Re: [Visualpython-users] VPython render efficiency

[Arthur <ajs...@op...>]

driverz wrote:
> Thanks, Art,
> 
> got it! 
> So we just need to wait;)
> 
> By the way, I would like to remind the authors, the simplicity of vpython
> is vital! Do not lose it when you are trying to provide more!
> (you are working on adding lighting, texture, transparency...)
> It looks like a real 3D game engine more and more. Be careful!
> 
> Keep VPython simple to use and fast enough, please!
> 

I think this is good advice. I think day-to-day VPython needs little of 
the fancy graphics stuff, to the extent that it is at the expense of 
performance.  Bruce has been in touch with the original author of 
VPython, David Scherer, who, I think, expressed similar concerns.

OTOH, I think it would be nice if VPython could better step up to the 
plate for presentation purposes and do the fancy stuff, as well.  And I, 
who do geometric exploration with VPython - not write games, for example 
- find that transparency to be a great feature.  There is obvious 
benefit to not necessarily having objects hiding one another.

So, to me, its a matter of getting the defaults right.  And I think the 
general Python design philosophy is a good one to follow - which I think 
is always thinking about the trade-offs between simplicity, and putting 
power into the hands of the user to use as they will.

Art