with 3DStudio, Maya or others well-known foliage tools like XFrog, SpeedTree, etc.). Import plugin could be the welcome in this case
6) foresee a step that manages skyies and clouds through import of a sky dome. It could be, again, realized with a plugin (very hard to develop, i suppose) or relying on images realized through an external tools like SkyPaint or Terragen
7) foresee a final step (in "Calculate" workflow) that allows export to a 3D environment relying on an external 3D engine that could have an internal 3D viewer, could export itself to an external 3D viewer or could build an application that package all stuffs in an executable app. Better if 3D engine/environment is open-source (Ogre, Irrlich, etc.), but low-costs engines/environments like Torque could be a valid alternatives
As you see the word "plugin" recurs many times. Therefore a L3DT plugin repository that contains free or purchasable plugins developed by willing developers could be set to host them.
In few words, L3DT could become a "plugin assembler" that have a well known pluggable interface. L3DT would become only an heightfield modeler engine that rely on external components. But L3DT would become too a "plugin", or an external tools for a 3D engine/environment.
If this scenario seems to you realistic, could announce a competion (like IOTM) for the best "plugin developer of the month, or the year", at the moment that L3DT SDK is ready. In this way L3DT would be a L3DT community's creature, and not only Aaron's creature.
I hope to be been clear in my exposition.
Cheers.
Mauro.