> > So how is this not custom properties? > I don't think custom properties are the best for this use-case scenario, for the following reasons:
* You need to generate this data *on export*. As an example, if you edited the material nodes in Blender, you would only want to generate a target engine shader at the time you are exporting the file, as this can be a costly process. Doing it at any other time is unnecessary and inefficient. * Custom properties are meant to be *user-facing*, there is zero benefit in users seeing data meant *for the exporter*. * Again remember, the use of this is to take data that *already exists in blender* (not that was created by the user) and send it to a game engine. It's a different use case (and hence, feature). Juan On Thu, Mar 4, 2021 at 3:53 PM Toni Alatalo via Bf-committers < bf-committers@blender.org> wrote: > So how is this not custom properties? > > https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/files/data_blocks.html#custom-properties > > On Thu, Mar 4, 2021 at 8:05 PM Juan Linietsky via Bf-committers < > bf-committers@blender.org> wrote: > > > Hi Everyone! > > > > Most exporters are working fantastic nowadays in Blender, so on the > > Godot Engine side, we are trying to figure how better to improve our > > experience to users when going back and forth between Blender and Godot. > > > > So, this proposal consists on a very (pre-discussed) list of topics > that > > we would be glad to work together in ensuring Blender can support these > > somehow (which should hopefully happen with minimal effort). > > > > The main topic is the ability for Blender to have a "Metadata Export" > > plugin. This means, that at the time of export,and for each object > exported > > (node, material, skeleton, mesh, etc) Blender should be able to ask for > > "metadata" to the export plugins. Export plugins can then return generic > > metadata (Strings or what you believe is best) to embed in exported > scenes. > > > > Here are use cases where these type of plugins would be very useful: > > > > * *UUID exporting*: When we import a scene on the game engine side, we > can > > only track objects by name. Blender uses unique names for objects, but > > artists will often rename them, causing data added on the engine side > (such > > as overriding materials, changing positions, setting children nodes to, > > etc) to be lost. Ideally, Blender should be able to assign UUIDs to > every > > object at the time of creation (does not need to be global, can be per > > blender file). If not desired to be core in Blender, then the add-on > should > > be able to do this somehow. > > * *Material Exporting:* Exporting materials is very limited in any > format. > > Users often just want to model directly on Blender, set up the materials > > with nodes, and then expect them to work in the engine. To solve this, we > > originally wrote a direct Blender -> Godot exporter, but this is very > > difficult to maintain where the main thing we need is just materials. On > > export, we convert Blender Materials to Godot Shaders, so they work > > automatically on the engine. If this can be saved as metadata in > > GLTF/DAE/FBX, it's much easier for us to maintain. > > * *Extra parameters for lights and cameras*: Sometimes, we want more > > parameters exported from lights, cameras, etc. in order to make sure > scenes > > just work. > > * *Extra types of objects:* Godot supports Splines, IK, Physics and many > > other types of objects that blender supports, but that no export format > > does. Being able to export those as metadata in the exporter would be > very > > useful. As an example, when making a racing game, exporting a Spline used > > to create a racetrack helps make a better AI. > > > > So, all this could be done if exporters polled export metadata plugins > for > > metadata at the time of export (so we ensure we convert from the most > > recent version of the object) on any object, then added it in the > exported > > data. This is a minimal non-invasive change in Blender exporters, but > adds > > huge flexibility to engine export. > > > > Best > > > > Juan > > _______________________________________________ > > Bf-committers mailing list > > Bf-committers@blender.org > > https://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers > > > _______________________________________________ > Bf-committers mailing list > Bf-committers@blender.org > https://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers > _______________________________________________ Bf-committers mailing list Bf-committers@blender.org https://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
