For example I´d like a really good collision detection for modelling. Maybe even a collision deformation (fingers deform, when they hold something). Not this tube-sphere thing.
The visibility of the data should be enhanced. Photoshop, Flash, they all have folders to organize their objects.
the buttons should have an option to wrap, if the width of the window isn´t big enough to display them all.
And a key (similar to the common tabkey) to jump from field to field (try to name 60 bones at once and you know what I mean).
I would like to fix objects (or a layer), so that they cannot be selected when I model. A commonplace option for other vector-oriented programs.
Then complete access to all the data via python. Especially bones.
An alignment option like ctrl-k in flash.
A more intelligent subdivide function for adding smooth edges and more control over the result (so more ways to restrict than ‘beauty’).
I would like an extrude-option inside the surface of a mesh, where you actually subdivide it, so that one does not create an independent new edge. For this tool, I´d like to have the ability to move the new vertex along the edge.
(bumpmaps that really deform the surface. I think it is called displacement mapping.)
I´d like to have more control over the armature-movement. It was possible to restrict the movement of ikas. This function seems to have gone or at least could be improved a lot.
Access to the absolute rotation of a parented object would be welcomed.
The constraint buttons could be easily enhanced.
When you model a joint with an armature, the vertices move to the rotational center, while bending the joint. Either a thing like ‘keep the distance to the center’ option or a direct link to a relative vertex-key would be nice.
This is my little wish-list (not complete)
the basic question is not, can you do it with blender, but how fast, how convenient can you do it?
better import/export support (not only by external scripts)
but more important to me: a better renderer. specific modeling task can always be done by an addtional tool and IMHO it makes no sense to re-program another wings3d as long as can import models.
I’d like to see the intterface very much upgraded. The interface is one of the best I know allready, but there are still some issues that that should have been implemented or improved long ago.
Like the tooltips. Sinds the last version a lot of tooltips have been added, but some are still missing. A better help function (maybe a short explanation in a toolbar about what a button exactly does).
It would be nice to be able to use the Delete-key when entering text becouse I use that key a lot more then the backspace-key when edditing text.
The boolean-functions would keep me cheering forever. I find the current way of cutting far to complicated.
It would be nice to be able to choose betweeen the possibility splitting windows or letting them overlap.
The possibility to copy, cut and past like an ordinary windows program would be very nice to.
I could go on but I dont want to do down blender to much. I think you get the point. Maybe this all sound very negative, but I really love blender and just want it to get better.
wilco, you remind me of something. I tend to go for the problems rather than the positive things.
I didn´t write this because I think blender is crap.
Blender isn´t
But there is a chance of blender to continue, and the one thing that I can do at the moment is to provide some ideas to improve blender. I do not think, big buggy leaps will help a lot. Refinement is more interesting. That´s why I don´t care about raytracing at the moment. The things I mentioned are easy to implement and not completely new features.
And I keep my opinion, that it should be a goal to reduce modelling time.
also many of the tasks you describe aren’t modelling but “layout”.
oh
yes
you´re right (partly)
so who cares?
I miss the smiley with the sharp teeth
P.S.: blender has face-select, not very comfortable , because you have to jump in and out of edit-mode, but…
The ability to select by vertex, edge, face (or indeed many other things) would be very nice indeed (see Softimage XSI if you’re not sure what I mean).
Better support for NURBs is an absolute must - I see so many programs out there that can do so much with NURB surfaces…and then I see Blender
Better particles would be nice (easy - just replace it all with Dynamica stuff!), but not essential…
One last thing - the abilitY to deform shapes according to what’s underneath them (ie. softbodies). This would allow us to create that thing like they do in Shrek, where they model the muscle/fat/bone movements and see how it affects the clothes/skin before rendering. A dream, I know, but all great stuff starts off as just a dream…
i think one more thing should be added.right now in blender you can make faces only of 3 or 4 vertices.that is why when you want to subdivide a particular face it always triangulises.blender should be capable of making faces of 5-6 vertices…how about 65000 odd?i also think softbody dynamics is a must along with good hair generator.'coz i don’t think everybody want their models to be nude or hairless.
I think it needs a revamped interface using a more standard button and menu look and feel. This would give new users more intuative access to basic selection and transformation tools for example.
Don’t worry. As long as the IP was retained, all you people who are happy with the current interface could have the option of a “Blender Classic” interface. Shortcut keys would remain identical by default (so no need to “re-learn” everything) but they would be customisable.
The challenge with any interface is to cater for the beginner, right through to the expert. IMHO Blender was designed by experts, mostly with the expert in mind. The beginner-hobbyist is Blender’s biggest potential user-base so interface is very important.
If you havent guessed, human-computer interface design is an interest of mine. I would like to help out in this area if a new 3D package emerges.
i’m actually of the opinion that most other software should look and feel like Blender. people go on and on about Maya’s UI, but most studios customise it to hell in MEL. Maybe the answer is to open all operations to python, and allow that to create windows (which preserve state) and then everyone would be happy.
the thing is blender forces people to learn it the way you should have to learn everything, otherwise you’re just lazy. its like designers, they all know the photoshop key shortcuts, but they’d have learnt them a lot quicker if they were forced too, and in the long term you’re grateful for it. i don’t think there’s such a thing as a casual three d person, you either do it or you dont, and with blender once i’d found that sheet with all the keys on it and what they do (i think that was Joeris) i was away.
if you’d mentioned potential uses of pie menus maybe i’d be less cynical . . .
Kid Tripod, that’s a valid point of view but it would depend on where the philosophy and goals of the development team lay.
I would like to see a product with broader appeal and a more immediately accessible interface. Of course users will always need to use their brains to tap into advanced features - there’s no escaping this - but you can tease them into it, rather than putting them off on their first day.
If the goal is to appeal mainly to people with an unlimited memory capacity for short-cut keys and cryptic button layouts, then that’s okay - but this needs to confirmed before the first screen is designed.
IMO if we want an expanding user base, then we need to think outside our own experience of the Blender interface. We are the exceptional people who could penetrate the interface. Many others have struggled with it and I suggest that they are not well represented in this forum.
That’s my 2 cents worth on the subject. I had better get back to work!
I’d like it to be possible to add weight to subsurf vertices, so you can make some edges hard. Some good hair generator and cloth simulation would be great, too.
But over all I think Blender needs a better renderer, or an easy way to integrate with an external raytracer.
I understand your point, but I think, blender doesn´t have to be baby-accessible. Blender is higly complex and as I experience it (maybe I am wrong) it is fast. And you can learn the blender basics within one afternoon. The only thing that blender always lacked was a good documentation. Did you ever see the 1.5 manual? It is valuable information, but a pain to read. I think with some good tutorials it is easy to start with blender. But those tutorials must be constructed. That´s one reason, why I wanted to star those work-groups. Problem is, I don´t have the space at the moment. Acasto is busy and kib didn´t even reply to my mail. I think the blender interface approach is just right. If you take it away, you take away the only thing that makes blender unique and preferable.
So my idea would be sophisticated tutorials to solve the problem of raising blenders appeal.
Blender will hopefully never become a try and click tool.
Imo there should be changed one thing about the interface : A menu with all tools and functions, and a help function describing the tool.
For the rest I woukd like to see tons of new modelling features (especially a knife and bevel tool), and an improved renderer who supports things like raytracing, GI (not blenders radiosity that modifies the geometry, but photon mapping radiosity)and better anti-aliasing.
I, for one, have memory troubles . The most standerd keys I manage to remember, the ones that I use less frequently I tend to forget verry quick. I could’t use a list (and I actualy have one) but I always lose it in all the other stuff liying arround :-? . I would like a much more complete menu-structure covering all the keys, which shows all the shortcuts so I can learn them when I need them. For mee this would work much quicker.
I absolutely agree with this 8) . We need far more tutorials that are much easier and complete, which cover all the functions from beginners to experts and everyone in between.
Blender doesn’t need to by a fantastic graphicly appetizing super programm with 10 ways to use 1 function (it would only make the programm 10 times bigger), but it would help to make it just a little bit clearer. I can not count the times I left blender frustrated because of the difficoult interface. And then coming back because there’s nothing else that is as small, cheap for the wallet, because the moddeling is much faster and just because it’s such an exelent programm .
. The most standerd keys I manage to remember, the ones that I use less frequently I tend to forget verry quick. I could’t use a list (and I actualy have one) but I always lose it in all the other stuff liying arround :-? . I would like a much more complete menu-structure covering all the keys, which shows all the shortcuts so I can learn them when I need them. For mee this would work much quicker.
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