Wintermute Engine > Feature requests, suggestions

Poll: New Scene Edit or HLSL?

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sychron:
I voted for the Scene Editor. Reason: HLSL support is a cool addon for 2.5D-Games, while the new Scene Editor would allow better development for ALL games made with WME. Second reason: You would have to wait for an SceneEdit-Update anyways if you want some efficiency in placing and editing the new Effects ;-)

Daniel:
Well, the way I see it, it all comes down to WME's intended target audience. I can see three major groups: a) Developers creating free games just for fun, b) Developers creating relatively small commercial self-funded games, and c) Developers creating full-scale top-notch publisher-funded games. When a developer belongs to group c, technical features like bump and normal mapping, dynamic shadows and lighting, and other 3D effects in a 2.5D game become an issue because some of the larger publishers in the field demand those technical features even in adventure games. The reason is the competition that has sprang in the last two or three years in the newly revived adventure market. I know this first-hand from dealings with publishers and I'm already pushing the limits with WME.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say here is that if one of WME's target audiences is indeed group c, then the way to go would be to add more support for eye-candy features. I agree that better development tools like the new scene editor is indeed very important but if I have to abandon WME because it doesn't support the eye-candy effects that the publishers demand, having a new set of tools won't help me much as I won't be able to use WME at all. And believe me, I love WME and the last thing I want is switch engines.

That's the reason I'm voting for HLSL.

metamorphium:
Still I see the chronology and this is what Mnemonic wrote here:

--- Quote ---Ok, let me elaborate a little. Both the new SceneEdit and support for DirectX effect files (aka shaders support) are features that need to be done, and I'd like to see both in WME 1.9 (perhaps ending the whole WME 1.x series). But both of these are potentially quite time consuming and may take a long time to finish.
--- End quote ---

My reason why I've voted for Scene Editor is, that Shaders can be implemented whenever in our game development cycle whilst better Scene Editor would speed up the development process a whole lot. And adding eye candy is usually not done at the very beginning of the process. Knowing that there WILL be shaders available in WME is enough so I prefer better tools.

FogGobbler:

--- Quote ---I agree that better development tools like the new scene editor is indeed very important but if I have to abandon WME because it doesn't support the eye-candy effects that the publishers demand, having a new set of tools won't help me much as I won't be able to use WME at all. And believe me, I love WME and the last thing I want is switch engines.
--- End quote ---

That is exactly what I think.

I can understand that you don´t have time to bother about everything in your spare time, so perhaps the way is to separate the different target groups Daniel mentioned.

So what do you of keeping the WME as it is for hobby game designers, because it has everything you really need to get started and offer regular updates, but in bigger intervals.

On the other hand a affordable commercial "professional" version which we have to pay for (monthly subscription payment or just one amout) with these advanced lighting effects.
I´m quite sure that people would pay for it..I certainly would :-)

odnorf:
I'm jumping in a vehicle that isn't mine here but let me clear 1-2 things based on what I know and what I have learned since first wme public version (2003). WME was once freeware for free projects and had a separate paid license for commercial games. This experience taught as one thing. It didn't work because 1) Not many were willing to pay, 2) Some people were bitching that they had to pay to create a commercial game (and even making noise in other forums with not so polite comments). From time to time there is some brainstorming going on for which road wme should take and there is some kind of draft in Mnemonics' mind but everything stops at one thing, which is the biggest problem. That is free time.

The new freeware license seems to also be problematic because almost no one donates.

EDIT: Some mistakes

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