User survey: Testing the water for Blender 2.5

[dougal2]

The purpose of this thread is for me to gather some information and opinions about Blender 2.5.
I have a few specific questions, but I'm also open to a bit of open-ended discussion about Blendigo's future.

- Has anyone here started using Blender 2.5 ?
- For any serious work ?
- Would anyone consider adopting blender 2.5 on a more permanent basis if you were able to use Indigo with it ?
- If you're not yet using it, why ? When do you think you'll make the transition (if at all) ?

For anyone who has used blender 2.5 already:
- Is there anything different about your workflow in the new Blender that you'd need the next generation of Blendigo to adapt to ?
- Is there anything particularly you do/do not want carried over from the existing Blendigo paradigm/workflow into an exporter for Blender 2.5 ?

- If a beta-quality or unfinished exporter for Blender 2.5 was made available, would you prefer to use it over the existing Blender 2.4/Blendigo combination ?
- Which features would you miss ?
- Which features are essential ?


Any further comments ?

[Borgleader]

- Has anyone here started using Blender 2.5 ?
Yes
- For any serious work ?
No
- Would anyone consider adopting blender 2.5 on a more permanent basis if you were able to use Indigo with it ?
Of course!
- If you're not yet using it, why ? When do you think you'll make the transition (if at all) ?
n/a

For anyone who has used blender 2.5 already:
- Is there anything different about your workflow in the new Blender that you'd need the next generation of Blendigo to adapt to ?
Blender 2.5 is highly context sensitive and I've gotten used to the panels now being vertical and on the side. Also I believe the scripts window has permanently been nuked. For having played with writing scripts in 2.5 I guess I'd be comfortable with it being split in a few pieces, for example the tab where you define your material settings for indigo could actually appear in the blender material tab and so on. That way if anyone wants to have two sets of materials for doing previews inside blender they can have both sets on next to the other. my 2 cents.
- Is there anything particularly you do/do not want carried over from the existing Blendigo paradigm/workflow into an exporter for Blender 2.5 ?
Last time I used blendigo I couldnt get it to export everything in the same file like it used to, is that a design choice or an indigo requirement? Because if possible I'd like to have that option back

- If a beta-quality or unfinished exporter for Blender 2.5 was made available, would you prefer to use it over the existing Blender 2.4/Blendigo combination ?
Most likely
- Which features would you miss ?
I don't do animations, so not that. I don't use the blur at all, and not really DOF so I guess as long as it does materials a basic settings for environment type, ... I'm all happy.
- Which features are essential ?
Materials, basic settings (system, ...)

[plaurits]

- Has anyone here started using Blender 2.5 ?
I've been using it for modelling since last December.

- For any serious work ?
If student work counts, then yes.

- Would anyone consider adopting blender 2.5 on a more permanent basis if you were able to use Indigo with it ?
Yes. The only reason I still have 2.49 installed is so that I can use Indigo and other exportes that haven't been ported over yet. I model everything in 2.5 and then opens it in 2.49 and hopes that nothing brakes and then exports.

For anyone who has used blender 2.5 already:
- Is there anything different about your workflow in the new Blender that you'd need the next generation of Blendigo to adapt to ?
I can't think of anything specific right now. But the new render api should allow for a much tighter and a much more natural integration with Blender, I hope Blendigo will reflect this as much as possible.

- If a beta-quality or unfinished exporter for Blender 2.5 was made available, would you prefer to use it over the existing Blender 2.4/Blendigo combination ?
Yes. I would only go back to 2.49 if something in 2.5 didn't work.

Any further comments ?
Isn't the Cinema 4D exporter pretty good and well integrated? If so, perhaps it could serve as inspiration?

Also, an Indigo material render preview panel inside Blender would be pretty awesome.

[sweetcement]

Like Blender 2.5 better than 2.49 -- only reason I still use 2.49 is Indigo and other exporters, as the others have said. Would probably switch over completely if Indigo exporter was available.

[everwind]

- Has anyone here started using Blender 2.5 ?

Yep, I compile it every day and I now only use it (except when I have to use Indigo)

- For any serious work ?

For every work now, so yes (currently I'm making the itsartmag challenge)

- Would anyone consider adopting blender 2.5 on a more permanent basis if you were able to use Indigo with it ?

Yes of course, I would not use blender 2.49 anymore and that would be perfect !


For anyone who has used blender 2.5 already:
- Is there anything different about your workflow in the new Blender that you'd need the next generation of Blendigo to adapt to ?

The new unit system in blender, % of rendersize

- Is there anything particularly you do/do not want carried over from the existing Blendigo paradigm/workflow into an exporter for Blender 2.5 ?

I don't really see ...

- If a beta-quality or unfinished exporter for Blender 2.5 was made available, would you prefer to use it over the existing Blender 2.4/Blendigo combination ?

Maybe yes, maybe not .... yes if the beta version works enough ^^. It's not very cool to have to come back to 2.49 everytime I have to use indigo ...

- Which features would you miss ?

I don't really understand the use of the buttton 'mesh" and subdivise ... afterall if I want it to be subdivided the "subsurf" button should be enough, no ?

- Which features are essential ?

nearly everything on Indigo now. Maybe when the API is fixed it would be cool to have really blendigo integrated in the new shader system and in Indigo

[Headroom]

I downloaded Blender 2.5 a few days ago and really like the new interface. In my work I have not encountered any of the features that Blender 2.48 has (have never updated to 2.49a) that have not yet been integrated into Blender 2.5.
I would definitely switch to Blender 2.5 if there would be a Blendigo available for it! The fact that there is no Blendigo available for 2.5 is the reason I have not switched yet!

Can't say which feature I'd be missing most, or which I'd like to give up for a beta version. Just present us with a beta and we'll see what you'll get the most complaints for
Then work like mad to get all the missing stuff integrated.

Heck, every change of direction is associated with some pains. Waiting any longer will just make it more painful!

[ENSLAVER]

I used previous versions of blender for a while, but mostly max. After seeing 2.5 and using it a little I am almost tempted to drop max for the most part.

[Doug Armand]

- Has anyone here started using Blender 2.5 ?
Yes
- For any serious work ?
some
- Would anyone consider adopting blender 2.5 on a more permanent basis if you were able to use Indigo with it ?
Definately
- If you're not yet using it, why ? When do you think you'll make the transition (if at all) ?
N/A
For anyone who has used blender 2.5 already:
- Is there anything different about your workflow in the new Blender that you'd need the next generation of Blendigo to adapt to ?
Nothing that I've yet come across
- Is there anything particularly you do/do not want carried over from the existing Blendigo paradigm/workflow into an exporter for Blender 2.5 ?
I definately need both DoF and Motion blur (both camera and object)

- If a beta-quality or unfinished exporter for Blender 2.5 was made available, would you prefer to use it over the existing Blender 2.4/Blendigo combination ?
Yes
- Which features would you miss ?
can't say unless I know what bits will be missing?
- Which features are essential ?
DoF and Motion blur (both camera and object)


Any further comments ? [/quote]

[dougal2]

Thanks for all the responses so far, you guys are mostly confirming my suspicions.

The good news is that an exporter for Blender 2.5 does exist, however it is not quite ready enough to be released as a beta. I will try to work towards something that meets your needs over the next month or so

[pixie]

I plan to learn Blender, but only 2.5 afterwards so I won't even touch 2.49.

[StompinTom]

There are only a couple UI issues in 2.5 that are stopping me from using it. That and a couple features, like beveling and stuff. If those are fixed up, I'll have no problem moving over to 2.5.

[dougal2]

There are only a couple UI issues in 2.5 that are stopping me from using it. That and a couple features, like beveling and stuff. If those are fixed up, I'll have no problem moving over to 2.5.

Beveling is now a mesh modifier, like subsurf

[StompinTom]

There are only a couple UI issues in 2.5 that are stopping me from using it. That and a couple features, like beveling and stuff. If those are fixed up, I'll have no problem moving over to 2.5.

Beveling is now a mesh modifier, like subsurf

That was the case in 2.49 though too, but often I use it just to split specific edges to model further and such. Do you know if the bevel modifier still messes up UV mapping? In 2.49 that basically rendered it useless for me...

[dougal2]

There are only a couple UI issues in 2.5 that are stopping me from using it. That and a couple features, like beveling and stuff. If those are fixed up, I'll have no problem moving over to 2.5.

Beveling is now a mesh modifier, like subsurf

That was the case in 2.49 though too, but often I use it just to split specific edges to model further and such. Do you know if the bevel modifier still messes up UV mapping? In 2.49 that basically rendered it useless for me...

oh, um, I don't know, I'll test it with the new exporter some time soon.