Skin Viewer - Differences New/Old

[Chilli]

Did I miss something?  I am unable to view any of the new pony skins with the viewer besides the default.  Do I need to save each skin first, before they will be visible to the skin ID drop box? 

Only asking because I truly don't remember if this is how it worked for AH2 or just due to alpha level development.   

[hitech]

The other editors allow pivoting with the mouse only so that's why I was confused.

All 3 editors (Terrain/object/skin) now work with the exact same systems.
Also mouse wheel controls your movement speed.

HiTech

[Vraciu]

All 3 editors (Terrain/object/skin) now work with the exact same systems.
Also mouse wheel controls your movement speed.

HiTech

 

[Greebo]

I miss the old skin viewer mouse options as well. If holding the mouse button and moving the mouse pivoted the skin rather than pivoted the viewpoint it would be more useful. Also if there were a pair of buttons to move the viewpoint in or out, as well as the ones for zooming in or out it would be handy.

[hitech]

Also if there were a pair of buttons to move the viewpoint in or out.

Dosn't w and s already do this?

[Vraciu]

Dosn't w and s already do this?

Yes it does that.

But the head position being what moves vs the object is counterintuitive.   It is a real struggle to get the view I want.   Before I could just flip the plane over.  Now I have to zoom through it then pan with the mouse (the plane isn't even visible until I flip my viewpoint around--disorienting).    Just way too much work compared to the system you had before.    It was way quicker and more elegant.    This system is really frustrating after almost two years doing it the other way. 

[Greebo]

W and S zoom the viewpoint in and out both horizontally and vertically. I was thinking of buttons that moved the viewpoint in and out but just horizontally, like the A and D keys move it laterally. So for instance I can look down on the skin from above and move my viewpoint up and down across the skin without having to look away from it first.

[hitech]

W and S zoom the viewpoint in and out both horizontally and vertically. I was thinking of buttons that moved the viewpoint in and out but just horizontally, like the A and D keys move it laterally. So for instance I can look down on the skin from above and move my viewpoint up and down across the skin without having to look away from it first.

Q and Z

[Greebo]

I am well aware that we have keys that move the viewpoint up and down, from side to side and towards and away from the subject. My idea is for keys that move the viewpoint horizontally, but at 90 degrees to the A and D keys.

[hitech]

I am well aware that we have keys that move the viewpoint up and down, from side to side and towards and away from the subject. My idea is for keys that move the viewpoint horizontally, but at 90 degrees to the A and D keys.

I'm confused are you talking world relative or view realative

[Greebo]

After using the new viewer for a while I have got the hang of alternating the keys and mouse to move my viewpoint. So if I want to look at the bottom of an aircraft I use the Z key to move down while using the mouse to keep the plane in view. As my view goes more towards looking up at the plane the Z key moves the viewpoint more horizontally and less vertically relative to the object until I am below the centre of the plane. However while I can use it I still prefer the old method where I could rotate the object itself. The new system isn't exactly intuitive and I reckon any skinner used to the old viewer is going to find it a pain at first.

As I understand it the Z and Q keys are viewpoint dependant, they always move your viewpoint up and down relative to your POV. The A and D keys are world dependent, they always move your viewpoint side to side on the horizontal axis relative to the object being viewed. So my suggestion is for keys that move the viewpoint on the object's horizontal axis like the A and D keys but at 90 degrees. This would also be handy in the TE if I want to bring a distant object closer without losing my POV's altitude.

[Chilli]

I believe the word we are searching for might be "rotate".  It takes quite a bit of maneuvering to get to certain views, that a circular rotation on 2 axis would solve.  Currently in order to get a skin in this position I have needed to "loop" from a zoomed out view and then zoom in, doable but not friendly.

edit:  lolz Greebo just beat me to it and was more precise in description.

[Vraciu]

I miss the old skin viewer mouse options as well. If holding the mouse button and moving the mouse pivoted the skin rather than pivoted the viewpoint it would be more useful.

However while I can use it I still prefer the old method where I could rotate the object itself. The new system isn't exactly intuitive and I reckon any skinner used to the old viewer is going to find it a pain at first.

I believe the word we are searching for might be "rotate".  It takes quite a bit of maneuvering to get to certain views, that a circular rotation on 2 axis would solve.  Currently in order to get a skin in this position I have needed to "loop" from a zoomed out view and then zoom in, doable but not friendly.

edit:  lolz Greebo just beat me to it and was more precise in description.

^^^^^^^ I agree with both of you 100 percent.   Rotate/Pivot.

By all means keep the key commands but please bring back the mouse pivot.     I am a fan of the mouse pan/zoom, too, as I prefer mouse-only when using graphics programs (other than hot keys for saving, undo, copy, paste, etc.) but will live with the key commands for pan/zoom if we can get the mouse rotate/pivot back.

I find myself getting the some of the commands backwards every time (W and S, I think--gotta' go try it again to be sure).  Will need practice on that.    I almost wish the ZOOM keys were swapped with the UP/DOWN, too, but I understand HiTech's rationale.

Kudos on eliminating the fisheye effect when viewing skins.   This viewer gives a much better representation of the airplane from the default angle compared to the AH2 Viewer at the same angle.   

The _S map on bare metal is awesome.   

Now if I can only figure out why it is importing the Default D Pony _N Map onto my skin no matter what I do...   

[hitech]

After using the new viewer for a while I have got the hang of alternating the keys and mouse to move my viewpoint. So if I want to look at the bottom of an aircraft I use the Z key to move down while using the mouse to keep the plane in view. As my view goes more towards looking up at the plane the Z key moves the viewpoint more horizontally and less vertically relative to the object until I am below the centre of the plane. However while I can use it I still prefer the old method where I could rotate the object itself. The new system isn't exactly intuitive and I reckon any skinner used to the old viewer is going to find it a pain at first.

As I understand it the Z and Q keys are viewpoint dependant, they always move your viewpoint up and down relative to your POV. The A and D keys are world dependent, they always move your viewpoint side to side on the horizontal axis relative to the object being viewed. So my suggestion is for keys that move the viewpoint on the object's horizontal axis like the A and D keys but at 90 degrees. This would also be handy in the TE if I want to bring a distant object closer without losing my POV's altitude.

All keys are view relative A & D work exactly the same as Z & Q.

HiTech

[Greebo]

Having just had a good look at this I don't think the problem is your skin after all Vraciu. It seems the alpha skin viewer has developed a few bugs since I last used it.

First the lighting is broken, it appears there is no diffuse lighting being applied to the skin.

Next the only files that actually work are the main skin and the specular map. The normal, power and environment maps do not have a noticeable effect in the viewer. I tested this with a pure white file, both for Vraciu's P-51D and the Ki-43 skin I used for the tutorial.