Node Base'' a discussion

[wgreenlee1]

nodes r good,
i used to think they were goofy but after you get whats going on anything else looks chumpified
selection is a breeze because you go right to that node and select it and not sitting there browing thru a buncha layers to see whats going on,with nodes you know which one you need to go to,imho

lw is going to nodes,arent they getting some in the animation aspects?i thought i seen some screenshots of some

[Miyazaki]

Node based architecture. Definetely the way to go. And not limited to render trees or surfacing only.
Imagine what we could do with a nodebased system for all properties, link the output of one property node to the input of another. Complex circuits would be possible, easy to setup with a new level of interactivity. Yep, I would love it :beer: I think for a proper solution a whole rewrite from scratch would be necessary. But hey, we can`t stop the future.

[Finkster]

I'd be very happy if there was a node based texturing system. It took me a while to become comfortable with the texture editor and its layering system. Even now there are times when I feel I could achieve desired results with much more ease if texturing was nodal. I think that's my only major workflow issue with LW. A node based system would just feel more comfortable to work with, perhaps more natural, as you say.
As for other aspects of the program being nodal, I wouldn't particularly wish it, but I can see how it could be advantageous.
How far would you take it though? If everything were nodal, would this greatly increase the complexity of the program and the ease with which it can be learned and mastered?
I can't help but feel it would introduce a great big learning curve, but then again I've never used a program like Houdini etc.

[takkun]

Here's the original thread that the above was quoted from:

http://vbulletin.newtek.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14668&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

[LNT]

Phongy Blinny lighting models

this has more to do with lightwave lacking other shading models than with lightwaves lacking nodal structure

the most sensible implementation of nodes I've seen so far is that in XSI,but lets not forget that we're talking about the newest generation app,Softimage3D|3.x had pretty much the same shader stack system as the one in lightwave

personally,if I was to see nodes in LW I'd want them integrated in SceneEditor a la XSI rather than have them scattered over the Hypergraph,Outliner etc like in maya

[polygonpusher]

I think that would be a great idea. Although the learning curve is a little higher because of the endless possibilities, once you get the hang of it, not having it feels like having one hand tied down. How about a node based approach to particles? I have always found it difficult to get complex motion with the pre-defined parameters.

[Mwai Kasamale]

I can't help but feel it would introduce a great big learning curve, but then again I've never used a program like Houdini etc.

Maybe your right, but I'd argue that it actually makes it easier than harder. I've been faced with occasions when a problem shows I know exactly where to find them.

it astounding to me that in LW you can't Mix a finished Texture or Shader with 4 other without going insane. You'd have to use Darktree(another great program) or something else if there is anything else.

kinda what I see rushed it alittle
http://benkas.homestead.com/files/Node.jpg

[Facial Deluxe]

Well I too agree that node is the way.

I'm always working with the schematic view, I think this one need enhancement. Could be cool to be able to "unwarp" each element and go down inside it's properties / Motion / Expression / shaders / Plugs / Dynamics / etc. And then connect the datas.

But at this point, LW will need to get stronger at the way "information" is shared. Mean, most of plugs don't work when parented (still using the world coords).
So...

[dickma]

I would like to learn about Node-based programs as I feel the limitation of the surface editor.....

But may be I am stupid about the behind concepts of the Node-based programs.....It is a great obstacles about learning Maya, SoftImage XSI or video editing programs by myself. The most differcult part is to learn all the parameters and I will gonna crazy if I see a COMPLEX nested diagrams with all in and out arrows....I feel awful when I see that.

I wonder if I can survive or not in the animation world if not learning node-based programs.....
:shrug:

[Facial Deluxe]

Originally posted by Dick Ma
I would like to learn about Node-based programs as I feel the limitation of the surface editor.....

But may be I am stupid about the behind concepts of the Node-based programs.....It is a great obstacles about learning Maya, SoftImage XSI or video editing programs by myself. The most differcult part is to learn all the parameters and I will gonna crazy if I see a COMPLEX nested diagrams with all in and out arrows....I feel awful when I see that.

I wonder if I can survive or not in the animation world if not learning node-based programs.....
:shrug:
I think it is a question of habit, no more. Once you get used to it, you can read complex diagrams like a sentence ;)

[Mwai Kasamale]

Its also important to remember that most of those nodes in that complex tree are little things like "ADD' or "ALPHA" "LAYER" or otherwise. Don't be intimidated by it. Like FD says, once you ge used to it doesn't look so complex.

[dickma]

I think it is related to logical thinking.....read or analyse a shading node by someone isn't difficult I think....but creating a shading node may be difficult....

[KillMe]

i dont see a node based system for modeling - as if it made it liek houdini i would cry and have to quit lightwave and go work at some boring job

but for the surface editor/shaders it would be a cool addition but jsut keep the old system therefor teh cheap and dirty textures

also as you set up your nodes the layers etc in the normal surface editor should be updated etc - so you can work in both not one or the other

as for using it in the graph edito etc well not sure how exactly that would work other than for expressions and the like which are now node based but hellwhy not give it a try =)

[leigh]

I love nodes. They are just so much nicer to work with - as some of you know, I've recently started using XSI at work, and I LOVE it's Render Tree. Setting up complex surfaces is much quicker, and more pleasant too.

I've recently been introduced to node-based compositing systems too, Shake being one. Compositing in nodes is absolutely brilliant - I don't know how I managed before!

I personally feel that sooner or later all programs should/will go the node-based route.

[dickma]

I should prepare to die if I don't hurry up to learn node-based programs.... any good node-based programs tutorials I can briefly know the basics?:shrug:

[kamil_w]

>>Imagine what we could do with a nodebased system for all >>properties, link the output of one property node to the input of >>another. Complex circuits would be possible...

This is exactly something you can do in Maya. (and Houdini, of course)

Maya`s node system may look scattered as someone here mentioned but this is because the flow of data can go in any direction. You can even make output of some node an input to the same node (after some additional operation(s))

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