[PLIB-announce] ANNOUNCE: PrettyPoly 3D Model Editor version 0.0.1 released.

[Stephen J B. <sj...@li...>]

I thought I'd pass on this announcement via the PLIB announce list
because PrettyPoly is a 3D modeller that's been written using PLIB
and as a consequence is of particular interest to PLIB/SSG users.

PrettyPoly is a key technology for amateur games writers because it's
heavily optimised for games modelling - and it works seamlessly
with PLIB applications.  However, writing a complete 3D modeller is
a MAJOR investment in effort - and the relatively small PrettyPoly
team (all of whom are also active FGFS and PLIB developers) have
worked hard to get to this point.

This is a "Developers" release - meaning "Don't expect too much"
and "Don't model your next game epic using it *yet*".

If you are an SSG user, please try it and report back any bugs,
suggestions, (and especially) wild enthusiasm and gushing praise
on the PrettyPoly users list (*NOT* on the PLIB list and *NOT* on
the PrettyPoly developer's list and especially **NOT** to my personal
email address!).

Here is the official announcement:

                            --ooOOoo--

This is the first, developers only release of the PrettyPoly 3D Model
Editor. In two weeks we will be making a stable public release, but for
now this version is to enable developers to try it out and send bug
reports/comments - to the pre...@so... mailing list
please.

<Steve:  He means pre...@li... !>
                                   ^^^^^^

You can download it from http://prettypoly.sourceforge.net.

A note - you need to set the environment variable PPE_ROOT to be equal
to the top level PrettyPoly directory (the dir that ppe-0.0.1.tar.gz
will unzip to), for PrettyPoly to find its default python key bindings.

This is the list of currently known bugs ;

 * Enabling the backface widget on the toolbox doesn't
   do anything

 * Resizing a window in Ortho doesn't do the right thing

 * Ortho mode doesn't behave 'intuitively' when you want the object to
   become smaller or larger

 * Display widgets don't reflect the current state of the system

 * Selection buffer size needs to be dynamically determined

 * The mysterious fire-engine selection problem

 * Lighting doesn't always behave itself then selecting objects

 * Opening and closing nodes in the Structure viewer doesn't work

 * Materials are now initialised - but maybe the default isn't
   ideal

 * The ppeScene::changed() function is never called

 * Cut/Paste in 3D viewer and structure viewer "fight" over the
clipboard
   (Actually, I've *hacked* them to use different clipboard so it
doesn't
   crash - but we need a proper fix).

 * Pressing the 'close' button on the menu bar doesn't call the
ppeViewer's
   destructor function.

 * Rotate mode doesn't work.

 * Build Rectangle actually just builds any old Quad.

 * Loading and saving models with no ssgSimpleState's in *some* file
   import/export formats. (Technically, this is a PLIB bug).

In addition, there are some "vital" features that need to be addressed:

 * UNDO

 * Surface of revolution and extrude functions.

 * Additional ssgaShape primitives needed (this is a PLIB WIBNI).

 * Need "build regular polygon"

 * Need way to control number of triangles generated by build-sphere and
cube
   and for number of sides in "regular polygon".

 * Break-into-triangles and Optimise-into-strips/fans functions.

 * Offset current plane/line/point to the current cursor location.

 * Tabbed viewers for people with limited screen space.

 * Alternative vertex selection indicators required (especially for
Voodoo users).

 * Merge 'select' mechanism for 3D viewer and structure viewer.

 * Can't change grid spacing or grid-snap spacing/axis via the PPE GUI.
   (although I think the Python routines still work).




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