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[Raxx]

Alright, it's time to put together a nice, long list of features we'd like to see implemented in Anim8or. I will categorize the requests under three different types:

• Tier 1: Enhancements to tools and features already implemented
• Tier 2: Additional tools and features that enhance the Anim8or experience
• Tier 3: Additional tools and features that change or add to the Anim8or experience

I am also implementing a kind of "vote" system, where you can +1 a request if you feel it really should be implemented! You will get four votes per tier. Just reply to this topic saying "+1 to so-and-so's request for such-and-such".

You can also down-vote a request. You receive 1 down-vote per tier. Just say "-1 to so-and-so's request for such-and-such". The only stipulation is that you should explain your reasoning behind down-voting.

\\ Top Requests

• Inverse Kinematics +8

\\ Tier 1
-- Object Editor

• Proportional Editing: With proportional editing turned on, manipulations affect geometry in a radius (that can be changed numerically and usually adjusted with the mouse wheel or pgup/pgdwn, arrow keys, whatever) around the point, edge, or face that's being moved, scaled, or rotated. The sphere of influence typically has a falloff curve. +1 (Raxx) (captaindrewi)
• Normal Map support: for materials. +1 (TomsWorkshopAnimation) (Smirkyguy)
• Uniform Bevel: Bevels the same amount on each edge rather than proportional to the edge's length. [link]  +2 ($imon) (dwsel ronaldefarmer)
• ASL - Texture Weights - They aren't accessible via ASL (Raxx)
• Selective Edit: Option where editing points, faces etc. only affects selected objects.  +1 (CrashDrive) (dwsel)
• Add Modifier length parameter: To the modifier dialog (MvGulik)
• Bridge faces of different polycounts:Allow bridging between faces of differeing polycount sizes, rather than just equal numbered sides. (Modeler_in_the_Myst)
• More advanced slide tool:Ability to select multiple points or edges and slide them. (rellik420)
• Universal Mirror Tool:Currently restricted to just right-side modifications. Make transformations on either side mirror appropriately (rellik420)
• Uniform Extrude Faces Connected:Extruding offsets all faces equally without distorting said faces(ronaldefarmer)

-- Figure Editor

• Painted Weights Color Sorting: Allow user to arrange/change/set the painted weights colors on a skinned figure.  +1 (kreator) (johnar)

-- Sequence Editor

-- Scene Editor

• Copy and Paste: Ability to copy and paste scene elements instead of being forced to manually add new ones. +3 (kreator) (TomsWorkshopAnimation Miatpi CrashDrive)
• Manipulate Bones with ASL: Ability to use ASL to rotate bones in the Scene Editor.  +1 (Raxx) (dwsel)
• ART: Fog (TomsWorkshopAnimation)
• Rendering Speed: Improve +2 (TomsWorkshopAnimation) (CrashDrive henrib736)
• Parent to bones: Allow bones to be parents for scene elements. +1 (Miatpi) (Water Music)
• Keyframe Parenting: Allow scene element parenting to be keyframed, to toggle the same or multiple parents at different frames, with "blending" or partial parenting influence similar to morph targets. [link] (Miatpi)
• Key All Morphs: Key all morph targets in the scene at the selected frame. (Miatpi) (johnar)
• Re-arrange Listed Items in TimeLine: By clicking and dragging them around. (johnar)
• Key All Bones and Key Selected Bones: Same as in the Sequence editor (johnar)
• Remap Arrow Keys: So that they are used to tweak position/orientation/scale like in the other editors. Use the Function Keys or some other set like , and . or [ and ] to move along the timeline. (kreator)

-- Miscellaneous

• 32-Bit Image Export: For rendered files, such as tif/exr ($imon)
• ASL - Vector and quaternion comparison operators: Something like if($vector != (0,0,0)) (Raxx)
• ASL - Undo Command Scripts: Add undo implementation for command scripts so that it reverts to what was there before the script was executed (polyGon_tError)
• Ability to re-size viewports. (CrashDrive)
• Better access for scripts: Such as pressing a hotkey and then selecting a script from a list (polyGon_tError)
• Options/Debug/Output Normals: Remember this selection between sessions. (Claude)
• Relative Paths: When opening or saving anything, and no path is set in the configuration, set the default path relative to where the .an8 file is located. (Deepthought)
• More Shortcuts: Add more shortcuts to commonly used tools and features +2 ($imon) (Miatpi Raxx)
  
  • Such as Ctrl+S to save, Ctrl+Shift+S to save as (Miatpi)
  • And a shortcut for the Add Edge tool +1 (Raxx) (rellik420)
• Single Axis Keying: Be able to key a single axis without the other axes showing up as well. (Miatpi)
• Group Arrow Key Adjustments for Undo: When holding down an arrow key to make adjustments to translation, rotation, or scale, set that entire interval in that direction as a single undo/redo event, rather than each tiny iota. (captaindrewi)
• Undo after Rendering: Undo history is retained after rendering. (captaindrewi)
• ASL - Combined Assignment Operators: +=, -=, *=, /=, %= Just like with other programming languages. (Raxx)
• ASL - Case/Switch: As in C++ and other languages. (Raxx)
• Make View | Frame Selected work for subobject selections (nemyax)

\\ Tier 2
-- Object Editor

• Topographic Knife Tool: Refer to Softimage XSI's knife tool. Knife tool snaps to visible points and edges, you click and it starts the cut on that point or on that location on the edge, and then you click again on another point or edge location to make the cut. It is continuous, allowing you to make a chain of cuts. Stop the chain by right-clicking. It cuts only what you click on, and ignores unrelated geometry underneath. (Raxx)
• Bridge Edges: Similar to bridging polygons. In most cases when point modeling it's necessary to make a poly between two/three/four other polygons. Currently you have to complete the square by drawing the edges between them, and then select all the edges and fill holes. It would be easier to select the two opposite edges and bridge to create the poly. +1 ($imon) (polyGon_tError)
• ASL - Splines: Ability to create splines (Raxx)
• ASL - Morph Targets: Read, create, and edit Morph Targets +1 (Raxx) (Miatpi)
• Object Editor: Ability to Hide points and faces in edit mode +2 (kreator Deepthought dwsel)
• ASL - Shape.Get/SetParameterValue - Accessible by all script types (including other parametric mesh scripts). (Raxx)
• ASL - Shape update mechanism: A way to keep shapes "live" if needed, or a way to update the shape via another script. (Raxx)
• Selection Set: Set a point/face/edge selection as a group or mask so that they will be either excluded or exclusive to manipulation, and can be hidden. +1 (polyGon_tError) (kakachiex)
• Vertex Painting: Assign materials on a per-vertex level. +1 (polyGon_tError) (Trevor)
• Sculpt push/pull tool: Pushes/pulls mesh geometry similar to sculpting tools in other programs (polyGon_tError)
• Materials - Toon Lines: Add toon line support with the ability to set the line width and color. +2 (ianross) (captaindrewi ClassicTyler)
• ASL - More Diverse Shape Parameters: Don't limit to just 10. Allow for checkboxes, radio buttons, checklists, sliders, strings. Allow categorizing via expandable labels. Scrolling enabled in dialog box if too many parameters. (Raxx)
• Modifiers on groups: Be able to use and apply modifiers on groups of objects rather than just single meshes. (Miatpi)
• Customizable Marking/Radial Menu: For fast selection of commonly used actions (kakachiex)
• More pivot options: Transform around origin, shape pivot, center of selection, etc +1 (DeepThought) (MvGulik)
• Branching splines: More than two splines per knot (Modeler_in_the_Myst)
• Better accessibility for shape scripts: Need a better organization solution for shape scripts, especially when having dozens loaded. Categorization, menus, etc. +1 (captaindrewi) (kreator)

-- Figure Editor

• Free Node System: Upgrade the rigid bone system into flexible nodes and constraints like in other animation systems, where they are easily movable, scale-able, etc. +1 (Raxx) (nemyax)

-- Sequence Editor

• Reference Images: Just like with the object editor, the ability to add reference images in the sequence editor. (ianross)
• Morph Targets: Same functionality as in the scene editor. +1 (Miatpi) (johnar)

-- Scene Editor

• ART: Focal Blur +1 (TomsWorkshopAnimation) (ronaldefarmer)
• ART: Motion Blur. Refer to Blender's Motion Blur (TomsWorkshopAnimation)
• ART: Add ART material attributes that have procedurally generated effects (TomsWorkshopAnimation)
• ART: Caustics (TomsWorkshopAnimation)
• ART: SSS (Sub-surface scattering)(davdud101)
• ASL: Allow adding and destroying of objects (mayim84)
• ASL Export: Allow ASL to export scene data  +1 (Raxx) (dwsel)
• Time Track/Slider Pops Out: Option to pop the time track into a new window, like with the graph editor (ronaldefarmer)

-- Miscellaneous

• Import/Export of rigged models and animations +2 (Water Music) (Miatpi lppena)
• Inverse Kinematics +8 (Water Music) ($imon Raxx captaindrewi ianross dwsel rellik420 Kyle nemyax)
• ASL - Modularity: Implement modularity (functions, structures, classes, etc) +1 (mayim84) (Raxx)
• Manipulation Widgets: Scale, Rotate, Translate widgets/helpers in the workspace +1 (polyGon_tError) (kakachiex)
• Alpha Maps Cast Shadows: The shadows from objects with alpha maps reflect the alpha channel rather than just the geometry +3 (TomsWorkshopAnimation) (Miatpi ClassicTyler ronaldefarmer)
• ASL - UI Access: ASL can create and access dialog options or other user interface elements (polyGon_tError)
• Animated Texture Maps: Using video files, tilesets, and/or gifs. +3 (polyGon_tError) (ianross dwsel Miatpi)
  
  • Animated backgrounds as well (Miatpi)
  • If possible, allow chroma keying (ianross)
• ASL - file.read: allow for the reading of files (to include official file import capability). +1 (NickE) (johnar)
• ASL - script.execute: allow one script to terminate and execute scripts. +1 (NickE) (johnar)
• Custom Shortcut Keys: Allow users to define their own keyboard shortcuts. (avenidagez)
• Area Rendering Tool: Ability to select an area to render (with say, a rectangle tool) so only that area will be rendered. +1 ($imon) (captaindrewi)
• More texture handling options: Such as ability to customize UV repeating option on a per-texture basis, clamp and mirror +1 (MvGulik) (SubDrag)
• Custom GUI: XML-based user-customization ability for all user interface elements in Anim8or. +1 (Raxx) (Modeler_in_the_Myst)
• SVG import: Import svg vector files as geometric shapes. (ronaldefarmer)
• Linking data: Instead of just loading 3rd-party data into the project, enable linking of other files instead (Water Music)

[Raxx]

\\ Tier 3
-- Object Editor

• UV Editor: Edit UVs similar to UVMapper Classic (and other software), where the UVs are laid out against the texture on a plane, typically in its own dialog box, and you can edit the UVMap directly. +1 (polyGon_tError) (Trevor)
• Booleans: Native support for boolean operations such as union, difference, intersect. (ianross)
• Texture Painting: Ability to paint on the mesh which gets translated to a texture that can be saved/exported. (captaindrewi)

-- Figure Editor

-- Sequence Editor

-- Scene Editor

• Physics: Collision detection  (Water Music)
• Physics: Liquid simulator  (ClassicTyler)
• HDRI Image Output: For the ART renderer (polyGon_tError)
• Audio track capability: For better syncing with animation. +2 (captaindrewi) (Miatpi ianross)
• ASL - Object Script Controller: Allow object scripts to run active while in the scene editor, with the ability to access time, frame, etc., and other object script controllers [link] +2 (NickE) (johnar dwsel)

-- Miscellaneous

• Texture Baking: Shadows/AO and other effects +1 (TomsWorkshopAnimation) ($imon)
• Plugin SDK implementation: Ability to program attachable plugins using lower-level programming languages (polyGon_tError)
• ASL Rendered Access: For post-processing via ASL (polyGon_tError)
• Ragdoll-type physics: Allow toggling of passively controlled bones [link]  (Water Music)
• ASL - Events: When a script is run, it can have registerEvent() functions, that bind other, unrun parts of its code with events happening inside anim8or. When an event happens (mouse click? switch to mode? model rotation? start of render? whatever?) the bound code is run, with parameters related to the event (ie. mouse position, or mode we're leaving and where are we going etc) and ASL code is executed. +1 (Thanos) (Miatpi)
• Tablet Support: Android and/or iOS versions. (kreator)
• Import Mesh Sequences: Ability to import/create mesh sequences (ie mesh001.obj-mesh300.obj), similar to how image sequences or morph targets work except done by swapping meshes. (dwsel)
• Export Mesh Sequences: Ability to export a scene or sequence as a sequence of mesh files (ie mesh001.obj-mesh300.obj for frames 1-300). (dwsel)
• Direct linking with external software: Implement a way to interact with other programs that support app linking of data. (Ippena)

[$imon]

They're all good suggestions, Raxx!

I've got a modeling tool I would like to see implemented:

Bridge Edges: instead of bridging polygons, in most cases when point modeling it's necessary to make a poly between two/three/four other polies. Now you have to complete the square with drawing an edge, then select all the edges and fill the gap. It would be easy to select two opposite edges and connect to create the poly.


I would like  to second Raxx' request for Toggling the arc rotate tool (using the alt key)..  +1!

[kreator]

My two pennys worth.... Scene mode instead of having to go up to the build menu and input individual objects every time, click on the object in the scene and use copy /paste it.

I would like to see more enhancements within the animation capabilities of Anim8or

[Raxx]

Alright, I added your feature requests/suggestions.

As for your second one, kreator, do you have something specific in mind?

In the past I requested for ASL ability to manipulate bones in the Scene Editor. I'll add that to the list.

[Raxx]

Ok, I added your feature requests, TomsWorkshopAnimation. I put your ART attributes request in Tier 2 since those are fairly different from what's already implemented.

I also added two more ASL related ones:

• ASL: Ability to create splines
• ASL: Read, create, and edit Morph Targets

[kreator]

I`ll +1 the Tier 1 .png support and Arc rotate

[Water Music]

These have been mentioned before, but I think the biggest things Anim8or has been missing are the importing and exporting of rigged models and animations.  That's essential for anyone who wants to use Anim8or models in real-time applications - games and such.

And, of course, any preset application of physics can give better looking results in a lot less time.  Passively controlled bones were mentioned in an earlier post, non-linear speed options between keyframes, collision detection, IK, etc.  Steve's heard all that before, of course.

Mostly though, I'm just looking forward to seeing what Steve feels like implementing.

[$imon]

PNG support would be one thing, better yet would be support for 32 bit images (tif/exr?). So maybe they can be combined for updated image exporting? ill second it than

And a +1 of course for IK and one for multithreaded rendering!

[mayim84]

In regard to ASL, allowing adding of primitives and objects through the code. This would allow for many awesome effects (ie. particles, forest generation). Also, make ASL modular (ie. user defined functions, structures (or classes)).

[kreator]

Tier 2 - Object Editor - ability to Hide points in edit mode

[Raxx]

Ok, I added all of your suggestions the best I could. Water Music, I wasn't sure about your request for passively controlled bones and non-linear speed options (I could make a guess but I won't). Please explain a little more about those features.

I'm +1'ing the ASL modularity request, and I added the following ASL-related requests that I had mentioned in the past:

ASL - SetAttribute: Set and edit attributes using ASL
ASL - Shape.Get/SetParameterValue - Accessible by all script types (including other parametric mesh scripts).
ASL - Face.SetMaterial - For parametric mesh plugins. A parametric mesh can only hold one material via Shape.SetMaterial. This would allow you to apply multiple materials to a shape.
ASL - Shape update mechanism: A way to keep shapes "live" if needed, or a way to update the shape via another script.
ASL - Texture Weights - They aren't accessible via ASL
ASL - Quaternion arithmetic: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
ASL - Point3 multiplication/division
ASL - QuaterniontoRPY: Similar to RPYtoQuaternion, except the other way around
ASL - Quaternion.slerp(q1, q2, t): slerps between the two quaterinions q1 and q2 by float t. t is between 0 and 1.
ASL - Quaternion.lerp(q1, q2, t), Quaternion.squad(q1, q2, q3, q4, t): same as Quaternion.slerp except different effect
ASL - Vector and quaternion comparison operators: Something like if($vector != (0,0,0))

[Water Music]

RAXX: By "non-linear speed options" I was referring to the fact that a bone in a sequence always moves at a steady rate between keyframes: (total angle/#frames) per frame.  It would be nice to specify that the motion should start slow and end fast (like when throwing a punch), start fast and end slow (like reacting to the above mentioned punch), or start and end slow but moving faster in the middle (like moving to pick up something delicate).  The only way to do these now is to add a whole bunch of keyframes, and try to tweak them all manually so that they flow naturally. ***edit since this is in development already, let's just ignore this one.

Warning:  long geek rant
As for "passively-controlled bones," I basically mean ragdoll physics.  Moving an arm is something we do actively, but long hair moves in predefined ways according to outside influences.  I'll try to quickly lay those out here, first to illustrate what I'm talking about, second to make it easier for Steve to implement, and lastly if there are any amateur game makers out there it is pretty simple to implement these for decent looking results.

Note:  3d physics are not real physics, so this is meant as an approximation specifically for 3d animation.  Some corners are cut, for ease of implementation.  As animation operates in step functions, better results are obtained the more "frames" there are.

Right, so a bone in modelling is essentially a vector and I can summarize what I am going to say by saying that we will derive the bones new orientation for each frame by adding all of the vector influences on that bone that we can think of.  Definition of terms: S₁ is the new xyz position of the bones root for the new frame; E₁ is the end position for the same bone, same frame which we are trying to solve; S₀ & E₀ are the start and end for the previous frame; S_-1 & E_-1 are for the frame before that.

Inertial vector: we start with the vector S₁ to E₀, which represents the mass "resisting" new motion
Momentum vector: we add the vector E_-1 to E₀ to continue any existing motion
Gravity vector: we add a user-defined vector straight up or down the y-axis (depending on whether it is to rise or sink and to what rate).  This will need to be uniquely defined for each bone.
Wind vector: Another user-defined variable indicates how strongly wind affects the bone.  The wind vector is that variable multiplied by the wind vector at the bone's location (more on that in a minute)
Spring vector: This is the tricky one and can be done in a couple of ways.  The easiest, but least correct, way is to add a vector from the bones current end position to what would be the bone's default rest position, multiplied by another user-defined variable representing the strength of the spring.  A more accurate approach looks at the angle difference between the bones current position and its default rest position, and accelerates the bone towards that rest position consistent with the formula (Moment of Inertia)*(angular acceleration)=-((spring coefficient)*(change in angle)-(drag)).  I'll pull resistance out for now to simplify it to: (user-defined variable)*(-change in angle).  This gives a theoretical angle correction, and our spring vector becomes the vector between E₁ before the spring correction to E₁ after the spring correction.
Resistance vector:  This will take another user-defined variable μ for the resistance.  The resistance vector equals E₁ - μ(E₁ - E₀)
Bounceback vector: If E₁ is outside its limits on its x, y, or z axis, or with collision detection if it intersects another object, you could have the bone bounce back along that axis by a fraction of the amount that it would otherwise be over.

Add them all up, correct the bone length back to normal and watch it sort itself out.

This brings us to the many ways to set up wind/tide.  The easiest is simply to set a wind vector for the entire scene.  The next level of complexity allows the user to alter the strength and direction of that vector using keyframes.  The next level allows the user to create wind splines through a scene, along which pulses of wind travel affecting bones proportionally based on proximity.  The last level would create tweakable splines around objects automatically.  However it is used, each time a wind vector is called up it should be randomized slightly for effect.  And if you are really a glutton for punishment, you could affect an object's wind drag according to how much of its profile is showing, how perpendicular the wind vector is to the polygon normals, etc.

Anyway, thus ends the long rant.  I place no demands on this being implemented, I just hope its helpful.  And if the mods feel it is too long/out of place then feel free to delete this post.  Thanks.

[Raxx]

Anim8or already has a form of non-linear speed, with its implementation of the Graph Editor (see attachment). It's not available in the sequence editor, however. Just the scene editor.

I should mention that Steve seems to intend on implementing exactly what you want, for a future release: http://anim8or.com/manual/8_animation.html#editing_segments

[polyGon_tError]

hi Raxx and every one, it is great that anim8or if finaly being updated.
though we already have few of it's capability from our coder by ASL, i have few wish and thought for it :

* the spin tool is good but it will be better if we can alter/redefine polygon inner triangle formation by vertex.
* undo option for ASL command script at least a back-up of last working shape/Mesh will be worthy.
* a simple texture mapper (simple window with image in back and selected face can be mapped there).
* position, rotation and scale helper will be great and worthy.
* non uniform scale and rotate face tool worked badly before(some time or mostly).
* group of vertex rotated by its average center will be worthy, moving face by vertex as well.
* selection group set (V/E/F) can be more helpful in modeling.
* user input for ASL at least yes/no, value input, slider value input will be great, accessing user interface data as well.

* anim8or was mostly compatible and portable before this release :
  i can run v97d in win98, 2000, xp, windows-live, 2003, from card/flash drive using 200mb xp installation in it.
  the dll dependency made v97e non-portable/compatible, as it require to install it before running. as far as i know simply putting the dll on the same folder usualy don't work.
  
  i have Celleron D processor, 256mb DDR1 RAM, VIA/S3G UniChrome Pro IGP Graphics support, privious worked well with it. i tested v97d in Pentium 3, 4, with older system as well, it also work using wine in Linux.

i am too poor to update my PC for win7/win8, sad to know anim8or is being updated for them, being less portable/compatible