I mean, only building the interface, not the code behind it for doing anything!
The thing I'm referring to is only creating the squares and getting them linked by using the mouse, to build some kind of tree.
BTW: are you using FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) in the sound system? It is useful for filters and stuff like that.
EDIT: but I think FFT is not needed at all, I'm just curious
In the fall of 1972 President Nixon announced that the rate of increase of inflation was decreasing. This was the first time a sitting president used the third derivative to advance his case for reelection.
-=Hugo Rossi=-
When I first started working on ZGE I did consider using a Buzz-style interface like you describe. Several shader-editors use this interface as well. But in the end I went for the explorer-tree view that the ZGE-designer use today because I think it's easier to use and more logical for the kind of components that ZGE consists of.
Perhaps it could be used for specialized editors in ZGE so that when you click on a Bitmap/Mesh a Buzz-type editor appears with possibilities to connect different producers: BitmapNoise -> BitmapExpression -> BitmapFromFile etc. But it is quite a lot of work because there are no standard gui-component in Delphi for making this kind of user interface.
I do not use FFT for the audio now. The simple low-pass filter in ZGE use very little code and is cpu-efficient. FFT requires quite a bit more code and is slower, however as you say more kind of cool effects are possible. So maybe in a future version if we add more audioeffects that can be turned on/off.
VilleK wrote:Perhaps it could be used for specialized editors in ZGE so that when you click on a Bitmap/Mesh a Buzz-type editor appears with possibilities to connect different producers: BitmapNoise -> BitmapExpression -> BitmapFromFile etc. But it is quite a lot of work because there are no standard gui-component in Delphi for making this kind of user interface.
Yep, this was exactly what I had in mind I have looked for something like that but found nothing, neither for C++ nor Delphi! Let's say I would have liked to create some delphi code to automatically translate something like block connections or also tree views to MeshExpressions and BitmapExpression. Let's say it would be an "expression parser"
This could be awesome but who will live will see! My exams are not getting the right way :/ so this summer I will also have to study a bit... Not too much but let's say 2 hours per day. Probably I will want to rest for the remaining part of the day
BTW: I'm also planning to try fixing a little "bug" that prevents the ImplicitMesh being created in the right way if there are several different "balls" separated one each other. I almost do know why it does not "see" them if they are separated
In the fall of 1972 President Nixon announced that the rate of increase of inflation was decreasing. This was the first time a sitting president used the third derivative to advance his case for reelection.
-=Hugo Rossi=-
I'm a big fan of schematic interfaces as well, but I have to agree with Ville that the current component tree is just as elegant, if not more. A downside would for example be that you'd have to store the data concerning the layout of schematic, obscuring the human readability of the XML project files.
On a side note, XSI seems to have pushed the envelopes on their schematics quite a bit with ICE
The schematic interface would be great for stuff like Mesh and Bitmaps, nothing more. Yet, this would be a GREAT feature. I'm searching the web for code to be recycled for the GUI
In the fall of 1972 President Nixon announced that the rate of increase of inflation was decreasing. This was the first time a sitting president used the third derivative to advance his case for reelection.
-=Hugo Rossi=-
you may also want to look into the 'operator stacking' system used by the great and powerfull .werkkzeug I find that to be very intuitive and fast once you start to undersand what it is doing,. .
but yeah,. I have to side with ville and kjell,. the tree system is fine,. I would rather see more components, physics,. poly-trails, splines, spline editor, font2mesh (for 3d text!) , data storage, and saving data to a file, etc.
but we know, you will do what you like,. that's why we lov you! peace.
The stacking system is very powerful and elegant for content creation. As I've said before Werkkzeug is really what kicked me into starting the ZGE project to begin with. Though I much prefer a standard Windows GUI over the Amiga-style gui they use. Have you made any projects with werkkzeug, jph?
I have used the texture tool,. .
I have only messed about with the demo tool,. I just had a look at it again,. and although it is very cool, the lack of interactivity sort-a looses me,. demos are great,. but GAMES are more my thing,.
looking at that again,. I do notice a couple of powerfull items we may think of adding to ZGE,. the blur component is very powerfull,. with direction and several algorithms to choose from,. at the very least could we see a nice script we can use in a BitmapExpression?,. I'm just not smart enouph to figure one out,. Another amazingly usefull set of tools are the mesh manipulation components. the CubeSelector+Transformations are super usefull for procedural modeling, and with the Subdivide and Extrude are truly amazing,.
Sure some of this we can do with meshExpressions,. however any simple componets people can simply add and tweek will just add to ZGE's overall userfreindlyness and appeal,.
oh ,. and a 3d partical system would be a great thing too! I just use models for 3d parts now,. and use 2d systems when it makes sence,. but perhaps we could have seperate 3d partical system,. another project for the internes! I am assuming that using the partical system is faster than using models for each part??
well im going to try to build a little .werkkzeug demo for you to see,. (and make me learn more too!) then i gotta re-work LoosePixelsPOW as it ended up a real mess,. with me trying to add a bit of everything ZGE could draw,. lol,. and then CandycornUndergrowth as well will get updated so all the games I have made in ZGE will have the nice bitmap font, and rez. selection option.., humm but my site is down,. gotta find out what is going on over there,. . drat!
I have looked for something like that but found nothing, neither for C++ nor Delphi! Let's say I would have liked to create some delphi code to automatically translate something like block connections or also tree views to MeshExpressions and BitmapExpression. Let's say it would be an "expression parser" 
