RPGDX > Forums > Off Topic > 3D Sprite tool, awesome economic theories

tcaudilllg · Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:58 am Post subject:

It would be nice to have a "3D sprite editor" to tinker with. I don't know of any that exist now. Would it be possible to make such a thing with SVG?

DeveloperX · Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:55 pm Post subject:

tcaudilllg · Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:51 pm Post subject:

What I'm thinking of is a hybrid between a voxel painter and a 3-D modeler.

It involves:

one viewport which can be oriented to view the graphic from six angles: overhead, bottom, right, left, front, and back.
the ability to specify 2-D curves on a 3D plane, by which the graphic's shape can be specified. The user can then paint over a 2D projection and in doing so, paint the "surface" of the voxel object.
the ability to treat each Z coordinate as a seperate 2D plane which can be drawn upon. Essentially, using layers as sheets which when you put them together, create the entire object. It's akin to making a play-dough sculpture, then putting it through a slicing toy, and after slicing it up into sheets, fusing the sheets back together to form one whole.
3D modeling features. The 3D modeler allows that the same tools used above for the voxel painter be used to specify a 3D frame. The frame shape is specified automatically by the voxel shape, but consists of segments which are delineated by the user. The segments are connected by joints which permit their rotation independently or in conjunction with other segments. By rotating the base model, its figure can be shown in different frames of movement which can be captured 2-dimensionally and used as frames of a sprite.
Scaling. The program attempts to infer the suggestion of the artist in a manner similar to how curves are inferred by scaling operations. If for example, you have two line segments which are adjacent to each other at 90 degrees, but are not joined into an angle, then they would be interpreted as an arc. These inferences are made only with respect to the shape of the main sculpture. A wire-frame model is assembled from the inferences, which can be scaled upwards and downwards. The sculpture is repainted after its scaling with texturing.

DeveloperX · Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:59 pm Post subject:

ah.
try Z-paint
or look into writing custom artisan MEL scripts for Maya.
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tcaudilllg · Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:37 am Post subject:

Actually I was hoping you would do that. It would make a good opensource product and you have much more programming talent than I do.

I really have no passion for the minutae of programming anymore. It seems a waste of time when I can instead concentrate on personality issues, which are where my talent really lies.

If you will program it, I'll walk you step by step through the design.

DeveloperX · Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:06 am Post subject:

tcaudilllg · Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:10 am Post subject:

My friend, I am even more broke than when we last met.

Basically, 3D modeling software is extremely hard to use, and is absolute overkill for 2D sprites. It is made for people who have artistic talent. I don't. Let me refer you to a thread which discusses my argument: it's my theory of talents. (you can skip it if you want)

http://www.metasocion.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=143

The main point is, I like doodling with sprites -- it's the limit of my artistic talent--, but it takes way too much energy for me to really dedicate myself to it. (and time) I need something to simplify the process.

Tell you what: you make it, you get the copyrights. But I really do think this could be your "killer app" which gets CCPS Solutions off the ground. I feel uncomfortable discussing matters of money and don't want to be a part of any entrepreneureal stuff. It's not in my nature. I think you could get a lot of donations by working on it, because a lot of dot artists would find it useful.

I think someone will have this idea someday. The only question is who realizes it first.... You have the talent and the drive, so why not you?

DeveloperX · Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:37 am Post subject:

tcaudilllg · Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:58 am Post subject:

The proof of the tool's market lies in the fact that you believe it doesn't have one. There will invariably be people who disagree with you and thus, those people will use the tool.

Existing graphics suites all have one thing in common: they are loaded down with cumbersome details that require going through laborious processes to change. I couldn't stand Anim8tor in particular. What I'm thinking about is a tool that is simple to use, but admittedly, difficult to implement.

DeveloperX · Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:24 pm Post subject:

tcaudilllg · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:55 am Post subject:

Mattias Gustavsson · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:34 pm Post subject:

RedSlash · Mage Joined: 12 May 2005 Posts: 331

No market != big opportunity.

If there is no demand for something, it doesn't mean there is ever going to be. Unless DevX wants to spend months of development time to test the waters, I'm assuming he'd rather develop something that's more worth his time.

tcaudilllg · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:37 am Post subject:

My argument:

http://www.metasocion.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=223

(note: by anticharismatics, I mean opinion leaders)

Mattias Gustavsson · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:36 am Post subject:

You make a lot of weird assumptions there. Might want to look into basic marketing and economics (supply/demand, monopolies vs perfect competition, marginal cost etc) for a better understanding of how the market works.

But the big thing is: No matter how you look at it, not every product idea has a potential market. Some ideas just don't work.

And even those which do have a market - it's not a given that you'll be able to efficiently reach it...
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