Hi everyone, i created this add-on, and I’m about to release it, this video is a small preview of what it can do, You have access to an online database that will grow every week, and as you can see in the video, even when the presets are on the cloud the response time is really fast, also you can create/buy/sell your own presets and use them, and will be compatible with all 3d platforms,
One of the next features i’ll add is the possibility to create online private libraries that you can share with your team, so if a member creates a preset they can upload it and any member of the team can use it in real time…
The basic functionalities are:
-stitch a preset to a mes
-set the preset as a floater (no stitching)
-rotate the preset to an specific angle
-mirror the preset, to do stuff like right and left hand etc.
-create/delete local presets
-use local/online presets
-filter by favorites
-add thumbnails to the local presets you create for easy identification
i’ll release the add-on by the end of this week or early next week and I’m looking for beta testers
My concern is that popup eats unjustifiably too much of screen estate. Artists don’t like to work like that. It should be inapp* popup ontop of blender that can be summoned with a second and closed when done. Asset manager is nice like that. This is because stitching and loading is probably around 50 lines of code. I would guess the UI and online library functionality is over 1k ( I assume you’re using QT? ). It seems a bit disproportionate especially because it is generic, multiapp solution. In general artists do not like dependencies including updating script 3 times a month in fear it won’t work, maybe their net is knocked offline or simple act of having to buy model packs where registering for account and doing the transaction might be more timeconsuming or frustrating than modeling these parts that are <5 mins each.
Forgive me If I am slightly critical, I hope to be wrong and that you guys make a great product. These were just some concerns. Can I also ask how you are communicating with Blender? Tnx
Is this really intended to be online-only? Because I think I speak for a lot of people that if I’m to integrate something into my workflow, it needs to work at all times. Are libraries mirrored/cached locally, as a fallback for when the internet goes down? On top of that, it makes me worry that I never truly own the addon, and that a simple server switch can make it reliant on a subscription (if it isn’t already intended to)
I’m also not crazy about the UI, or the fact that it lives outside of Blender.
It might be worth looking at the Asset Management addon to manage the libraries, untill the Blender Foundation’s own system is implemented.
Mighty Pea… it allows also the usage of local presets, for the online database the way it works is that if this is the first time you created the preset then you download the file…if you have downloaded the preset previously it uses your local copy…to avoid extra data transferring and improve responsiveness… the only presets you never own are the ones from the online database… but you can also create your own presets and use them locally… without needing an online access at all… so if someone is selling a presets pack…you can just put them in the respective folder…and you can own them
The UI i made it that way because atm is easier for me to create a single interface for multiple platforms…right now the plugin works with blender and modo and now I’m finishing the compatibility with maya.
I think that there is a potential secondary market of people creating preset packages and selling them via gum road…and i assume that if you are going to do that is better for your sales if your customers are not limited to only one 3d package
The popup is resizable…that is the size for the video… and actually is quite resizable… I’m not using QT… and don’t worry… critical thinking helps me improve the possible issues with the addon in the end i want to create an amazing experience that will speed up workflows by avoiding the modeling of repetitive or tedious parts.
By the way I’m still defining pricing and selling strategy… right now I’m between having a limited features free version and a 10 usd per month subscription for full features and full access to the database or having a single paid 15-20 usd version with full features + a 10 usd per month extra if you want access to the database… all this to support the project and keep improving it…
Personally I see little appeal in having the same addon in Modo, Maya and Blender, but that’s simply because I only use the latter. So the end result for me is that I’m using a window outside of Blender for no good reason, on top of which there’s seemingly pretty poor UX.
Blender’s UI is so easily scriptable, I’d really look into integrating your tool better!
IM releasing it on Monday via gum road…it will include aprox 40 presets…plus all the versions… all for 20USD… and if you really want to support…i would encourage you to create preset packs to sell via gum road…that way you can earn some money…and help get interest in the tool to more people
I understand your point…buti usually work with people using different tools…and having a common quality UI that works the same…helps a lot to create stuff faster…
if you are a user that only work with people using blender…or don’t have too much interaction with other tools…it makes sense what you are saying…
I have no problem with the UI living outside of Blender, but I would say this: Please at least make the UI look a bit less gimmicky(more professional/clean). It currently look like a UI straight out of a Sims game, a bit childish. No offence.
It’s actually quite shocking that it lives outside blender and I’m curious of how you did it.
I personally like more inside blender stuff like asset management addon does by pitiwazou, floating 3rd software could work if its implemented right to blender so it will have some sorta “tiny” mode when its unactive and widens out after hotkey combination is triggered etc.
What I’m going to do down the line…is create the UI in a dynamic way…so depending the 3d package you use the UI will reflect what package is… if you use maya…it will look like maya, if you use blender it will look like blender if you use 3ds max it will look like 3ds max…etc
and ready for monday’s release