Indigo 2.2.3, with Mat Editor beta 2

[OnoSendai]

Where can we adjust the gain (what the slider does in sketchup)?

Absorption gain? the Indigo Mat editor doesn't have that yet, but I'm planning to add something similar.

[Doug Armand]

not sure how hard these are to implement but would be real handy

1#: Ability to import more than 1 material (been mentioned before I think). Be a boon to making more complex blends.

2#: Option to up the subdivision of the Material Database Model - atm it can be hard to see the effects of a detailed displacement map for instance.

3#: Option to invert a texture map - a real time saver this one!

#4: Make more obvious how to change a medium name - took me a few tries to realise that you just click on the name to edit it.

#5: Loads of presets for the shader language with brief descriptions in each of how they work - ala Ono's excellent 'Rippled Water' material. The shader in that is clearly described so even a nublet like me has a chance of tweaking it.

#6: More preview models like square and make the other models show displacement. It seems the current sphere one doesn't.

Thats it for now.

BTW I am loving using the editor - I tweak materials loads more now and it's so convenient saving complex materials and then just loading them in Blendigo as an external - a real workflow time saver

[CTZn]

2#: Option to up the subdivision of the Material Database Model - atm it can be hard to see the effects of a detailed displacement map for instance.

I suggest the introduction of two <include> statement in the test scene, one for each of the main render ball and its base. If the file is blank nothing happens, else what it contains subdivision settings (view-dep).

3#: Option to invert a texture map - a real time saver this one!

b=-1, c=1.

#6: More preview models like square and make the other models show displacement. It seems the current sphere one doesn't

I plaid for a custom mesh import, again using include statements. object dimensions might be an issue tho.

[Doug Armand]

[quote="CTZn

3#: Option to invert a texture map - a real time saver this one!

b=-1, c=1.
quote]

Thanks CTZn that is real useful to know. Also means that it would be a no brainer to have a check box that does it too :-^)

[CTZn]

makes sense :)

[neo0.]

As with my others this is a pretty serious suggestion. It would be great if the mat editor was "blender-ish" in that the editing UI changed, to best suit the currently selected material. Blend materials (especially complex blends where you combine 2 materials with 2 materials) can be very unintuitive when presented in an informational way (imo a more visually oriented approach would be more user friendly.) Now, for the example.. Time to break out photoshop again :)

Clicking on each material (the cursor would change to indicate that you are current moused over a material) would cause the editor to open up properties for that material. In addition materials could be dragged from one blend material to another blend material (similar to how tabs can be dragged from window to another window in Firefox) if multiple blend materials are present in the node editor.

Also, it would be nice to have an icon for blend materials in the material list.. How about adding mini preview icons to the material names as well? Blend materials would still have a wysiwig preview pic, but there might also be a tiny little symbol next to their name to denote that they are a blend material..

[OnoSendai]

Hi Ne0, a visual graph of the material tree like you described would be cool, but too much work. The current method works fine, and I think it's not *too* hard to use.

[Doug Armand]

Hi Ne0, a visual graph of the material tree like you described would be cool, but too much work. The current method works fine, and I think it's not *too* hard to use.

I agree with Ono that the current way for displaying blends is fine. The current 'tree' display in the left hand material section when a blend material is created is a very clear, clean and simple way to show how the materials are related.

Just my two cents as usual :-)

[neo0.]

Well, I can always keep on dreaming :) Out of curisity, by too much work, are we talking like a few weeks?

[Doug Armand]

Well, I can always keep on dreaming :)

never stop dreaming - it's what keeps us all going.

Just don't be surprised if the dream doesn't become reality :-)

[CTZn]

Out of curisity, by too much work, are we talking like a few weeks?

If I may, I guess that means too much time to be spent now at it, a priority thing.

Keep in mind that with a beta you are first facing functional concerns; when that's done you can think about its UI layout + bonus eventually (your kind of request :)).