Blender 2.49 RC1 Just Released

[DuttyFoot]

you guys dont mess around when doing updates.

[XDragon]

Before anyone asks, this is just RC1, not the official 2.49 release, RC1 is there partly for hunting bugs so there's a nice release without tons of bugs. But is not without the new goodies like texture nodes and a bunch of stuff for the Game Engine.

And also before anyone asks, this is the last version with the current interface, the interface is undergoing a significant upgrade and you'll likely even be able to intergrate python scripted tools directly into the interface. There's been a lot of discussion on UI mockups and suggested workflows so as to make 2.5 a release that's anything but disappointing.

Do note that it's not guarenteed Ngons or the GSoC projects will make it into 2.5, whether those or the volumetric rendering makes it into 2.5 depends on whether it will be in a state of readiness to be officially included. I think the volumetric rendering will be in 2.5 because it's already a decent system and there's been too much work put into it by a developer (Matt Ebb) who has successfully gotton various render engine features into current releases already.

[Boone]

Nearly there...2.5 is bloomin close I smell it - just like sausage & chips with salt'n'vinegar...with a nice cold can of Dr Pepper to wash it down with...

...no wait, that's what I'm eating right now! :bounce:

[Womball]

What does Etch-a-thon do?

[DanielWray]

Etch-a-ton;

http://www.vimeo.com/album/39155 << videos.

It's a method of auto generating rigs with IK controllers etc via spline drawing (?) or pre-defined templates.

To be honest i haven't used it yet, but it does look quite handy.

:)

[Raty]

What does Etch-a-thon do?
Check right here :)
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/User:Theeth/etch-a-ton

[vlad74]

Check right here :)
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/User:Theeth/etch-a-ton

Wow that looks impresive. Really natural feel of it.

[verb3k]

The 2.49 release will probably be the last release before the completely new Blender 2.5 comes in :)

[DanielWray]

Yea it will be, 2.5 should be out around october.

It's not just the UI, essentialy it's a completley new application, like what lightwave is to core i guess.

New interface, new back end, new API's.

I don't want to spam this thread up, but the RNA is amazing in the new 2.5 builds, everything is just so much better, i'm pretty excited about it to be honest :)

[vangaans]

This is great news! I started really getting into Blender with version 2.48. I'm amazed at how powerful this program has become. It's now a permanent part of my production pipeline. I'll admit the current interface is a fair hurdle for people who are already using well established 3D apps. But it doesn't stop it from being a really great piece of software. It just takes a little more time to get around. I can't wait for 2.5 and the new interface, I think it will truly make Blender a readily accessible and real alternative to already established highend 3D applications. Especially if the ray trace render speed is addressed.

[Boone]

Yea it will be, 2.5 should be out around october.

Though the keyword is "should be", that is good news. :beer:

[rock]

From the documentation,

"As an alternative to using the Texture Channels, Blender includes a node-based texture generation system which enables you to create textures by combining colors, patterns and other textures in much the same way that you combine Material Nodes. You can use these textures wherever you can use regular textures: you can place them in texture channels, in material nodes, in particle systems, and even inside other textures."

The 2.49 texture nodes description and screenshots are here:

http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Source/Blender/2.49/Texture_Nodes

http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/User:Frr/TexnodeManual

http://wiki.blender.org/uploads/d/d2/Dev-texnodes-3.png

http://wiki.blender.org/uploads/c/cc/Dev-texnodes-4.png


http://wiki.blender.org/uploads/5/57/Dev-texnodes-fractal.png


http://wiki.blender.org/uploads/2/27/Dev-texnode-multi.png

[Womball]

That looks really cool! Although the interface is really confusing for the tool. This is for the bone sketching tool. This texture nodes is interesting. Hopefully that allows for some complex UV textures.

[DanielWray]

i agree that the armature feature is a little confusing, however i think if it gets some decent documentation it should be a pretty helpfull tool.

Also the texture nodes (I think) can use python scripts, so if you wan't a really advanced shader you can write the script and plug it into the texture nodes.

[XDragon]

Especially if the ray trace render speed is addressed.
Speeding up the raytracer is one of the GSoC projects and I do have confidence the project will be completed, the developer working on this already has done the successfull shrinkwrap modifier project and various parts of Blender already use acceleration trees that are better and faster than the octree the raytracer uses (In fact the raytracer is about the only thing in Blender that uses octree acceleration)

[DanielWray]

I don't wan't to derail this thread, but it's about blender anyway so it's kind of topic.

This is a work in progress of blender 2.5, it's running dual screen (it's one blender running, even though it's in two seperate windows).

Anyway i'm just posting this becuase i don't think many people outside of the BA comminuty know what is being planned.

Hopefully when 2.5 is complete it'll be able to work along side what ever apps other people use and become part of a workflow/ pipeline :)

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/6404/blender25wip.th.jpg (http://img5.imageshack.us/my.php?image=blender25wip.jpg)

EDIT: Just wan't to say it again, this is heavy heavy WIP of blender, alot of the old interface is still in, but some of the new ideas are working :)

[Sandr0]

@DanielWray

Well, 2.5 interface does look sexy, but so many windows, it's kind of confusing at a first glance :D

Are those multiple instances of buttons window? And is panel displaying light properties some sort of "power outliner"? :)

Btw, any chance of trying out 2.50 work-in-progress builds?

[DanielWray]

Hey, it'll get much much sexier, trust me :D

It is confusing, i just opened alot of windows to show of how it can be arranged, there's basically infinate window arrangements and you can store the layouts and just flip through them with ctrl+left/ right :)

Go the link below, look on the left hand side for blender 2.5 SVN, it'll have a little icon under the text on the right hand side, either a windows, linux or mac osx logo, if your running windows find blender 2.5 SVN 19xxx (version number).

http://www.graphicall.org/builds/index.php

EDIT AGAIN, latest build; http://www.graphicall.org/builds/builds/showbuild.php?action=show&id=877


EDIT: Yea, it's an outliner, although it's now called the RNA editor, it gives you access to manipulate and change anything in blender and also to set key frames for those settings, although you can still see the normal outliner with the scene that is active :)

[eMPeck]

New mesh system, supporting ngons

This is what I'm waiting for! This new mesh system is going to replace current implementation, or it will be available besides current one?

[DanielWray]

eMPeck: I think at the start of development when Nmesh (or whatever it's called :) ) was first introduced it was stated that it would run along side the current mesh implentation as the tools were tied into it.

With the new structure in blender though i think it could replace the current mesh system, there would be no disadvantages to this, only positive things, well except for the coders who would need to make the modifiers and tools Ngon ready.

But anyway, let's hope a version of this gets in 2.5, even if it's not fully implented, having Ngons would make modeling in blender alot faster.

[Aardbei]

In the Blender 2.5 Development Updates (http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=143717&page=61) thread at BlenderArtists, there was this screenshot of 2.5:

http://i43.tinypic.com/vzahpc.jpg

Looks pretty sexy to me :love: :applause:

[rock]

Projection painting documentation is not up yet. But here's from one blog:

"In the current texture paint mode you have to be careful while you are paint not to go over your UV seams as it goes by the image you have assigned, if you did go over a seam and the face is bigger then the one you were just painting like a different island the brush size will change, now it behaves like you are actually painting on the model with a brush you wouldn't even know the UV seams are there as with current paint is rather bad with seams...Pictures talk louder then words..."

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_txb-05e5q3I/SRE1CG_CMzI/AAAAAAAAAHs/04YZSIh3DXc/s1600-h/Projection_paint_demo_01.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_txb-05e5q3I/SRE1CG_CMzI/AAAAAAAAAHs/04YZSIh3DXc/s1600-h/Projection_paint_demo_01.jpg

[TetraLynx]

I haven't seen the viewport specifically addressed but I do see a lot of changes for the UI. Will users still have to manually split the windows to get multple viewports and then "save as default" or will there be predefined viewports available out of the box?

[DanielWray]

The viewport will be addressed, there is a new toolbar (N key) it's still very much being worked out, workflow wise and look wise, but it has a small icon that allows you to split it 4 way or have it single.

I actaully may go onto the development forums and suggest being able to store a few seperate set ups though, purely for the 3D window. so you could have 2, 3, 4, 5 + windows all set up and then just click the icons to switch between what ever you want. Any better ideas though would be greatly appriecated :)

EDIT: Just thought i'd post an image, so you guys believe me haha :D http://i40.tinypic.com/1fg5xs.jpg

[TetraLynx]

Looks good! Having readily available multiple viewports the first time someone opens the program will help a lot. Very excited to see the 2.5 progress, thanks for the update!

[Boldaz-Lepton]

that new UI certainly looks hot.

[Gentle Fury]

Oh man, if blender is now working towards making the interface more intuitive and less crazy like that window grab I just saw.....this could get very interesting...I would love to see a FREE CG app begin to chip away at the massive profits of Autodesk...that would just be poetic!

[TetraLynx]

You know, I don't even begrudge Autodesk their profits. Truly, it's seeing innovation stifled as there's less competition. A free alternative to their products might give them a kick in the shorts to keep developing new tools and avoid complacency.

[DanielWray]

I dunno if it'll eat into there profits, after all with autodesk and the large companies you get a technical support agreement etc.

I mean with blender you do have really good support, but it's not on the same level, if you get me, so personally i think autodesk will still control the market, they will just have to have a reaction to the release of 2.5, perhaps a price drop or more student style versions. Who knows.

But anyway, the interface will be fully customizable with simple python scripting, also, i think that python is getting more involved, which means its becoming like what mel is to maya, lots of power :D

[TetraLynx]

Increased scripting power will rock. Do you think it would be possible to do something like Connect Poly Shape?

http://www.lightstorm3d.com/
"Connect Poly Shape (CPS) is an extensive polygon modeling toolset for Maya. It supports interactive smoothing, mirror and stitch, shells and triangulation. Often used polygon selection, modification and display tools are combined in one compact window, thus speeding up workflow speed."

By far my favorite Maya plugin. I know Blender is a little different but the whole floating pallet of customizable buttons was very helpful.

[DanielWray]

I can't say for certain, but i am sure the developers want to open up all the operators (tools) in blender so people can intergrate there scripts directly, instead of the old method, so as far as i am aware stuff like this will be possible, well i'll certainly be pushing to get this kind of stuff into blender.

[mfoxdogg]

OK time to put speculations to rest, i am one of the developers of 2.5 so i better sort this out before you all turn mad :scream:

firstly, the UI will be written in python, so plugins will have full seamless intergration into the UI, and if somthing is not in the right spot or you're missing a button simply edit the appropriate py file

on the subject of python, yes every operator/tool blender has will be able to be called from python, and even operators/tools can be written in python and used during runtime , for example you can make a script to use sculpt to trace a svg onto a mesh using a simple button in the UI, also 2.5 has a semi history stack atm, you can rerun operators (f3) and you can change the settings of last run operator (press N or T)

Bmesh is the name of the new mesh kernel, its in current blender but only bevel uses it, and its development is being done paralell to 2.5, but it may not get into 2.50 as its not one of the targets but most certainly be in 2.5x, yes it can handle ngons but thats only a plesent side effect, the true power of bmesh is in other areas like preservation of loop data

blender can handle multiple windows now (up to 300 in an early test, well competittion really to see who can get the most) but will not be multiple windows by default.

also no one has mention ed the new animation system dubbed "animato" where litterally everything is animatable (even node positions), simply rmb on a button to insert a keyframe

for more info, go to
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/BlenderDev/Blender2.5

for my tests and experiments and tours of 2.5 and new features in development
blenderlabrat.blogspot.com (http://blenderlabrat.blogspot.com)

for feature requests please post them at blenderstorm
http://www.blenderstorm.org/

[Rezonance]

Sounds awesome. What do you mean by this "the true power of bmesh is in other areas like preservation of loop data"? Please tell more about Bmesh. Will it allow high polycount scuplting?

Thanks.

[mfoxdogg]

Sounds awesome. What do you mean by this "the true power of bmesh is in other areas like preservation of loop data"? Please tell more about Bmesh. Will it allow high polycount scuplting?

Thanks.

well not really, besides sculpt and multires have both been recoded for 2.5 , just not usable atm.

most other applications when they do a tool the edge/face loops are lost internally, bmesh does not do that, and developers/scripters can 'walk' over the mesh even edges that have more then 2 faces attached to it, (which also allows for 2edge faces but their usage is debatable), so if you put an edge somwhere internally the mesh will be valid, reducing crashes and inflexibity in mesh tools nd making loop based tools alot easier to develop and features will be added easier

old doc describing bmesh
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/BlenderDev/Bmesh (http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/BlenderDev/Bmesh)

[DanielWray]

That sounds pretty awesome.

Also just a quick note about the speed ups for sculpting and display, i think a guy is working on a GSOC project and is implementing VBO's into blender, to replace the current method of drawing the interface.. and 3D window.

But Mfoxdogg will probably correct me here :D

[eMPeck]

I'm really excited about Bmesh. This is the last thing that keeps me away from Blender (I can even live with current GUI :D). I just can't imagine modelling with tris/quads only :)

[DanielWray]

I feel your frustation man :D

But it's in the works, so one day blender will have them :)

[TetraLynx]

Thanks for the update Michael. Looks like you all have your work cut out for you as it's almost like you are rewriting the program from the ground up in many aspects. Looked at the Blenderstorm site, you guys are using Drupal, my favorite CMS :)

[anoon]

I am anxiously awaiting the 2.5 release. Keep up the good work!!!

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