Feature suggestions

Raylectron (https://Raylectron.com) is a 3D rendering engine for Trimble Sketchup (https://sketchup.com)
Post Reply
Brandon
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 4:54 pm

Feature suggestions

Post by Brandon »

I have a few feature suggestions to propose. This is already terrific software and I really love so much about it. I think these changes are fairly simple but would add a lot of value.

When selecting a 360 equirectangular render, the rotation really ought to be 0 in the X axis and Z axis. If not, some really odd geometric distortions appear at the extreme top and bottom apex areas. I would like to suggest that when the user sets a 360 render, Raylectron really should automatically set those rotations to zero, or at least offer to do so for the user. (I can't imagine why anyone would WANT a non-zero angle, but it might happen. So to be polite, I would not force it to zero, but rather OFFER to do so whenever it's not zero, before starting a render.)

This is the kind of distortions I'm describing:
IMG_3071.PNG
IMG_3071.PNG (6.17 MiB) Viewed 7623 times

Could we have a couple of preset rendering sizes optimized for 360 renders (2:1 aspect ratio), such as 2000x1000, 3000x1500, 4000x2000, and 8000x4000? Even better, it would be really cool if picking those also switched to 360 equi rendering and snapped to zero X and Z values (as noted above)

Could we PLEASE have it remember the OpenGL selection? Whenever I start the program, and I want to switch to Performance mode, I have to go back to pick OpenGL wireframe. It remembers during any one session, but forgets it upon restart.

Maybe this is a big request, but I would really love to be able to toggle individual lights on/off. It's pretty common for me to reuse a lot of grouped objects - like a bunch of recessed lights that are all identical. I hate having to go make unique copies with different color names JUST to be able to (for example) turn off the lights in one room but not another. I don't know how the user interface would work, really, because the lights are never named, only picked up from materials lists, but I would suggest maybe some new popup dialog with a checkbox list, ordered by material name and an arbitrary number for multiple copies. And a "group toggle" would be nice too - I know I can change it under each emitter material setting, but I'd love to do it in a simpler fashion. So if I have six lights using "Incandescent bulb color" and three lights using "LED bulb color", I might expect a list like this:
[-] Incandescent bulb color (ALL lights)
[X] Incandescent bulb color (#1)
[X] Incandescent bulb color (#2)
[X] Incandescent bulb color (#3)
[ ] Incandescent bulb color (#4)
[X] Incandescent bulb color (#5)
[ ] Incandescent bulb color (#6)
[-] LED bulb color (ALL lights)
[ ] LED bulb color (#1)
[X] LED bulb color (#2)
[X] LED bulb color (#3)

Thanks for your consideration.
User avatar
Support
Site Admin
Posts: 3004
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:49 am

Re: Feature suggestions

Post by Support »

Absolutely, there is no need for X and Z to be non-zero, we'll fit that and we'll also add some presets as you suggested and for other formats as well such 4:3, 16:9, 16:10 etc.

As for the lights, very good idea, we'll do that as well, makes perfect sense.

ok for the OpenGL, we'll make it to remember the settings.

We'll do all this for the next built, maybe in a week or so. Do you mind if I PM you the pre-release for you to test?
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
Brandon
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 4:54 pm

Re: Feature suggestions

Post by Brandon »

I'd be happy to help in any way needed.
User avatar
Support
Site Admin
Posts: 3004
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:49 am

Re: Feature suggestions

Post by Support »

Thank you
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
Brandon
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 4:54 pm

Re: Feature suggestions

Post by Brandon »

Another couple of suggestions.

The "Save image as" dialog does three annoying things.

a) It always defaults to PNG. I know that's best for least-lossy image quality, but I don't need 50Mb lossless images for every render... a 5-8Mb JPG is just fine. I would like it to remember my choice, and default to it next time. I know how to do this in Visual Basic - read off the returned file type from the "Save" confirmation, and then make that the default when launching the dialog next time. So I know it's possible in some languages.

b) It always defaults to the last-used folder. That's fine for some people, I suppose, who always want to put their renders in the same place. I work on so many different projects, however, that I'm always having to navigate to my project folder. I'd like an option to default to the project folder each time, OR to default to the last-used folder (because my own personal preferences are probably not universal).

c) It always asks "Save layers?" Maybe some people need that often, but not me. Could that choice be moved to a checked item under the Options menu? Maybe for the benefit of those people who need it often, make that option a "Offer to save transparent backgrounds and layers?" choice, so they can get prompted, but the rest of us won't be bothered.
User avatar
Support
Site Admin
Posts: 3004
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:49 am

Re: Feature suggestions

Post by Support »

You got it. For the "Save as", we'll simply add another "Save as with layers)". The Transparent background question is only asked when saving in a format that support transparency, in the case of jpg, it shouldn't ask.
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
Post Reply