headus 3D tools

[mokosan]

I just wanted to comment on another post about someone thinking that UVLayout was "nearly there" which I think was refering to UVL being near completion as far as features etc.

I've been testing UVL on and off since 2006 and have seen it make leaps and bounds in ability & features and it is great seeing your feedback in updates.

The more I use UVL on different projects from film to video games the more I see areas where it can be improved. I really believe that whats happening with UVL is quite unique in a broad sense when it comes to creating UV's within 3D and would take considerable time to assimilate if someone else tried to compete with it.
Where UVL is going requires it to be a standalone application, theres just no way you could have this many features within a fully fledged 3D application.

I watch and cringe when watching other artist creating UVs in all major 3D applications. I'm such a firm believer that I have talked every studio I have work at since 2006 into investing in it. It's easy to sell a product when you can tell them with confidence that you can radically shave time of the production of each asset.

As far as the GUI goes, I don't have a problem with it as it makes me appear like some teck guru who uses this mysterious program. It's whats under the hood that really matters...and it could be worse!

M

[headus]

"As far as the GUI goes, ... It's whats under the hood that really matters...and it could be worse!"

OK, I'm going to take that as a compliment :-)

When will it end? Well, I regularly get requests for tools/features that we never knew were needed, so from that perspective it will never be complete. Each day I have a go at what takes my fancy pretty much, so there's no planned goals or targets we're trying to reach by a certain time. But of course there *is* limited time because something better will come along, or the major apps will catch up, or the need for UVs will go away completely.

To be honest, I'm still chuffed when a games dev or vfx company buys a bunch of licenses. Actually its probably more amazing when a home hobbyist on a budget buys a full Pro license. Yes, the accounting makes sense (saved time equals saved dollars or more time on the funner stuff) but the whole unsexy 80's style GUI and heavy hotkey reliance doesn't work in its favor. They're fine once you get used to them of course, but its probably tuning some people off. But hey, look at what they're missing out on :-)

Phil

[mokosan]

That fact that it does rely on a lot of hot keys and experience works in my favour.

I have a great command of the program now and people around me see whats going on. Its a specialized skill set being able to pump through assets, even if its not a favourable job.

Personally I dont think other 3D apps plan on incorporating features like ones in UVL.
Im just happy to know how to make this aspect of the job seem like child play, partly because I recall just how hard it was to get my head around it from the start.

M