ZModeler3 suggestions/wishes

[smokey8808]

I agree with kotton, the way it currently works is a little inconvenient for modding several games at once - i would definelty appreciate a better way of handling it in zm3, if possible

[Oleg]

I'm not sure yet, but I would probably supply some shader set for each game. not sure whether it's a good idea to recreate dozen of shaders for each game, it's still under consideration, but if I would choose this way, you will get:

1. a tree control on the left side of materials editor with "Shaders" -> "GTA4" -> paint2, mesh, lightemissive.... and lots of other shaders to apply;
2. once you assign shader to material, it takes standard settings for enitre material (the settings that the game needs), so you have several texture slots predefined (for UV#1, UV#2, environment, dirt-map and so on).
3. you assign texture for each slot, the shader's code does the rest;

so you don't mess with settings for each texture (like you do with "Stage math" in ZModeler2 currently).

If I don't decied to re-create all shaders for each game zmod3 will support, you will get the following (the way it works at the moment):
1. a tree control on the left side of materials editor with "Shaders" -> "system" -> diffuse, specular, bump, reflection, diffuse+specular, bump+diffuse+.... and other combinations;
2. an option to define target "porting" shader name (e.g. you specify "mesh" shader for GTA4, but inside ZModeler you are free to use any shader/textures configuration. The filter will "convert" or "port what can be converted and skip the rest" when exporting. (This is the way the filter code works in ZMod2, but it ports ZModeler's materials which is a bit laggy sometimes).
3. is the same as above.

As far as I see, the most inconvenient workflow with current ZModeler2 materials is a need to apply so many texture slots that has no phisical ZModeler2 representation, e.g. "specular map" or "mask layer for light-emissive head/tail/reverse lights. ZModeler3 (even "system" shaders) will have much more freedom and define "specular", "damage/impact", "bumpmap", "dirt/mud/snow" layers natively.

I think I'll dig into this issue as soon as I start to port the first Import/Export filter.

[Murph90]

regarding the testing "expert" group, maybe there should also be a group of "beginners" to see how easy it is to use as well.

PS: i am not actually volunteering

[yngwierocks]

Wow Oleg, zmod 3 is looking very good. On the subject on the bulk rename bit how about if you have alot of objects names cylinder for example, you bring up the bulk rename tool and Check off numerical order. forgive my crude paint drawing but something like this perhaps? http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii81 ... rename.jpg if you want to change the object name, you type it into the top, if you want to just add numeracle values like instead of having
cylinder
cylinder
cylinder
cylinder
you end up with
cylinder01
cylinder02
cylinder03
cylinder04
ect.
I also have another idea. in the Material editor, when choosing diffuse color, instead of just having the sliders, open the number section up so we can imput the numbers manually.
What about a tool that acts similar to 3D studio max's turbosmooth?
And while I'm posting I think I will offer to help beta test Zmodeler 3 if you so choose, the models my friends and I work on push zmod to it's limits with detail, texture size and polygon numbers.

[Transporter]

Hi Oleg

Back to the subject of a proposed plugin that would allow another modeling program to save in z3d format.

Wouldn't it be possible to describe the format of a z3d file the way it would look like if all objects were created in Zmodeler3 itself? That is a z3d without any filter dependencies (no objects imported from game formats). We could keep it simple: only geometry, dummies, texture coordinates and vertex colors.
Currently the best format for transferring files between different programs is .obj and it can't store dummies. And I bet only one set of texture coordinates.

I can also propose a Zmodeler3 plugin for importing .FBX. Can't say right now which of the two would be harder though.

Edit: I propose to write these myself.

[Dmitry216]

Hi! Here is my suggestion of features i'd like to see in Zmod3 (answers on some suggestions found in the topic):
1. Using clipboard to copy primitives/whole objects/object hierarchys/materials from one zmod process to another or inside single process.
2. Multiple object editing in hierarchy view (it's implemented already, as i read).
3. Animation (also answer been found)
4. Some simple rendering module, plus APIs for develop external rendering modules.
5. Some new tools:
5.1. Chamfer tool (or something like this, which allows to break single edge to two parralel edges). As for me, it would be very useful tool.
5.2. Subdivision tool. Affects all mesh or single(selected set) of primitives.
5.3. Mesh smooth tool.
5.4. Vertex alignment tool, which allows to locatate all the vertices from one selection set onto plane, described by some triangle; with projection vector, which can be the normal of tri, or set manually.
5.5. Sculpturing tool, similar to one in Sculptris.
5.6. Multiple(selected) quads to tris conversion (if isnt implemented yet). And tris to quads conversion tool, but this one looks much more complicated.
6. Some view-control improvements:
6.1. Blender-like view control. Make possible to change current view(left/top/etc) by hitting button on numerical keyboard. Also allows to on/off isometry, which is useful, as i see.
6.2. Controlling viewport display mode - switch between wire/solid shaded/flat shaded view, on/off display of backside of faces.
7. High quality documentation + SDK, which leads to easy plugin writing. This may allow developers to imdependently create their own i/o plugin for their own engines, which widespreads zmod
8. Porting zmod onto other platforms like linux and macos, beacause zmod2 doesnt work on wine at all, as i remember, and zmod1 doesnt work completly properly.
9. Publishing source code of zmod3/zmod2/zmod1, maybe even partially.

I'm very sorry, my english isn't as good as i wish

Thanks for reading.

[Richard]

Zanoza 3 can be a bit of both of Zanoza 1 and 2

Zanoza is easier to use than Zanoza 2. But I do like the look of 2 since that was newer than the very old look of 1.

[7SpEED]

I would just like to see a zmod2 z3d export filter

EDIT: and xp compatibility

[alless]

I would just like to see a zmod2 z3d export filter

EDIT: and xp compatibility

We are in 2012, maybe you should change youre compatibility to never windows.

[Oleg]

Yup, I'm developing zmod3 under windows xp, so it will surely work under XP; I'll install win7 in april to make sure that everything goes fine in 7 too.

[ExoticLover1]

• 5. Sculpturing tool, similar to one in Sculptris.
• 5.6. Multiple(selected) quads to tris conversion (if isnt implemented yet). And tris to quads conversion tool, but this one looks much more complicated.
• 7. High quality documentation + SDK, which leads to easy plugin writing. This may allow developers to imdependently create their own i/o plugin for their own engines, which widespreads zmod
• 8. Porting zmod onto other platforms like linux and macos, beacause zmod2 doesnt work on wine at all, as i remember, and zmod1 doesnt work completly properly.
• 9. Publishing source code of zmod3/zmod2/zmod1, maybe even partially.

I'm very sorry, my english isn't as good as i wish

Thanks for reading.

• 5.Use sculptris instead and it would be a waste of time for Oleg to do the sculptris-like feature for modeling. Go use sculptris instead and .obj is widely supported.
• 5.6. I would not reccomend a tri to quad conversion in high-res models due to artifacts in topology it may creates. It may be useful for lowpoly model, but it is advised to change the edge for proper topology.
• 7. Yep, plugins are quite useful.
• 8. Didn't he publish the source code for zmod 1.07? It would be nice if zmodeler is multiplatform supported.
• 9. It would be nice, but it's up to him.

I'm a 3d modeler for over 5 years.

[aRLaN6]

Zmodeler3 Release Date?? Any updates or estimated good guesses?

[Oleg]

I know, I've expected it to be ready in March... To say, I'm remaking SCS .PMG plugin at the moment. There were too much changes in ZModeler, so filters are not "easy-portable", in certain cases code have to be rewritten. I doubt I'll port all or even most of ZModeler2 filters, probably just few will be ported.

I have a couple of events for May and overal roadmap is quite messed for May, so I'll try to put as much effort on April dates as possible.

Thus, May could be beta-testing period while I will be absend and busy with other non-zmodeler related events; then a final polishing and quality assurance touchups and here we go.

---------------
Edit:
An animation support has taken an unexpectively much time; I can't say it's perfect, but it's overal implementation and quality excites me much.

[Chasez]

As a loyal Zmodeler user and GTA IV modder/converter I hope to be one of the beta testers. I hope for non-crashable Zmod lol Zmod2 is crashing on my Win7 64bit way too much and help you to improve it for converters like me to ease the work.

[aRLaN6]

Are you preserving OBJ & 3ds import -export filters? I have money in my Pay-Pal account - Direct X!!!! Okay, that is my absolute last time I will ever bring up direct X for Zmodeler.

Animation! That will be nice, I'm assuming a slight upgrade on Bone tools?

Rendering???

Fun Note: I handed out tons of money for 3D MAX and I still use Zmodeler to do all my mesh work, it's the best tool. I only use max for Rendering and Animation.

[Oleg]

1. obj and (...well, yes, "and") 3ds are not affected by new features or changes and expected to be ported quite easily.

2. yes, bones, soft skin, inverse and direct kinematics, weight painting tool - this code was rewritten from scratch. Few minor things are left as they were before, but that's not critical.
I didn't tested this stuff in action yet, just ensured that it works as expected on simple test models, but I can't say whether it's good or not for modding the real 3d models.

3. no rendering introduced; modern game ending afford a very candy real-time rending techniques, including shadows and light maps, mirrors and other effects. I think static rendering does not worth time. Trying to make a modern rending engine for zmodeler (with shadows and stuff) is also a waste of time - It's way too hard to keep on edge of top-end quality. The game engine will make you good renders, just supply it with proper model and materials.

[Stew2000]

How about adding .stl and .wrl?

[Richard]

Will a .blend export file be added to Zanoza modeler 3?

[Cessna tomtom]

If you decide to run Private beta tests oleg, Consider me signed up.

[Chasez]

So how's it going with the Zmodeler3? any release date or beta test date?

[Richard]

I'm glad to know it will be available for XP. I'm not a long term modeler so it is a good approach for a beginner like myself. Otherwise I would be stuck with Zanoza 1 like for ever with the small projects I have made.

[Gops]

will you do mafia 2 support in Zmodele3 or may be you work on zmodeler2 filter?

[Reinhard]

An idea: Sometimes I copy objects with "instance" enabled. Nice feature.

But if one revisits a model after some time, it may be hard to remember which objects are instances, and which are originals.

Easiest way of bookkeeping such would be a different color for instances of other objects, in the scene nodes browser.

[Oleg]

An idea: Sometimes I copy objects with "instance" enabled. Nice feature.

But if one revisits a model after some time, it may be hard to remember which objects are instances, and which are originals.

Easiest way of bookkeeping such would be a different color for instances of other objects, in the scene nodes browser.

Yup, it worth to be made. I'll think on that.

[MrZasen]

Did anyone asked for a tool for being able to make holes in mesh?
I'm a wheel modeler in zmodeler and is a pain in the ass when I have to do bolt holes in the mesh.