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Blender Mega Thread

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  • JamesTKirk
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    JamesTKirk polycounter lvl 8
    All these updates look fantastic. But I can't get comfortable with Blender.
    I think I've asked this before, but do you guys really hit G key and then X, Y or Z keys to move stuff in viewport? Can't believe it! It is so unintuitive and just cruel to my left hand.
  • AA3D
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    AA3D polycounter lvl 3
    JamesTKirk wrote: »
    All these updates look fantastic. But I can't get comfortable with Blender.
    I think I've asked this before, but do you guys really hit G key and then X, Y or Z keys to move stuff in viewport? Can't believe it! It is so unintuitive and just cruel to my left hand.

    im so used to the G-S-R .etc that when i try any other program i keep pushing these buttons unintentionally ..
    BTW as i know u can rebind any key if that helps . check : Ctrl+Alt+U - input
  • JamesTKirk
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    JamesTKirk polycounter lvl 8
    G-S-R are ok. It is axes keys what I can't get used to. Looks like a lot of unnessesary key presses to me.

    I have other question. When I select let's say face and switch transform orientation to normal and then hit G and Y/X/Z it translates selected face along world space axes, not along face normal.
    Looks like I can only translate in normal space only by clicking those screen arrows.
  • SonicBlue
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    SonicBlue polycounter lvl 10
    JamesTKirk wrote: »
    All these updates look fantastic. But I can't get comfortable with Blender.
    I think I've asked this before, but do you guys really hit G key and then X, Y or Z keys to move stuff in viewport? Can't believe it! It is so unintuitive and just cruel to my left hand.

    After you pressed G, just hold down the MMB and select the axis you want to move to, then release, whit SHIFT you can add another axis; there is also the legacy "axis grab" mode, if you don't see the manipulator, just use CTRL+SPACEBAR to toggle between the modes.

    CTRL and SHIFT, respectively, quantizes the movements in the order of 1.0 increments and the other increase the precision of operations.

    CTRL+SHIFT quantize the movements in the order of 0.1 increments.
  • NanoTurtle
    JamesTKirk wrote: »
    G-S-R are ok. It is axes keys what I can't get used to. Looks like a lot of unnessesary key presses to me.

    I have other question. When I select let's say face and switch transform orientation to normal and then hit G and Y/X/Z it translates selected face along world space axes, not along face normal.
    Looks like I can only translate in normal space only by clicking those screen arrows.

    Double tap your axis key and it will lock to your normal/local axis.
    If find other programs quite unintuitive after being used to blender's way of translating. I just hate click dragging manipulator arrows.
  • JamesTKirk
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    JamesTKirk polycounter lvl 8
    I'm trying to be open minded. And in theory I like the idea of not having to drag manipulator arrow. I also like the idea of predictive transform, so MMB really could be very handy.BUT for example:

    I have arbitrary rotated face and I want to move it along one of its axes.
    I switch to normal space and then:
    Press G, release G, press Shift+MMB, release Shift+MMB, press and hold MMB, move mouse, release MMB, hit LMB to confirm.
    This is what I call insanity:)
  • SonicBlue
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    SonicBlue polycounter lvl 10
    That's why I use Cinema 4D :D

    While testing some other stuff in Blender (right now) I discovered that you don't have to press G every time if you want to move something, just RMB and drag.

    To not move involontarely something while you select it, use SHIFT+RMB.
  • JamesTKirk
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    JamesTKirk polycounter lvl 8
    Actually I've made me a simple Autohotkey script to assign that sequence to a single key and now I like very much how translate prediction works. Though of course this is a rather ugly solution to use Autohotkey. I wish Blender were more flexible.
  • kat
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    kat polycounter lvl 17
    As @SonicBlue said, you don't have to press G/R/S... so long as you have the correct 'widget type' active (the icons in the middle of the header), you can simply left-click drag one of the green/red/blue handles to move/manipulate objects. You can also fix the axis pressing X/Y/Z after doing that (if you want to switch axis). If you right-click, you freeform move irrespective of the axis clicked (so will likely need to press an axis button)

    Blender is actually pretty flexible, you just don't know it yet ;)
  • JamesTKirk
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    JamesTKirk polycounter lvl 8
    Yes, I know this. I just don't like pressing X/Y/Z. I think it's counterintuitive.
    MMB auto axis selection is much better to me but I had to use autohotkey to make it really comfortable. I wonder if it is possible to tweak python scripts instead of autohotkey.
  • Winstral35
    Wow that's probably the best like ratio I've ever seen on YouTube!
  • Fuiosg
  • Lamoot
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    Lamoot polycounter lvl 7
    My favorite feature are the new pie menus, it makes accessing tools and options really fluid. Before, it required digging through menus, or finger acrobatics with shortcuts. Still with a lot of untapped potential, so far only some menus are available as pie menus.

    There's also the whole upgrade to the texture paint system and new UV add-ons look interesting as well. Can't wait to finish my current project and fully switch to 2.72.
  • JustMeSR
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    JustMeSR polycounter lvl 4
    Lamoot wrote: »
    pie menus

    Yeah, they are really speed up switching modes (pivot, snapping, viewport and mesh modes).

    For some reason they only work on Viewport tab (on other tabs like UV editor it works the "old" way).

    Plus I miss being able to (I am not sure that it's really not possible though) assign what each pie menu "brings up". Transform orientation is one of shortcutless panels I use often and for some reason it doesn't have pie menu.
    Lamoot wrote: »
    Can't wait to finish my current project and fully switch to 2.72.

    Can't you switch now?!
  • Yadoob
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    Yadoob polycounter lvl 7
    Plus I miss being able to (I am not sure that it's really not possible though) assign what each pie menu "brings up".
    For that, you have to go with Python and create a separate addon with your own pie menus. It's quite simple though, you can already look into the script's template (search for Ui Pie Menu in Text editor>templates) and I think some tutorials are already online.
    Some have already post nice Pie menus ! The wazou's pie menus is very complete (and with nice additions like "Origin to bottom") : http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?348496-Addon-Wazou-s-Pie-Menus
  • JustMeSR
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    JustMeSR polycounter lvl 4
    Yadoob wrote: »
    For that, you have to go with Python and create a separate addon with your own pie menus. It's quite simple though, you can already look into the script's template (search for Ui Pie Menu in Text editor>templates) and I think some tutorials are already online.
    Some have already post nice Pie menus ! The wazou's pie menus is very complete (and with nice additions like "Origin to bottom") : http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?348496-Addon-Wazou-s-Pie-Menus

    Thanks Yadoob.:)
  • perfect_paradigm
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    perfect_paradigm polycounter lvl 7
    Wow I'm excited that Blender has pie menus now. That's my favorite thing about Maya.

    Can Blender's pie menus be customized to be context sensitive like Maya's so it's a different menu depending on selection, such as face operations when faces are selected, edge operations when edges are selected etc.

    I would like Shift key + RMB for selection context pie menus, and Ctrl + Shift + RMB for current tool pie menu. That's how it is in Maya. Those keys don't require looking down at keyboard so it's easier and faster than letter keys.

    Autodesk better hurry with improving Maya because I think the main reason indies don't want to use Blender is because of the UI, and these new pie menus are probably going to change that.
  • passerby
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    passerby polycounter lvl 12
    Don't know much about blender but would assume if the radial menus are built from script like Mayas you could have it check for things like the selection type and how many things are selected and display a menu based on that.
  • perfect_paradigm
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    perfect_paradigm polycounter lvl 7
    Yeah I don't know much about Blender either. That's what I was wondering if it can be easily scripted it or maybe just change settings.
  • Zack Maxwell
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    Zack Maxwell interpolator
    I'm all but certain you could do it through scripting, if it isn't like that already. As far how easy it would be, I have no idea.
  • Mongrelman
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    Mongrelman polycounter lvl 18
    A video showing polystrips which just came out

    [ame]htt://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN1aC7DsS6A[/ame]
  • JedTheKrampus
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    JedTheKrampus polycounter lvl 8
  • Volantk
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    Volantk polycounter lvl 11
    Can Blender's pie menus be customized to be context sensitive like Maya's so it's a different menu depending on selection, such as face operations when faces are selected, edge operations when edges are selected etc.

    If you're familiar with scripting, it's just a matter of setting up the logic.

    This code will behave differently in edit mode vs object mode.
    if (bpy.context.mode == 'EDIT_MESH'):
        pie.operator("mesh.select_mirror")
        pie.operator("mesh.select_face_by_sides")
        pie.operator("mesh.select_nth")
        pie.operator("mesh.select_random")
    
    if (bpy.context.mode == 'OBJECT'):
        pie.operator("object.select_mirror")
        pie.operator("object.select_by_type")
        pie.operator("object.select_camera")
        pie.operator("object.select_random")
    

    And the following is all that's needed for detecting which selection modes are active, which can then be used like the above example.
        true_if_vertex_selection_active = bpy.context.tool_settings.mesh_select_mode[0] 
        true_if_edge_selection_active   = bpy.context.tool_settings.mesh_select_mode[1]
        true_if_face_selection_active   = bpy.context.tool_settings.mesh_select_mode[2]
    

    I wouldn't be surprised if someone made a visual tool for creating pies in the future.
  • mont29
    Hi, just a head up about updated builds for Custom Split Normals (not much new features, but these are 2.72-like :) ). Available from http://download.blender.org/ftp/mont29/ (for until GA accepts easily again uploads :( ).

    [EDIT]FBX addon embedded in the build had some stupid bugs, so updated it in these builds today (sunday, 12/10/2014).
  • perfect_paradigm
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    perfect_paradigm polycounter lvl 7
    Thanks Volantk. That makes me more interested in trying Blender in the near future when I get back into CG and modeling. I am familiar with scripting so I should be able to get it done.
  • Flight
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    Flight polycounter lvl 10
    Hey mont29, having some trouble with the split normal modifier. Trying to get some upward facing normals, and it works, sometimes? Same settings on the two objects. Tilting the plane can sort of fix is, but it's pretty hacky and not precise.

    K5x8u2M.png
    h5yZlTs.png

    After some further testing it seems to happen to only these props, regardless of settings. I can only assume the blender gods are against me.
  • Volantk
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    Volantk polycounter lvl 11
    Flight, is the object rotated in some way? If it is, the weird behaviour might be fixed if you apply the rotation with Ctrl+A.

    Edit: After testing it myself, it doesn't seem like that affects the result at all. Hm.
  • Lamoot
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    Lamoot polycounter lvl 7
    @Flight is it possible to share the .blend file so others can take a look? I can't reproduce the bug after trying the build as everything works as it should.

    If you need a place to upload the .blend file you can use http://www.pasteall.org/blend/
  • mont29
    @Flight Yep, would need a blend file here, as usual - and would be better if you made a real bug report on https://developer.blender.org . ;)
  • carter2422
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    carter2422 polycounter lvl 6
    Hey all,

    Just wanted to share an update to Polystrips retopology that's coming soon. The main problem with Polystrips right now is that you must manually fill in the negative space between the face loops.

    Version 1.1.0 is introducing the first step towards improving this workflow, Simple Fill. It'll be released sometime in the coming months.

    Here's a demo video:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qidVmJjtBA
  • JedTheKrampus
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    JedTheKrampus polycounter lvl 8
    Looks really good, Jonathan.
  • Gmanx
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    Gmanx polycounter lvl 19
    Here's a general 'Why not use Blender for games production?' presentation given at this year's Blender Conference by Aidy Burrows, late of Tt Fusion (Lego franchise games) and now with CG Masters.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iG7BHAUIwg"]Blender in a triple A Game Studio - Aidy Burrows #BCon14 - YouTube[/ame]
  • Sage
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    Sage polycounter lvl 19
    Blender has gotten really good. I really love the snaps, painting and sculpt tools.
  • Spiffy
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    Spiffy polycounter lvl 12
    I though I'd share something I discovered from Pablo Vasquez a Blender user. Seems it might be of use seeing as Polycount loves to make guns and hardsurface.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEx0aXH7Z5w

    When you use the Un-Subdivide function with an odd number it causes the edges to rotate 45 degrees, Subdividing twice before un-subdividing causes the triangles to match up perfectly with the rest of the mesh.

    With this technique coupled with extrude individual faces and Scaling along individual origins or scaling along normal you can also make Knurling/Grips in seconds rather than playing around with arrays and deformers.

    eKbqasJ.jpg
    literally takes seconds.
  • myclay
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    myclay polycounter lvl 10
    Spiffy wrote: »
    With this technique coupled with extrude individual faces and Scaling along individual origins or scaling along normal you can also make Knurling/Grips in seconds rather than playing around with arrays and deformers.

    eKbqasJ.jpg
    literally takes seconds.

    you can archive the grip result in your image also with the "Poke Faces" function via Alt+ P




    and thank you for posting the tutorial from Pablo Vasquez , it was really helpful in my test :D
    show.php?id=79212
  • xrg
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    xrg polycounter lvl 10
    A hard-edge modeling tip I got from Kent Trammell recently and felt dumb for not thinking of myself is using bevel to create holding edges. Simply bevel an edge, give it 2 segments and a profile set to 1. Works with the bevel modifier too.

    qiDkz9u.jpg
  • Gmanx
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    Gmanx polycounter lvl 19
    Spiffy, Myclay, Xrg - those are brilliant. Sequences like this are invaluable. Someone needs to create a definitive library of how-to's for hard-surface stuff in Blender.
  • Spiffy
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    Spiffy polycounter lvl 12
    Thanks myclay, didn't even know that function existed, That's a lot cleaner and works fantastically with a tight bevel then subdivide modifiers.

    Gmanx, I've thought about it before, Even if it's just a playlist of youtube tutorials that are only 1-2 minutes long.
  • myclay
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    myclay polycounter lvl 10
    such short video lessons would be nice to have.


    @xrg those settings are a great time saver :)



    good Development news for game artists using Blender;

    http://lists.blender.org/pipermail/bf-gamedev/2014-November/000424.html


    Hi all,

    Remember, we had this quite well collected list of 'game artist development support' topics:
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuS_F0ZKX-zTdGxKOEMtRmI2Tno4UUlPZzVfNXB6RHc#gid=0

    The big ones have been done, or are being worked on:

    - Baking
    - FBX
    - Vertex normals
    - Viewport features

    The idea of "Multi object uv edit" is interesting, we'll be looking into that.

    I'd like to check with the people who made and managed this spreadsheet to update it?
    Are there other topics, or ideas for prioritizing?

    Via Development Fund we can still afford a developer to work on support for game artists in 2015.

    -Ton-
  • Mr.Nuget
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    Mr.Nuget polycounter lvl 6
    the video look really cool cant wait to see the short
  • liquidape
    Dalai Felinto has been working on a "Epic Navigation" scheme for Blender so that people working with Unreal Engine will feel at home in Blender. Test Builds are available here:
    Linux x86_64: http://goo.gl/oNnQIn
    OSX x86_64: http://goo.gl/GHzNei
    Win 64: http://goo.gl/mKOIsH

    Choose "Unreal Engine" from the "interaction" dropdown on the splash screen to activate.

    Edit - you guys seem to be slamming the dropbox links here is the windows version on mega: http://goo.gl/JgBpCu
  • sklokan
    hi
    is it possible to change ui of blender?
    (i mean been gpl and all that)
    wonder if someone made more user friendly gui ,not like amiga lightwave ui
    thanks
  • Michael Knubben
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    Enjoy.
  • Lamoot
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    Lamoot polycounter lvl 7
    sklokan wrote: »
    hi
    is it possible to change ui of blender?
    (i mean been gpl and all that)
    wonder if someone made more user friendly gui ,not like amiga lightwave ui
    thanks
    Yes, it's perfectly possible to customize it through python scripting or diving into the source code. I'm not aware of any projects where people are redoing Blender's UI from the grounds up.
  • ironbearxl
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    ironbearxl polycounter lvl 18
    Sage wrote: »
    Blender has gotten really good. I really love the snaps, painting and sculpt tools.

    Agreed! I'm really liking how solid the booleans are as well.
  • JedTheKrampus
  • Torch
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    Torch interpolator
    How are you guys enjoying using Blender, do you feel it stands up well to other, more commonly used apps like Max and Maya and do any of you freelance guys use it in production? I've been using Maya for years now but since I mainly focus on modeling/texturing I feel there's so much fluff in it that I don't need.

    The UI at first struck me as a little archaic, but after seeing its capabilities shown off by artists like Max Puliero (below) I really want to give it a shot - seems like an all in one app with some sculpting/texturing included too :D

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaYbA5-dPBY"]-The Beast- Modeling in Blender 2/4 - YouTube[/ame]
  • pior
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    pior grand marshal polycounter
    Yeah man, it's really, really good. The UI is actually quite elegant - the only real issue is the way some of the hardcore Blender fans swear by the default hotkeys, probably because they are so convoluted that starting to edit them is a bit of an undertaking. It personally took me a few weeks to get comfortable with the program and bend it to my workflow, but it is now my main 3d app.

    Here are two very good resources to get you started :

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12fqTUyDts0"]Maya style 3D-Viewport navigation in Blender without conflicts - YouTube[/ame]

    And this excellent Gumroad tutorial, very goal-oriented :

    http://gumroad.com/masterxeon1001

    These two videos will basically cover all the basics that you need to know in order to fully evaluate Blender. From there one you can ask any question on the BlenderArtists forums. Their registration process is extremely annoying as they require 10 validated posts before letting you freely use the forum, but once you get past this barrier of entry it is a great place to get support. Here is my ongoing questions thread to give you an idea :

    http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?351344-Customization-questions-from-a-Blender-curious-2d-3d-artist

    Good luck !
  • Martin_H
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    Martin_H polycounter lvl 6
    I'd also like to hear some opinions from freelancers (for 3D modeling and texturing, no rigging or animation) working in the industry: do you think having max or maya is a must, or can blender satisfy everything needed for your job feature wise. I'm not talking about individual preference for UI etc., I mean real showstoppers like exporter plugins that you need to use, which are only available for autodesk software or things like that.

    I feel like blender has a good feature set for sub-d modeling but doesn't even come close to zBrush in anything that zBrush does, especially sinc its viewport performance is rather poor (afaik they will improve that in one of the next versions).

    I've been reading through some threads and the opinions about which software to use seem rather conflicting.
  • ironbearxl
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    ironbearxl polycounter lvl 18
    Awesome pior, Blender is a little powerhouse and I can't wait to see what you make with it!
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