ZModeler3 suggestions/wishes

ZModeler2-related discussion. General questions, howto, etc.

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Cessna tomtom
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Post by Cessna tomtom »

Licence expires? i dont understand, does that mean you buy (for example) a 6 month licence and then once it runs out you have to re buy another one?
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Reinhard
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Post by Reinhard »

I could imagine a warning message, on every startup, triggered initially some weeks before the party is over.

It would be very distracting if expiration would come out of the sudden, disturbing your work-flow.

But I guess Oleg is aware of this anyway.
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Post by Chong McBong »

Reinhard wrote:I could imagine a warning message, on every startup, triggered initially some weeks before the party is over.

It would be very distracting if expiration would come out of the sudden, disturbing your work-flow.

But I guess Oleg is aware of this anyway.
nooo, not a startup message countdown.. it would be like an evil countdown of doom saying "your creative success ends in 3 months and 2 days... work faster..."

i think having a countdown would feel like a horrible deadline to finish things by...

i would much prefer an email reminder a month before it runs out, then another one a couple of days after its expired to remind me to top up zmodeler for the next year's use...

as long as it's not too expensive, i don't mind paying a small amount each year, but a single payment for all of zmod 3 would be better IMO..
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Oleg
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Post by Oleg »

do you think $2.5usd/month is affordable?
I don't have an ultimate price at the moment, but certain considerations are made already. one month will be about $4usd (it depends on transaction fee, so price could be even higher), 12 monthes could be something like $36usd, 2 years could be $48usd and so on.

I think zmod will be supplied with initial 14 days demo license, whilst the rest is only for licensed version. I mean, an enitre zmodeler startup will require valid license (not an "import" only like in zmod2).

that's it. :roll:
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Post by Chong McBong »

those prices sound about right :)
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Reinhard
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Post by Reinhard »

I think this is the most important consideration regarding Zmodeler 3.

To me, different prices for different periods make sense. 2 years for 48 bucks, in comparison to the $60 right now sounds more than fair.

And $4 or something for first-time users is a good idea, because noobs - like me - always prefer to import and change models of the game they are addicted to, no regard how many example models you will provide.

Hope it will doing well for you, however you will decide, finally.
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Cessna tomtom
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Post by Cessna tomtom »

Once Zmodeler 3 has a stable release, will Zmodeler 2 become totally free?
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Oleg
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Post by Oleg »

nope
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Cessna tomtom
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Post by Cessna tomtom »

On the initial release of Zmodeler 3, Will it have all the Import/Export plugins that the last version of Zmodeler 2 has?, Or do they have to all be remade for Zmodeler 3?
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Post by Oleg »

zmod3 will have a little different engine, so all plugins and filters will be ported. that desn't mean they will be rewritten, but certain changes will occure.
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Post by bayonet »

Those prices sound good to me. I can't wait to some visual upgrades. :D
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Cessna tomtom
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Post by Cessna tomtom »

Is Zmodeler 3 still on paper, Or have you started work on it?
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Oleg
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Post by Oleg »

I'm revising UI core at the moment. It's in the work, but on pretty early stages.
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Reinhard
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Post by Reinhard »

An idea for exports:

(The only filter I use is the one for 18wos. So please be aware that the following is driven by that experience, and that I have not the slightest clue if it would be applicable generally.)

Right now, one hierarchy of several of different node trees is exported into a model, selected by the name of the export.

This is simple, but lacks some flexibility. I would prefer to select several top level groups and export those, in a single run, into the same game model.

Why? Because it would introduce the possibility to model in a construction kit approach.

Right now, I attempt to keep several models in a single Z3D file. For example, the high level detailed and the low level detailed model of the same vehicle. Or a left hand-steered model versus a right hand steered one. Two rear axles, or only a single one.

It is about re-using meshes, dummies and materials. It would be great if all this could done by defining variations of a single general purpose model, but unfortunately, this isn't supported by the game.

If I use separated files, I have to do repeat the same steps for every model. Or merge very often. What I do right now is to move different groups into an export tree, and relocate them afterwards for a another export. It is possible to work in this manner, but I guess it is not necessary.

Again, this is just an idea.
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Oleg
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Post by Oleg »

isn't it available in a "variations" uproach of game models? when certain objects appears to belong to certain variation and/or could be shared among variations.
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Post by Reinhard »

Unfortunately, not really. These variations are bound to "classes" of trucks. Usually used for additional, higher priced versions of the same vehicle. Or payloads of trailers. Which mean some flexibility, but not much.

Mayor differences are chosen by different vehicle PMG assignments. Those are exploited by the game conditionally, depending on the situation/environment. For example, if AI-driven cars are spawned in a country which prefers the steering wheel on the right side, a specific model PMG is loaded for that. Variations for these models are exactly the same than for the "normal" models, randomly chosen.

Or a low level model of the "same vehicle", then rendered in the near distance, will also be provided by a different PMG. There is no way to tell the game to choose a variant for that.

Another example: All wheel dummies of a PMG are used, regardless in which variant these are stored. So there is no way to have variations with different counts of axles. One have to create a PMG model with two axles and another with three. But If I do, I like to share the same truck cabin, for both axle counts. And also want to combine the previous versions with driver and steering wheel on a specific side of the cabin, without changing much else.

Hope it is a bit more comprehensive now. I have not the slightest idea how such an attempt would interfere with the different concepts of other filters/models. So I'm pleased if you have a thought about it, and if it would make sense. Or not.
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Post by Oleg »

Ok, I see now. You are talking about something like "Export Selected...", right? well, this could be made probably (depends on certain filter implementation).
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Post by Reinhard »

Exactly!

Thanks.
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Oleg
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Post by Oleg »

Hello all!

I would like to see your requests on textures browser. which features do you like to see, what kind of layout and textures list and preview to have?

Currently I'm planning to make:

- a wide tile-view like in windows explorer where you can zoom-out to small list and zoom-in to plates of 256x256 preview of textures.
- add a feature of "texture groups". For example, when you import a model, a group "Imported with filename" is created and inside this group you can locate textures that were loaded while importing
- drag and drop on textures and groups - to sort and get rid of groups; buttons to create/delete groups;
- each texture could have a 256x256 preview when clicked on; below this preview - a list of materials where texture is used.
- while importing or opening a file with missing textures, a placeholder texture will be created, so materials layout and configuration is not lost - you can replace such a texture with the one you like.
- ability to rename textures in textures browser (this could be used only if "Store textures in .z3d files" is enabled)
- texture preview (and texture thumbnail images) will include texture and small (1/3 of size) preview of alpha channel in bottom-right corner. This could be an option, i'm not sure yet.

by the way, is a "full texture view" really needed? e.g. when you load 1024x1024 texture, is it really needed to have a preview area where you can scroll down/right to see this texture at 100% zoom?
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Post by Reinhard »

An idea for a feature which affects both texture browser and materials editor:

If there was a "strip unused" procedure for both textures and materials, it would be much easier to isolate and save parts into a new z3d file.

Example: I have made changes to the king-pin (hook) of a semi-trailer. Now I want to merge this little mesh to other types of semi-trailers as well, to replace the old ones. So I remove all other meshes than the king-pin and save my work to a new z3d file.

In favor to don't clutter-up the other models with unneeded materials and textures, I have to look which material is associated to the remaining mesh (king-pin), remove any unused material, and any unused texture then. I guess this could be handled in an automatic way.

So far for Zmodeler 3. But please let me suggest a modest improvement of version 2:
It would be nice if the texture browser's "remove"-button could be bound to the "delete" key. Would save many clicks if you have to remove all the textures but one. Would make it as convenient to delete stuff as it is in the materials editor, already.
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Oleg
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Post by Oleg »

"delete unused" will surely be available.
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Post by Angus94 »

when using 'multiple export' and clicking the browse button could it go back to the last used folder rather than back to the root directory of the drive. i know the dropdown has last used directories in it but lots of times i go to folders that arent in that dropdown, so it's a pain to go back to the root directory then to the folder that i want.
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Richard
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Post by Richard »

Zmodeler 3 will be expanding on the very new and future game releases?
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Oleg
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Post by Oleg »

yes. no filters will be made for zmod2 anymore.
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Post by RoadTrain »

Oleg wrote:yes. no filters will be made for zmod2 anymore.
And updating the filters zmod 2 already has? For example if ETS2 comes soon and Zm3 is too far from release will you make necessary updates to the zm2's 18wos filter? i.e. will you maintain zm2 filters updated until zm3 is released?

I assume Zm3 will initally have new filters which will make it more attractive to buy a license so I'd be happy to see Mafia II filter there :oops: (it's just my dream and no more) :)

And another important thing I'd like to see is some animation-related stuff. I thick you don't need to make a powerful animation editor like in Autodesk products meanwhile some simple tools to animate objects for certain filters (18wos e.g.) can be very useful.

It's just my opinion so it's up to you to decide whether it will be in zm3 or it won't :D
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