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Feedback => Playtesting => Topic started by: Caran Elmoth on January 30, 2012, 06:25:22 AM



Title: Voxculpt: a Unity3D voxel block editor
Post by: Caran Elmoth on January 30, 2012, 06:25:22 AM
(http://www.oldschoolpixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/voxculpt_shot2-300x232.png)
Hello everyone! :)
This is not really a game, but the basis for a bigger project I am working on. It's a voxel editor on a 16x16x16 grid. The voxel blocks constructed will be used as "sprites" and "tiles" in the engine I am building.
The editor really lacks many core features, at the moment, like selection, copy & paste and so on. The only things you can do are: adding  voxel, deleting a voxel, changing the color and/or material of an existing voxel, clearing the grid or filling it with a color/material combination and you can save and load your work. Also, I am not satisfied at all with the four material textures I have at the moment. The kind of feedback I need now is essentially on two aspects:

1) The editor lacks instructions on purpose: I tried to make it simple and usable at first sight. Tell me how wrong I am. :P

2) My art skills are programmer-leveled, so I need to know if someone with more talent can make something visually appealing using Voxculpt.

You can read about it here (http://www.oldschoolpixels.com/?page_id=240) and you can download it here (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/56894807/voxculpt.zip).
Any other constructive feedback will also be very appreciated! Thank you all! :)

Edit:

- By request, I added a Mac version that can be downloaded here (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/56894807/voxculpt_mac.zip). I didn't post this before because I am unable to test it, so it's posted "as is". :)


Title: Re: Voxculpt: a Unity3D voxel block editor
Post by: Udderdude on February 15, 2012, 01:45:14 PM
It could really use a pencil tool that draws when you click on an empty space and erases when you click a full space.  Shortcut keys to view it from different angles would be nice, too.  Maybe some other shortcut keys to choose different colors faster.  Also, a grid might help, and something that lets you see the model's symmetry, or maybe a option to mirror the model symmetrically.


Title: Re: Voxculpt: a Unity3D voxel block editor
Post by: imaginationac on February 15, 2012, 06:08:08 PM
HSV/HSB Color chooser is mandatory.
I'd like to rotate with the middle mouse button. Zoom too.
Delete with right mouse button, maybe?

Agree with keyboard shortcuts for changing action.
Agree with the need for a pencil tool.

Nitpicky: Representing third axis with yellow is weird for me (I'm used to green, red, and blue).

If not a grid, at least bilaterally show the middle of each plain. Needs some type of reference. With such a small grid, you could even use a ruler with numbers.

The ability to work on one layer at time on any axis would be fawsome. (Kind of like how Picross 3D works).

Some minor form of response to know which voxel you're hovering over would help. Preferably, a highlight (like in Minecraft). Coordinates would be a plus.

Things to consider later:
Allowing for custom canvas sizes.
Change canvas background color.
Change lighting.


Title: Re: Voxculpt: a Unity3D voxel block editor
Post by: Caran Elmoth on February 16, 2012, 05:58:13 AM
Hey, thanks for the feedback! :beer:

Now, answering your points:
  • Understanding if you are pointing an empty space or a full one is a bit tricky: when raycasting through the mouse pointer, how can you tell if you are clicking an empty space or the full voxel just behind that empty space? But maybe, shortcuts to quickly select the main action should help quicken the work, anyway. Also, deleting with the right mouse button can be a good idea.
  • Many shortcuts are already on the todo list: for the palette, the actions and the materials, for example. I'll add the shortcuts for preset view angles :handthumbsupL::).
  • Selection and selection transforming (symmetry, too) are on the todo list, also. This should help making symmetric models quickly.
  • I'm planning to let the user load a custom texture on the cube backgrounds; I could put a default grid texture. On the same subject, an highlighting cube indicating where you are operating, is definitely a good idea.
  • The hsv color selector will definitely be implemented.
  • The middle mouse button/wheel could be used to rotate/zoom, but with keyboard alternatives (I'm thinking of leaving the interface simple enough to be used with Unity flash export feature).
  • Work on one layer at a time? Uhm... have to think on the best way to implement such a behavior.
  • The canvas size is fixed because this editor is to be used for a 3D tiles engine I'm working on (very preliminary vid here (http://youtu.be/Lo2Uj-WqOS0)). But maybe I could think of a "multi-tile" editing system.
  • Changing canvas color and lighting could be a nice finishing touch to be added later :).

By the way, any doodles you have produced while testing that you don't mind showing? :)


Title: Re: Voxculpt: a Unity3D voxel block editor
Post by: senorbarborito on February 16, 2012, 08:18:08 AM
if you're planning to release this publicly make sure you include an API of sorts to allow us programmers to remove or add voxels, to allow for voxatron-like effects!


Title: Re: Voxculpt: a Unity3D voxel block editor
Post by: 08--n7.r6-79.84 on February 17, 2012, 01:43:39 AM
wow! awesome tool!


Title: Re: Voxculpt: a Unity3D voxel block editor
Post by: Caran Elmoth on February 17, 2012, 06:11:49 AM
@Seņor Barborito: sorry, no plans in that direction, at the moment. The tool is made to be used by artists and (maybe) modders to build the graphic elements of a 3D tile based voxel engine I'm testing.

@Winged Doom: thanks! :beer: Play around with it and show us the result! :eyebrows:


Title: Re: Voxculpt: a Unity3D voxel block editor
Post by: epcc on February 17, 2012, 03:32:06 PM
You should add a "duplicate palette color" button somewhere, right now its quite painful to create different shades.

It's a shame that you don't do a scripting API, it would make it much more reusable and useful. Some tools that you can't bother to implement could be implemented by someone who needs it.

oh, and here's a picture:
(http://i.imgur.com/1FkNr.png)


Title: Re: Voxculpt: a Unity3D voxel block editor
Post by: Caran Elmoth on February 18, 2012, 01:29:36 AM
@epcc: duplicate palette color -> right on the top of the todos (how did I miss this? :facepalm:). Also, I agree that a scripting API would be cool, but it's a pretty big effort that simply can't fit in my schedule :shrug2:. Cool little worker you have there :) Thanks for your feedback!