ok so file size and performance aside, i need it to be abstracted cause i dont want to have to close and reopen the scene when i want to add new actors to the crowd simulation.
also, softimage development team has changed. here is a great opportunity to convince them that an external API to do task like this is actually what we want :) On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 2:19 PM, Matt Lind <ml...@carbinestudios.com> wrote: > Generally speaking, softimage has steered towards forcing everything > through the SDK inside the application. So getting a proper API to > read/write an external file is probably not gonna happen.**** > > ** ** > > There are a million ways to skin this cat. Granted it’ll take more disc > space and take longer to read a text/ASCII file than a binary equivalent, > but that doesn’t mean it will be slow. How data is represented can have a > large impact towards performance. **** > > ** ** > > I have my own internal XML file format for the purpose of transferring > data between versions of softimage. The files are huge on disc and loaded > with bloat, but they can still be read/written quite fast. **** > > ** ** > > Matt**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto: > softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] *On Behalf Of *Steven Caron > *Sent:* Wednesday, August 01, 2012 2:10 PM > > *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com > *Subject:* Re: Crowd FX Help**** > > ** ** > > sure, the whole ascii scene file format is desirable but that feature > doesn't change how i want to work with crowdfx nor does it address the > issue with updating assets that are already connected to crowdfx. i dont > want to have to close softimage, edit my file, then re open the file in > order to see an updated crowdfx actor or an action used by the actor. and > since we are talking about speed, i would prefer binary format as long as > it had a proper api to read and write that format. this could be icecache > for all i care, as long as i dont have to create my own routines for > reading and writing the format.**** > > ** ** > > On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 1:40 PM, Matt Lind <ml...@carbinestudios.com> > wrote:**** > > Basically what’s needed is an ASCII/text scene file format so we can > modify not just crowds, but anything in the scene as long as the edits > conform to specs. Need the same for models and other data types.**** > > **** > > Sorely needed and is more than long overdue.**** > > **** > > **** > > Matt**** > > **** > > **** > > **** > > **** > > **** > > *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto: > softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] *On Behalf Of *Steven Caron > *Sent:* Wednesday, August 01, 2012 12:42 PM**** > > > *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com > *Subject:* Re: Crowd FX Help**** > > **** > > its not a current feature, its a suggestion i have sent to softimage but > also was going to be the basis for my own customizations to crowdfx to get > around these issues.**** > > **** > > one could explore caching the action sources to icecache and loading them > back in but thats only part of the problem from what i understand.**** > > **** > > s**** > > On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 12:25 PM, Luc Girard <l...@shedmtl.com> wrote:**** > > Thx for your input.. I'm having fun with the tool so far so I would be > bummed to have to find another solution.**** > > **** > > Your said this earlier "being able to use a external format to store data > like this and so it can be updated without interacting with a live > simulation is key." Can you expand more about this with a little more > details plz ? I'm not quite sure which data and which external format you > are referring to... sorry newb here ;)**** > > **** > > thx a lot !**** > > **** > > **** > > *Luc Girard // SHED* > artiste 3D**** > > 1410, RUE STANLEY, 11E ÉTAGE MONTRÉAL (QUÉBEC) H3A 1P8 > T 514 849-1555 F 514 849-5025 WWW.SHEDMTL.COM**** > > **** > > prenez note que mon nouveau courriel est le: l...@shedmtl.com **** > > **** > > *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto: > softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] *On Behalf Of *Steven Caron > *Sent:* August-01-12 3:08 PM**** > > > *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com > *Subject:* Re: Crowd FX Help**** > > **** > > i finished all my shots with crowdfx even with the issues. your actor geo > and rig might be more complex then the pedestrian so i would get those in > there asap to get an idea of the speed.**** > > **** > > s**** > > **** > > On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 12:03 PM, Luc Girard <l...@shedmtl.com> wrote:**** > > Hey Guys !**** > > **** > > I've been following your discussion and now I'm scared ! I just started > a Crowd sim last Monday for a project, using CrowdFX on 2013 Sp1.**** > > **** > > Everything is going fine for the moment as I am using the Default > pedestrian to test and build my sim. I plan to replace the pedestrian with > our own actors as soon as they are ready. Will I be able to get a result > in a reasonable amount of time with the tricks you described earlier (which > for the moment I'm not sure I understand all but I guess I will, as I get > more accustomed to the tool) ? Or is it simply a NO GO because of the > issues ? I don't want to get too deep in the process and discover I have > to find another solution altogether.**** > > **** > > Your opinions would be appreciated,**** > > **** > > Thx !**** > > **** > > **** > > **** > > **** > > *Luc Girard // SHED* > artiste 3D**** > > 1410, RUE STANLEY, 11E ÉTAGE MONTRÉAL (QUÉBEC) H3A 1P8 > T 514 849-1555 F 514 849-5025 WWW.SHEDMTL.COM**** > > **** > > prenez note que mon nouveau courriel est le: l...@shedmtl.com **** > > **** > > *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto: > softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] *On Behalf Of *Steven Caron > *Sent:* August-01-12 2:21 PM**** > > > *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com > *Subject:* Re: Crowd FX Help**** > > **** > > i got various errors that i can't remember but that error i definitely > haven't seen before. animations getting broken like you mentioned i did > encounter but it was usually just an error i had where my animations were > being improperly loaded in the ice graph. sometimes i just ran get actions > again and it re wires them. others i realized my graph was using actorID to > set data which no longer is correct since i removed added the actor and the > IDs changed.**** > > **** > > i haven't used crowdfx in a bit so my memory is a big foggy, please hammer > on it and log all the issues you can. i hope to get back to crowdfx in the > future and see it has improved :)**** > > **** > > s**** > > **** > > On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 10:44 AM, Julian Johnson <jul...@exch.demon.co.uk> > wrote:**** > > On 01/08/2012 18:09, Steven Caron wrote:**** > > i dont recall this bug being addressed in 2013 SP1, but i may be wrong... > > @julian, i got to the point where i was adding all the characters i needed > to an empty scene and updating this, then copy pasting graphs to rebuild > the scene. but even in a simple scene eventually screeches to a halt. > > being able to use a external format to store data like this and so it can > be updated without interacting with a live simulation is key.**** > > Thanks Steven, > > I think I'd need to do the same as you. Did you find you had problems > simply adding new Actors to an established crowd? I not only get the ultra > long load times but it quite often ends with: > > # ERROR : CrowdSkinningNode: 428$Access to a custom ICE node input port > failed. > > Again, this only happens if I reload an existing crowd scene. The same > model adds fine provided I don't close and reload the scene. It also works > properly in a neutral scene on it's own... > > Cheers, > Julian**** > > **** > > **** > > **** > > ** ** >
