I use Blender in part for the creation of low resolution graphics for an open source computer game, Simutrans. This game uses 128x128 pixel sprites as graphics, rendered in 8 rotations. The Blender internal renderer was used to convert simple 3d models into graphics for the game.
Some years ago, a Python script was created to automate the process of rotating 8 times and rendering each rotation. In versions up to 2.7, this worked without difficulty.
However, in Blender 2.8, I see that the internal renderer has been removed and replaced with a renderer called Eevee. I have tried installing this script, but it does not seem to work with Eevee. I have found the generic list of things that need to be updated for scripts, and, so far as I can work out, the only thing on the general lists needing to be updated is the Blender version number, which I have done. The script can now be installed without error, and is listed as being enabled in the add-ons dialogue.
However, the script has no effect. In Blender 2.7 and below, additional controls would appear in the render settings allowing a filename to be specified, a number of views to be chosen (4 or 8) and a button to start the automatic rendering (as well as a “make masks” button, which I did not use for my particular workflow). These do not appear in Blender 2.8.
I did not write the script, although I did modify it slightly some years ago, and I do not have much familiarity with the Blender scripting language (I normally code in C++ and am unfamiliar with the Blender scripting API).
I assume that the problem is that something in the code relies specifically on API handles specific to the internal renderer that now have no function, but I do not see any error messages, nor are any of the function calls obviously specific to one type of renderer, although perhaps the line:
bpy.ops.render.render(animation=False, write_still=True, layer="", scene="")refers specifically to the original renderer? The missing UI is more cryptic to me.
For reference, the whole of the source code is as follows:
bl_info = {
"name": "Render Simutrans Views Pak128.Britain-refresh",
"author": "Zeno, the Hood and James E. Petts",
"version": (1, 6),
"blender": (2, 80, 0),
"api": 35853,
"location": "Render > Render8viewsBrit",
"description": "Renders direction views for Simutrans",
"warning": "",
"wiki_url": "",
"tracker_url": "",
"category": "Render"}
"""
This script has two functions:
1) Render 4 or 8 fictional views for simutrans game
What it does is placing the camera and sun in each proper position to make
each of the requested renders, that means the camera and sun (light) move
around the objects in the scene, and take the proper renders.
Ther renders are saved to disk with direction suffixes, such as _W (for west
view), _NE (for north-east view), and so on.
2) Enable mask mode for simutrans post processing
This enables mask mode for the used materials in the scene. That means, the
script searchs for every material which name starts with "sp_" (special) and
when found applies the mask to it. The masks changes are:
a) Replaces sp_Dark_Wi*, sp_Cold_Wh* and sp_Red_Lig* with the mask color
(1,0,0.5 magenta), and sets shadeless on for them.
b) Sets shadeless on for sp_* materials.
RECOMMENDED:
* I recommend NOT SAVING the model after using the "Make Masks" function.
It's much more easy to save your blend file before, then when you need to
render the masks use the "Make Masks" function, do the renders, and then
switch back to your blend file back.
* Be careful when naming your materials. Everything that starts with "sp_"
will be considered a Simutrans special color!!!!
Be sure to take a look at our Simutrans International Forum at:
http://forum.simutrans.com
You're also welcome to our IRC Chat Room, at #simutrans channel in quakenet network.
History:
v1.0
----
Basic 4/8 view rendering
Masking function for materials named sp_*
Compatibility with Blender 2.56 beta
v1.1
----
Compatibility with Blender 2.57
Several changes to the Masking funcitonality. Read description above.
v1.2
----
Correct alignments for Pak128.Britain without copying and pasting to templates.
v1.3
----
Correct direction names for Pak128.Britain (were 90 degrees off with the Pak128 version)
v1.4
----
Add choice of camera location to align bases or to align vehicles.
v1.5
----
Correct alignment of NW graphic in the "normal" view to work with aircraft
v1.6
----
Ported to Blender 2.80 (NOTE: This does not actually work. The Blender internal renderer, on which this relies, has been removed from 2.8. Unsure how to make this compatible with its replacement, Eevee)
"""
import bpy
from math import radians
from bpy.props import *
class SCENE_PT_simurender(bpy.types.Panel):
bl_space_type = "PROPERTIES"
bl_region_type = "WINDOW"
bl_context = "render"
bl_label = "Rendering views for Simutrans"
def draw_header(self, context):
layout = self.layout
def draw(self, context):
layout = self.layout
scene = context.scene
row = layout.column()
row.prop(scene, "image_name", text="Image name")
row = layout.column()
row.prop(scene, "op_list", text="Views to render")
row = layout.column()
row.operator("scene.simurender_render_views", text="Render Views")
row = layout.column()
row.operator("scene.simurender_make_mask", text="Make Masks")
class SCENE_OT_simurender_make_mask(bpy.types.Operator):
bl_idname = "scene.simurender_make_mask"
bl_label = "Make Mask"
bl_options = {'REGISTER'}
bl_description = "Swap all special colors to mask colors"
@classmethod
def poll(cls, context):
return context.active_object != None
def execute(self, context):
for mat in bpy.data.materials:
if mat.name[0:3] == "sp_":
print("Making mask of " + mat.name)
# If is window color, replace with magenta mask
print(mat.name[3:7])
if mat.name[3:10] == "Dark_Wi" or mat.name[3:10] == "Cold_Wh" or mat.name[3:10] == "Red_Lig":
mat.diffuse_color = [1.0, 0.0, 0.5]
# Enable shadeless for primary/secondary colors
mat.use_shadeless = True
return("FINISHED")
class SCENE_OT_simurender_render_views(bpy.types.Operator):
bl_idname = "scene.simurender_render_views"
bl_label = "Render Simutrans Views Pak128.Britain"
bl_options = {'REGISTER'}
bl_description = "Render direction views for Simutrans"
@classmethod
def poll(cls, context):
return context.active_object != None
def execute(self, context):
if "Camera" in bpy.data.objects:
cam = bpy.data.objects["Camera"]
else:
cam = ""
if "Sphere" in bpy.data.objects:
sun = bpy.data.objects["Sphere"]
else:
sun = ""
if cam=="":
self.report('WARNING', "Camera not found!")
else:
if sun=="":
self.report('WARNING', "Sun not found!")
else:
scn = bpy.context.scene
cam.rotation_mode = "XYZ"
name = scn.image_name
# Generate the South Image
cam.rotation_euler = [radians(60), 0, radians(45)]
if scn.op_list == "2":
cam.location = [6.6, -7.9, 11.6]
else:
cam.location = [10, -10, 11.6]
sun.rotation_euler = [radians(90),0, radians(90)]
#sun.location = [-70.711, -70.711, 60]
scn.render.filepath = "//" + name + "_S.png"
print("Rendering South Image")
bpy.ops.render.render(animation=False, write_still=True, layer="", scene="")
if scn.op_list != "0":
# Generate the South-West Image
cam.rotation_euler = [radians(60), 0, radians(90)]
if scn.op_list == "2":
cam.location = [7.5, 0.6, 10]
else:
cam.location = [14.14, 0, 11.6]
sun.rotation_euler = [radians(90), 0, radians(135)]
#sun.location = [0, -100, 60]
scn.render.filepath = "//" + name + "_SW.png"
print("Rendering South-West Image")
bpy.ops.render.render(animation=False, write_still=True, layer="", scene="")
# Generate the West Image
cam.rotation_euler = [radians(60), 0.0, radians(135)]
if scn.op_list == "2":
cam.location = [6.72, 8.2, 11.6]
else:
cam.location = [10, 10, 11.6]
sun.rotation_euler =[radians(90),0.0,radians(180)]
#sun.location = [70.711, -70.711, 60]
scn.render.filepath = "//" + name + "_W.png"
print("Rendering West Image")
bpy.ops.render.render(animation=False, write_still=True, layer="", scene="")
if scn.op_list != "0":
# Generate the North-West Image
cam.rotation_euler = [radians(60), 0.0, radians(180)]
if scn.op_list == "2":
cam.location = [0, 14.14, 11.6]
else:
cam.location = [0, 14.14, 11.6]
sun.rotation_euler = [radians(90),0.0,radians(225)]
#sun.location = [100, 0, 60]
scn.render.filepath = "//" + name + "_NW.png"
print("Rendering North-West Image")
bpy.ops.render.render(animation=False, write_still=True, layer="", scene="")
# Generate the North Image
cam.rotation_euler = [radians(60), 0.0, radians(225)]
if scn.op_list == "2":
cam.location = [-7, 8.5, 11.6]
else:
cam.location = [-10, 10, 11.6]
sun.rotation_euler = [radians(90),0.0,radians(270)]
#sun.location = [70.711, 70.711, 60]
scn.render.filepath = "//" + name + "_N.png"
print("Rendering North Image")
bpy.ops.render.render(animation=False, write_still=True, layer="", scene="")
if scn.op_list != "0":
# Generate the North-East Image
cam.rotation_euler = [radians(60), 0.0, radians(270)]
if scn.op_list == "2":
cam.location = [-10.3, -0.75, 11.6]
else:
cam.location = [-14.14, 0, 11.6]
sun.rotation_euler = [radians(90),0.0, radians(315)]
#sun.location = [0, 100, 60]
scn.render.filepath = "//" + name + "_NE.png"
print("Rendering North-East Image")
bpy.ops.render.render(animation=False, write_still=True, layer="", scene="")
# Generate the East Image
cam.rotation_euler = [radians(60), 0.0, radians(315)]
if scn.op_list == "2":
cam.location = [-32.6, -33.6, 32.5]
else:
cam.location = [-10, -10, 11.6]
sun.rotation_euler = [radians(90),0.0,radians(0)]
#sun.location = [-70.711, 70.711, 60]
scn.render.filepath = "//" + name + "_E.png"
print("Rendering East Image")
bpy.ops.render.render(animation=False, write_still=True, layer="", scene="")
if scn.op_list != "0":
# Generate the South-East Image
cam.rotation_euler = [radians(60), 0.0, radians(360)]
if scn.op_list == "2":
cam.location = [0, -11, 11.6]
else:
cam.location = [0, -14.14, 11.6]
sun.rotation_euler = [radians(90),0.0,radians(45)]
#sun.location = [-100, 0, 60]
scn.render.filepath = "//" + name + "_SE.png"
print("Rendering South-East Image")
bpy.ops.render.render(animation=False, write_still=True, layer="", scene="")
return{'FINISHED'}
def register():
bpy.utils.register_module(__name__)
bpy.types.Scene.image_name = StringProperty(
name='Image name',
description='Base file name for rendered images.')
opts = []
opts.append((str(2), "Render 8 Views vehicle alignment", str(2)))
opts.append((str(1), "Render 8 Views normal alignment", str(1)))
opts.append((str(0), "Render 4 Views normal alignment", str(0)))
bpy.types.Scene.op_list = EnumProperty(
items=opts,
name="Number of views",
default='1',
description='Number of direction views to be rotated and rendered')
def unregister():
bpy.utils.unregister_module(__name__)
del bpy.types.Scene.image_name
if __name__ == "__main__":
register()
I should be grateful for any assistance that anyone is able to offer in making this compatible with Blender 2.8.
(As an aside, I do worry about whether Eevee renders will be consistent in appearance with Blender 2.7 renders: the game graphics will all need to look consistent with one another and there are so many of them (many hundreds, probably thousands) that it would be impractical to re-render them all; thus, I wonder whether it would be better to keep to version 2.7. However, I worry that, as time goes by, this version will slowly become more and more out of date and will eventually be unusable on modern computers, so this is not an option that I should lightly choose).