2019 Roadmap
Scrubs started this discussion in General Discussion
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Mecabricks is being improved everyday. Sometimes I have the impress that it doesn't go fast enough, however when I stop and reflect on what has been made in the past year, it is actually quite amazing:

  • A year ago, the only solution to render models was to export the scene and do it yourself. Nowadays, you have another fast and easy option to do it right inside the workshop in your browser. It supports custom lamps, environment lighting, floor, background, part appearance and compositing among other options. I wouldn't even think about going back before this time as I use this tool pretty much every day.
  • A year ago, people adding parts to the library had to go through the painful process of generating the little preview icons in Blender. Now it only requires one click. It has saved countless hours for all of us part designers. Ask Stas 😛

So for 2019 I hope to achieve the following. It is quite ambitious, but I think it shall be possible overall. This is mainly centered around the workshop, model presentation and rendering.

1. Upgrade viewport code.
2. Add new options to display and shade objects in viewport - lighting, shading, edges, reflections, transparency, logo on studs.
3. Save custom viewport settings.
4. Redesign flexible tool - parametric geometry description, snapping, real time geometry refresh, configurable coils and knots for strings.
5. Write converter for legacy flexible geometry.
6. Refresh viewport information and tools - gizmos, controls, statistics.
7. Activate/Deactivate custom lamps in viewport.
8. Add a third mode to configure scene displayed in 3D player - lighting, compositing, color management, background, preview, camera.
9. Update 3D player to include all the new options described above.
10. Add new configurable environment objects for rendering - volume scattering box, smoke and fire, water.
11. Add support for custom 3D objects and PBR materials in the scene - image plans, custom 3D model importer, particles.
12. Add support for custom decorations.
13. Update Add-ons for blender 2.8
14. Redesign workshop file explorer.

Items 1, 2 and 3 are already well under way and I hope to be able to release them before the end of the year.
Feel free to comment on this roadmap.

If everything goes according to plan, the big items for the following years are:

  • Redesign of the forum.
  • Redesign of the homepage.
  • Redesign of the user file library to add support for password protected files, file sharing between users and classroom options.
  • Support for animation in the viewport, the 3D player and the renderfarm.
  • Instruction maker.

Let's see how many of my ideas stud.io will integrate...

More…
48 replies · Page 3 of 3
Avatar of Scrubs
Administrator

Without counting everything else that wasn't in the list.

I’m really looking forward to custom decorations and 3D objects, and the workshop has come so far since I first joined near the start of this year.

I think we should look back to see what Scrubs did in 2019. It looks like a lot of it has been done. 😃

Agreed!

Didn't want to make a new topic for a quick question:
What is the new "Other Compatible Products" section in the workshop parts lists? It has a sub-folder named "Flexo."
Is this just another test like the "Temp" category?

A flexo 2x2 square is in the workshop now. I wonder if this opens up the door for parts like Clone Army Customs pieces?

Avatar of Scrubs
Administrator

Open a new thread in the forum if you are interested to know more. That is in development and I will let you know more later when it is all set up.

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