Amapi 8 wishlist - Polyloop

laughingnome · 25th January 2007, 23:56

As you are no doubt aware Amapi 8 is currently under devolpment, this thread is a place to discuss Requested tool features or New tools for last minute implementation or for future devolpement.
Amapi 8 like it's earlier versions is a Design orientated 3D modeling software not a 3D rendering package.

Suggestions can be either verbal or image based, references or screencaps from other apps are ok.
This tread is in no way an official EFrontier request however most of the Beta Team and Development Team are members of this forum so any requests will most likely be read here before any other site

Please dont bug the Beta Team for information or screencaps as they cant give either

regards
stu

larsen · 26th January 2007, 12:57

Hi,

as already said in another thread I would like to see in the next release:

(1) Macro recording capability (scripting would even be better);

(2) Better beckdrop image handling (Thomas has already replied to this request);

(3) Tassellation of nurbs surfaces with support for ngons (maybe with a polycount slider like in MoI);

(4) Hexagon tools for polygonal modeling so that I can stop using 2-3 application for the same project (edge selection and handling, edge modeling,...) and the introduction of the universal manipulator;

That's all for now.

Thank you in advance!

Piem · 26th January 2007, 22:32

Not in the order:
I hope a better Illustrator import
I hope there will be an fbx export done with the last fbx SDK.
I hope that the dxf will be able to let the quads as quads (read as tris by some renders, but quads and with the groups as layers)
I hope that the chanfers will be a great pleasure to do.
I hope that a real tree will be added, with all the functionnalities of a good scene tree.
I hope that we could still switch easily between poly and nurbs ( I hope a model could be polygonal and some parts of it could be nurbs)
I hope that the export will be the more clean as possible, with many features
I hope that uvws will be implemented and if it's so, that a model could have many texture domains with no problem about seams
i hope also that we could write some macros
I would like to have more primitives.
I would like to feel no limit with Amapi.
and so on

laughingnome · 27th January 2007, 01:27

yes i agree for the "real tree" thats one of my wishes

a good scene tree with layers etc

stu

Sketchy · 27th January 2007, 18:41

First thing that comes to mind is in the area of UI customization. Like being able to add customized toolbars with your most used icons, which includes the ones in the control panel at the bottom. And be able to turn off the defaults. This is probably a no brainer. This is a standard for most Windows/Mac apps.

(My current 3d life is in a standstill. I go home from work tired and all I could think of is lie on the sofa. Or check out some nice behinds on the net.

) I hope Amapi Pro experts would jump in on this thread. Where is Marcus Berry?

I assume these are last minute additions. You, guys, should offer a beta to 7.5 owners with an expiration date, or saving feature disabled. It's in your best interest believe me.

larsen · 27th January 2007, 19:41

There are also some features that I've seen on a SketchUp video that would be very useful in Amapi:

(1) Inference guides;

(2) Direct drawing of 2D shapes on surfaces and a tool like push-pull that works with those shapes to extend or to cut volumes;

Another good feature would be to have a text input box where you can write the name of the object you want to model, press enter key and Amapi generates it for you... not bad

Sketchy · 27th January 2007, 20:55

As what its name implies, SketchUp is a sketching app. You hover your cursor over a reference point and when you move your mouse, a ghosted straight line appears parallel to one of the 3 axes originating from that point. You then decide to click and be assured it will be on that same axis coordinate.

It would be great if Amapi Pro 8 would have that kind of feature, but I don't think the app was designed for that type of application. (Working on such feature might slow the dev team down. I suspect that this is not an easy task.) Amapi is not a sketching app. You concentrate on one object at a time. It's okay to have to specify at a certain point, create construction lines if needed, specify it at the endpoint of a line, its midpoint, intersection, etc. Likewise, you specify alignments of finished objects later.

When it comes to direct drawing on surfaces, I don't think this is necessary. You can draw 2d shapes parallel to the object's surface, then use the boolean or cut feature. Combined with the DG, you can project the 2d feature as far as you want to go into the volume.

larsen · 28th January 2007, 10:07

Sketchy, I've just seen some videos of SU and never used it. I use Amapi Pro every day and I know well what it's suited for. I don't think that an inference system would be out of Amapi's world because Amapi is a precise modeling application and I'm sure that some tools that hallow you to be more precise while drawing are welcome. Amapi already has a lot of great snapping functions and inference could bring them to a new level.

I've never said that direct drawing on surfaces is necessary, just that it would be time saving. Working in a beautyful 3D environment like in Amapi takes me sometimes to a strange alignment of my shapes which takes time to correct. A direct surface drawing tool would, again, be helpful for me. Drawing curves on surfaces is usually a common tool in nurbs modeling programs, isn't it?
I think that one of the most important things in today's 3D software is the speed of work. You can do almost the same models in every 3D app but the difference is in the time you spend creating it. This is the reason for those requests.
If the dev team doesn't agree with me or doesn't have the time to implement those features... ok! I just don't understand why you have to take their place and disagree with my requests...

P.S: : If you are part of the dev team, sorry!

Pete Exxtreme · 28th January 2007, 11:54

Please remind that this thread is a wishlist of what you people would like to see as features, and NOT a place to argue about wished features from other members....

Butch · 29th January 2007, 15:03

Maybe a more usual line edit tools, like join, trim, break, blend...

Also maybe a mouse wheel usage when determing numbers of U/V control point or polygon count, after you finished creating a 3d object or a curve.

shoeach · 30th January 2007, 04:10

Hi, folks.

The function to wish for the coming true strongly in my wishlist is “Extrude tool” to extrude selected multiple elements in their negative/positive normal direction in one manipulation. Attached below are its results examples.

It seems that Amapi requires several manipulations for these shapes at present, if my procedure is not wrong.

shoeach
AmapiPro7.52, Hexagon2.1, trueSpace, Wings3D

juanxer · 31st January 2007, 01:39

One thing I would need is that snappings, if on, would truly act in all phases of operations. For example, while doing a sweep (sweeping a section by hand) I get no grid snapping even if it was on before starting the sweep operation, forcing me to enter numerical values to get any accuracy. It's too odd (the same thing happens in Hexagon, I believe).

Thomas · 1st February 2007, 23:07

Sketchy: I take a look at your deleted messages. If it's what I understand (I don't know the english name), it will be integrated in Amapi. Please, create a posted dedicated to that and add some screen capture about what you say, to see if I understand well or not (and I'm in the Amapi Dev' Team, all the developpers are in the same office as me...)

laughingnome · 3rd February 2007, 00:18

that sounds similar to the silo topolgy tool btw sketchy.

if im mistaken please correct me, no problems

if it is that sort of then yes i agree, its a really good tool to have

stu

laughingnome · 3rd February 2007, 00:26

oh my own wish

spinquad
ive asked every version of hex for this btw

swap edge , i know you've asked for the same Thomas.

is there any luck with this?

stu

Sketchy · 3rd February 2007, 06:48

This is probably just a tiny wish: all of the palettes/panels should be made floatable and dockable. The VALIDATE icon, for instance, in the Assistance palette is not easily accessible. The alternative ENTER key doesn't seem ergonomically sound, unless you're left-handed. Rhino has the SPACEBAR or RIGHT-CLICK apart from the enter key. You have to have the option of adding the validate icon everywhere you want to. Also, it should be added in the context menu. Any better ideas?

Thomas, laughingnome, I will be responding to your post in a separate thread.

Thomas · 3rd February 2007, 10:54

Not everything will be floatable, but almost all of them (well, not as much as modo

)
We can't use the Space Bar and the rightclick, already used by the rulers/tool option switch and the selection options. By the way, I understand your problem with the validate.

Butch · 3rd February 2007, 15:22

What will you do then...

Sketchy · 3rd February 2007, 16:26

We should be able to discuss the wishes instead of just list them. If not, then this message should just, at least, be moved somewhere in other areas of the forum, instead of deleting it in oblivion.

Thomas, I'm not suggesting that the Space Bar be reprogrammed. I understand that every app has its own sets of what should be made more readily accessible according to the degree of importance. In Amapi's case I am completely satisfied with the Space Bar's function. It makes sense. I just wish the Validate tool should, at least, be included in the Context menu, or Shortcut key assignable.

BTW, I'm getting the hang of Amapi's current version. I find it more stable than the previous versions.

Thomas · 3rd February 2007, 16:27

currently, the validate button will stay where it is, with the help of the mouse swip on the right of the screen. Having the validate button somewhere else is not in the developpment schedule (I think we have more important things to finish / fix first ;)

25th January 2007, 23:56	#1 (permalink)
laughingnome stu Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 909	Amapi 8 wishlist As you are no doubt aware Amapi 8 is currently under devolpment, this thread is a place to discuss Requested tool features or New tools for last minute implementation or for future devolpement. Amapi 8 like it's earlier versions is a Design orientated 3D modeling software not a 3D rendering package. Suggestions can be either verbal or image based, references or screencaps from other apps are ok. This tread is in no way an official EFrontier request however most of the Beta Team and Development Team are members of this forum so any requests will most likely be read here before any other site Please dont bug the Beta Team for information or screencaps as they cant give either regards stu __________________ just trying to cut down the pain threshold AMD2.4 dualcore 4 gig ram, 9400GT ,WinXP Home

27th January 2007, 01:27	#4 (permalink)
laughingnome stu Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 909	yes i agree for the "real tree" thats one of my wishes a good scene tree with layers etc stu __________________ just trying to cut down the pain threshold AMD2.4 dualcore 4 gig ram, 9400GT ,WinXP Home Last edited by laughingnome; 27th January 2007 at 11:41.

27th January 2007, 18:41	#5 (permalink)
Sketchy Box modeling Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 317	First thing that comes to mind is in the area of UI customization. Like being able to add customized toolbars with your most used icons, which includes the ones in the control panel at the bottom. And be able to turn off the defaults. This is probably a no brainer. This is a standard for most Windows/Mac apps. (My current 3d life is in a standstill. I go home from work tired and all I could think of is lie on the sofa. Or check out some nice behinds on the net.) I hope Amapi Pro experts would jump in on this thread. Where is Marcus Berry? I assume these are last minute additions. You, guys, should offer a beta to 7.5 owners with an expiration date, or saving feature disabled. It's in your best interest believe me. Last edited by Sketchy; 28th January 2007 at 04:46.

27th January 2007, 20:55	#7 (permalink)
Sketchy Box modeling Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 317	As what its name implies, SketchUp is a sketching app. You hover your cursor over a reference point and when you move your mouse, a ghosted straight line appears parallel to one of the 3 axes originating from that point. You then decide to click and be assured it will be on that same axis coordinate. It would be great if Amapi Pro 8 would have that kind of feature, but I don't think the app was designed for that type of application. (Working on such feature might slow the dev team down. I suspect that this is not an easy task.) Amapi is not a sketching app. You concentrate on one object at a time. It's okay to have to specify at a certain point, create construction lines if needed, specify it at the endpoint of a line, its midpoint, intersection, etc. Likewise, you specify alignments of finished objects later. When it comes to direct drawing on surfaces, I don't think this is necessary. You can draw 2d shapes parallel to the object's surface, then use the boolean or cut feature. Combined with the DG, you can project the 2d feature as far as you want to go into the volume. Last edited by Sketchy; 28th January 2007 at 08:09.

28th January 2007, 11:54	#9 (permalink)
Pete Exxtreme Lick it up Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Thonon/France Posts: 4,635	Please remind that this thread is a wishlist of what you people would like to see as features, and NOT a place to argue about wished features from other members.... __________________ Toute faute de frappe ou erreur de syntaxe sont dues a un clavier rebelle à toute forme d'autorité. LightWave 9 \| Hexagon 2 My gallery

26th January 2007, 12:57	#2 (permalink)
larsen Vertex Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 27	Hi, as already said in another thread I would like to see in the next release: (1) Macro recording capability (scripting would even be better); (2) Better beckdrop image handling (Thomas has already replied to this request); (3) Tassellation of nurbs surfaces with support for ngons (maybe with a polycount slider like in MoI); (4) Hexagon tools for polygonal modeling so that I can stop using 2-3 application for the same project (edge selection and handling, edge modeling,...) and the introduction of the universal manipulator; That's all for now. Thank you in advance!

26th January 2007, 22:32	#3 (permalink)
Piem Booh! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Rennes/fr Posts: 6,644	Not in the order: I hope a better Illustrator import I hope there will be an fbx export done with the last fbx SDK. I hope that the dxf will be able to let the quads as quads (read as tris by some renders, but quads and with the groups as layers) I hope that the chanfers will be a great pleasure to do. I hope that a real tree will be added, with all the functionnalities of a good scene tree. I hope that we could still switch easily between poly and nurbs ( I hope a model could be polygonal and some parts of it could be nurbs) I hope that the export will be the more clean as possible, with many features I hope that uvws will be implemented and if it's so, that a model could have many texture domains with no problem about seams i hope also that we could write some macros I would like to have more primitives. I would like to feel no limit with Amapi. and so on

27th January 2007, 19:41	#6 (permalink)
larsen Vertex Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 27	There are also some features that I've seen on a SketchUp video that would be very useful in Amapi: (1) Inference guides; (2) Direct drawing of 2D shapes on surfaces and a tool like push-pull that works with those shapes to extend or to cut volumes; Another good feature would be to have a text input box where you can write the name of the object you want to model, press enter key and Amapi generates it for you... not bad

28th January 2007, 10:07	#8 (permalink)
larsen Vertex Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 27	Sketchy, I've just seen some videos of SU and never used it. I use Amapi Pro every day and I know well what it's suited for. I don't think that an inference system would be out of Amapi's world because Amapi is a precise modeling application and I'm sure that some tools that hallow you to be more precise while drawing are welcome. Amapi already has a lot of great snapping functions and inference could bring them to a new level. I've never said that direct drawing on surfaces is necessary, just that it would be time saving. Working in a beautyful 3D environment like in Amapi takes me sometimes to a strange alignment of my shapes which takes time to correct. A direct surface drawing tool would, again, be helpful for me. Drawing curves on surfaces is usually a common tool in nurbs modeling programs, isn't it? I think that one of the most important things in today's 3D software is the speed of work. You can do almost the same models in every 3D app but the difference is in the time you spend creating it. This is the reason for those requests. If the dev team doesn't agree with me or doesn't have the time to implement those features... ok! I just don't understand why you have to take their place and disagree with my requests... P.S: : If you are part of the dev team, sorry!

29th January 2007, 15:03	#10 (permalink)
Butch Extrusion Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 171	Maybe a more usual line edit tools, like join, trim, break, blend... Also maybe a mouse wheel usage when determing numbers of U/V control point or polygon count, after you finished creating a 3d object or a curve.

30th January 2007, 04:10	#11 (permalink)
shoeach Box modeling Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Saitama, Japan Posts: 219	Hi, folks. The function to wish for the coming true strongly in my wishlist is “Extrude tool” to extrude selected multiple elements in their negative/positive normal direction in one manipulation. Attached below are its results examples. It seems that Amapi requires several manipulations for these shapes at present, if my procedure is not wrong. shoeach AmapiPro7.52, Hexagon2.1, trueSpace, Wings3D Attached Thumbnails

31st January 2007, 01:39	#12 (permalink)
juanxer Vertex Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 14	One thing I would need is that snappings, if on, would truly act in all phases of operations. For example, while doing a sweep (sweeping a section by hand) I get no grid snapping even if it was on before starting the sweep operation, forcing me to enter numerical values to get any accuracy. It's too odd (the same thing happens in Hexagon, I believe).

1st February 2007, 23:07	#13 (permalink)
Thomas Always learning new stuff Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Merignac, France Posts: 11,319	Sketchy: I take a look at your deleted messages. If it's what I understand (I don't know the english name), it will be integrated in Amapi. Please, create a posted dedicated to that and add some screen capture about what you say, to see if I understand well or not (and I'm in the Amapi Dev' Team, all the developpers are in the same office as me...) __________________ Polyloop owner & Administrator - no support by PM or email. Polyloop [EN/FR] - Meuuh [FR +16 ans] - Totyo [FR] - Pixologic [JOB] - Le ZBlog [JOB] - La3dpourlesnuls [FR]

3rd February 2007, 00:18	#14 (permalink)
laughingnome stu Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 909	that sounds similar to the silo topolgy tool btw sketchy. if im mistaken please correct me, no problems if it is that sort of then yes i agree, its a really good tool to have stu __________________ just trying to cut down the pain threshold AMD2.4 dualcore 4 gig ram, 9400GT ,WinXP Home

3rd February 2007, 00:26	#15 (permalink)
laughingnome stu Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 909	oh my own wish spinquad ive asked every version of hex for this btw swap edge , i know you've asked for the same Thomas. is there any luck with this? stu __________________ just trying to cut down the pain threshold AMD2.4 dualcore 4 gig ram, 9400GT ,WinXP Home

3rd February 2007, 06:48	#16 (permalink)
Sketchy Box modeling Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 317	This is probably just a tiny wish: all of the palettes/panels should be made floatable and dockable. The VALIDATE icon, for instance, in the Assistance palette is not easily accessible. The alternative ENTER key doesn't seem ergonomically sound, unless you're left-handed. Rhino has the SPACEBAR or RIGHT-CLICK apart from the enter key. You have to have the option of adding the validate icon everywhere you want to. Also, it should be added in the context menu. Any better ideas? Thomas, laughingnome, I will be responding to your post in a separate thread.

3rd February 2007, 10:54	#17 (permalink)
Thomas Always learning new stuff Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Merignac, France Posts: 11,319	Not everything will be floatable, but almost all of them (well, not as much as modo ) We can't use the Space Bar and the rightclick, already used by the rulers/tool option switch and the selection options. By the way, I understand your problem with the validate. __________________ Polyloop owner & Administrator - no support by PM or email. Polyloop [EN/FR] - Meuuh [FR +16 ans] - Totyo [FR] - Pixologic [JOB] - Le ZBlog [JOB] - La3dpourlesnuls [FR]

3rd February 2007, 15:22	#18 (permalink)
Butch Extrusion Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 171	What will you do then...

3rd February 2007, 16:26	#19 (permalink)
Sketchy Box modeling Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 317	We should be able to discuss the wishes instead of just list them. If not, then this message should just, at least, be moved somewhere in other areas of the forum, instead of deleting it in oblivion. Thomas, I'm not suggesting that the Space Bar be reprogrammed. I understand that every app has its own sets of what should be made more readily accessible according to the degree of importance. In Amapi's case I am completely satisfied with the Space Bar's function. It makes sense. I just wish the Validate tool should, at least, be included in the Context menu, or Shortcut key assignable. BTW, I'm getting the hang of Amapi's current version. I find it more stable than the previous versions.

3rd February 2007, 16:27	#20 (permalink)
Thomas Always learning new stuff Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Merignac, France Posts: 11,319	currently, the validate button will stay where it is, with the help of the mouse swip on the right of the screen. Having the validate button somewhere else is not in the developpment schedule (I think we have more important things to finish / fix first ;) __________________ Polyloop owner & Administrator - no support by PM or email. Polyloop [EN/FR] - Meuuh [FR +16 ans] - Totyo [FR] - Pixologic [JOB] - Le ZBlog [JOB] - La3dpourlesnuls [FR]

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