www.si-community.com

C++ ICE developers is a small club, I'm sure ICE compounds will have a much broader audience, but the sky is the limit... I really have no knowladge of C++ and Custom ICE Nodes, but I imagine if you were to do so it would be nice to share the Source or something like that...

well, it depends. I prefer to have fast/c++ nodes in my pocket rather than (maybe) not so fast ICE compounds.
If the long term goal is to expand the tools, I think that's the way to go.

In the other hand, the thread name is "Community ICE Projects", which speaks for itself. Having c++ nodes will not help improving others ICE skills.

In the perfect world, there would be one ice version (for study) and one c++ version (for production), but as there are no crazy people over here (well...) that is up to writing two versions of the same tool, this is out of question.

so, in the end my vote is: c++, for those who know c++, and ice for the rest (mere mortals).

I like the list so far and would certainly contribute to some projects.

In the other hand, the thread name is "Community ICE Projects", which speaks for itself. Having c++ nodes will not help improving others ICE skills.

I agree, c++ is an advance topic. I would like to see some tutorials with a simple C++ workflow before tackling this subject. Does not mean it cannot be tackled by more advance users, looking to expend there knowledge of ICE to new heights. If the demand is there, I would then suggest we have an area in the community project folders targeted to those willing to share the advance knowledge.

To add to the list: a quick mesher a la ZBrush, one that would paint spheres following the mouse and when you are happy, add the mesher node and all the spheres are polygonized to a quick mesh, ready for detailing.

Do C++ nodes need to be installed? I love regular compounds because I don't have to install plugins or addons. As long as my scene has the compound with its factory nodes inside, it'll work hassle-free. I would hate opening a scene 4 years down the line and not remembering which plugin I'm missing.

Chris_TC wrote:Do C++ nodes need to be installed? I love regular compounds because I don't have to install plugins or addons. As long as my scene has the compound with its factory nodes inside, it'll work hassle-free. I would hate opening a scene 4 years down the line and not remembering which plugin I'm missing.

Good point.

I think I'm probably a bit opposite from most ICE "developers" as I started programming long before working with ICE. So I think a bit better in code vs node.

However, I think you make a valid point and it sounds like we should use the built in tools whenever possible.

Let me add my personal two cents to this C++ issue:
In principle I agree: creating projects purely in ICE would be preferable.
But if and when it can be seen as a necessary or at least highly desirable step to code a node in C++ I wouldn't shy away from it. If the person doing the actual coding offers a nice walk-through of the process creating it we could all learn a thing or two.
And in my experience deploying solutions in ICE might also ask for a bit of scripting to get things just right (and foolproof), again something we shouldn't shy away from. In the end the tools (to use in ICE and enhance Softimage) are the thing that matters IMHO, not the possibly somewhat hybrid way the were created.

If you have compiled nodes, then you'd package everything as an addon.

Like Lagoa, which has all compiled nodes and "regular" .xsicompound files packaged as an addon here:
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Softimage 2012.SAP\Addons\Lagoa

For a community project, I'd assume you include the source.

xsisupport wrote:If you have compiled nodes, then you'd package everything as an addon.

Like Lagoa, which has all compiled nodes and "regular" .xsicompound files packaged as an addon here:
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Softimage 2012.SAP\Addons\Lagoa

For a community project, I'd assume you include the source.

Thanks for the info. I think the easy part will be coding. The hardest part so far is actually getting a custom node C++ project up and running on Visual Studio 2010.

Nothing but LNK2001 errors.

error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol "__declspec(dllimport) public: virtual __thiscall XSI::ICENodeContext::~ICENodeContext(void)" (__imp_??1ICENodeContext@XSI@@UAE@XZ)

LNK1120: 89 unresolved externals

@Inisheer - This seems to be a very specific topic you should address
(open a separate thread for) in our "Programming" forum to not derail
this specific thread unnecessarily IMHO...
;;)

Hirazi Blue wrote:@Inisheer - This seems to be a very specific topic you should address
(open a separate thread for) in our "Programming" forum to not derail
this specific thread unnecessarily IMHO...
;;)

Will do. Sorry about that.

hi, so was thinking of trying to start a new community Ice project on animating and rendering clouds, its such a huge vague topic though and with no guarantees of completion or results...! , but is it ok to just start a new topic in Community ICE Project or is better to get general consensus here first or wait until the next one has finished or just start a new thread elsewhere like Ice Section > ICE ?

I'd say: start a new thread now.
You can get a lot of work done before the community reaches a consensus
And if it doesn't work out, the thread simply dies, no harm done...

One friendly suggestion to all ICE projects: it might be nice to add more screenshots (screen captures, not just videos, and ICE Trees, especially) to the mix, where possible, to liven up these threads even more. But, again, just a suggestion...

Pooby wrote:That sounds like a fantastic idea.
I'm ok at stuff I can make up, but when it comes to things that rely upon mathematical concepts, I can find myself getting out of my depth.
With regards to the 3d solver. I just cant fully understand the ideo of how to implement this following part
(from the wiki[pedia] on matchmoving)

You should start a new thread about this. I'm interested in trying to help. I finally figured out a couple of things that I think are related to this: How to calculate View Frustum (Near, Far, Projection Plane, Arbitrary) and 3d projection (positioning 3d point on 2d grid )

-Dave

Anyone know of a compound or addon that will duplicate an object along a curve, and provide control for the orientation and scale of the duplicates (separately) with a f-curve type interface. I can't figure out the latter...

Now might be as good a time as any to revive this thread and ask the question:
does anyone have some new/more exciting ideas for community ICE Projects?
;)