Ilive Reader : Requests

[ilive]

Another solution would be to make the reader able to accept plugins (a programmer would have to write plugin(s) in DLL format). The reader should scan a "Plugins" folder for DLLs and load them; then it should add commands in the context menu (right-click) and enable/disable them according to the items (type and number of) being selected. This would make the reader "extensible" and allow editing and maybe previewing items in-place. For example, one could make a "SC4Path Editor" plugin, or implement custom batch functions like the ones requested above. It's nearly impossible to satisfy all requests submitted by all members here, as they could be asking new things again and again; in addition, some features may be useful to some modders, but irrelevant to or unwanted by many others ("niches"). A collection of optional plugins (made by other community members too, rather than you) would be a good solution, I think.

I could help writing the specs and/or a sample plugin, if you agree, and other members find this feature interesing.

I think it could an interesting feature. It can even help the Reader to have a more readable code if each viewer is in a separate dll. And if specifications are opened, even other tools could use these dlls.
If you have some ideas on how to implement it, don't hesitate

[Jonathan]

you may have the original S3D spec from Maxis in which case the first part doesn't matter.
We've updated the spec a little , specifically in the MATS section which now includes an alpha threshold, which can make quite a big change on the material in game, but currently the only way of editing this is in the hex editor.

So could you update the materials settings UI and code to be able to change the alpha threshold (there may be another thing that the reader can not do but I can't remember)

The updated S3D spec is on the SC4D wiki under S3D.

Also would it be possible to add a feature that allows you to change the material setting for a certain texture through multiple S3Ds. 

Jonathan

[Jasoncw]

Being but a simple BATer, I don't have any thoughtful suggestions to make, but I thought I'd throw some support out there with the clapping hands and thumbs up.

 

An updated reader is very exciting.