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In lugnet.animation, Mike Thorn wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Are there any software developers out there who would be interested in
> collaborating on a project with me to design, develop and produce software
> for CGI LEGO animation?
>
> I'm thinking something along the lines of an MLCad GUI, coupled with
> PoV-Ray realism and radiosity. I would rather avoid text-based scene tools,
> but woudl rather do more of a graphical approach.
>
> The main roadblock to this project is that I have almost no knowledge of
> application programming. I have experience with PoV-Ray, though, and am
> willing to learn what I'm missing as far as that goes. In order to create a
> regular piece of software, though, I need someone else.
>
> If you're interested, drop me a line and I can outline more of my thoughts.
> I'm open to anything at this point, so if anyone has ideas for some things
> they might like to see I'd be interested in hearing them.
>
> Thanks,
> ~Mike
Hello,
In my opinion one of the most useful feature in a lego animation software could
be "model patterns". I mean the user declares "it's a car model" then he can
order the doors to open/close, the car to run/stop and the driver to get in/out.
Of course the user still has to identify the separate components but at least he
does'nt have to specify their move, which is a tedious and repeatitive task,
considering all cars have the same basic moves.
Standard model patterns could include:
* cars
* trucks (cars with an articulation)
* minifigs (walk,run,stop,take-tool,...)
* planes
* helicopters
* boats
* space-ships
* space-walkers
* castle-drawbridges
* castle-portcullis
* castle-catapults
* castle-battering-rams
and more...
The sad news is having revolutionary ideas is actually the easy part.
The difficult part is making them live.
Any basic application usually requires so much effort that implementing
revolutionary features is out of question.
As an exemple MLCad can be considered as a basic tool from a user point of view
(not a single animation feature), yet it's a really advanced tool considering
the development effort involved.
If you want to implement such a software you may consider a step-by-step
approach:
* 1. implement a basic LDraw viewer
* 2. implement basic editing possibilities
* 3. implement basic animation possibilities
* 4. implement more adanced possibilities
* 5. improve user-friendliness
And it's already a long way before step 2.
Regards,
Damien
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: LEGO animation software
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| Hi, it is possible to animate MLCad models. But there is one thing that makes it hard to do so. There is no good export filter from LDRAW to other programs than Pov Ray available. What I have done is this: creating a model in MLCAD / LDRAW exporting (...) (21 years ago, 23-Jan-04, to lugnet.animation, lugnet.cad.ray, FTX)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | LEGO animation software
|
| Hello, Are there any software developers out there who would be interested in collaborating on a project with me to design, develop and produce software for CGI LEGO animation? I'm thinking something along the lines of an MLCad GUI, coupled with (...) (21 years ago, 22-Jan-04, to lugnet.animation, lugnet.cad.ray)
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