Dev News - March 2013
I wanted to give everybody and update on version 2.1. Below is a screenshot of ShaderMap 2.1 in its current form:
As you can see most of the changes are to the Normal Editor.
There has been considerable work on creating a layer system with transformable layers. This layer system will allow for what we are calling Layer Profiles. Each profile is specific to a layer type and will include such operations as normal manipulation for Rasterized Normal layers and surface shape control (via curve control) on Displacement layers.
There is a new brush called the Displacement Brush. It paints grayscale to a Displacement layer which is then converted to normals. This provides much smoother painting and also greater control of the brush surface using the new curve control.
As you can see we've come a long way to reaching our goals for version 2.1. There are still some features that need to be added before we release a working BETA to current customers. Some of the features still to be added include: Shape Tool, Eraser, Blur Brush, and History.
I am working very hard on this and want to remind you that all SM2 customers will receive 2.1 updates for free when they become available.
_NEil
As you can see most of the changes are to the Normal Editor.
There has been considerable work on creating a layer system with transformable layers. This layer system will allow for what we are calling Layer Profiles. Each profile is specific to a layer type and will include such operations as normal manipulation for Rasterized Normal layers and surface shape control (via curve control) on Displacement layers.
There is a new brush called the Displacement Brush. It paints grayscale to a Displacement layer which is then converted to normals. This provides much smoother painting and also greater control of the brush surface using the new curve control.
As you can see we've come a long way to reaching our goals for version 2.1. There are still some features that need to be added before we release a working BETA to current customers. Some of the features still to be added include: Shape Tool, Eraser, Blur Brush, and History.
I am working very hard on this and want to remind you that all SM2 customers will receive 2.1 updates for free when they become available.
_NEil
Comments
Today I was wondering about updates and found I had set my link to the Shadermap 2/Shadermap page. I happened to click the news and support button in the program and found out my 2.0.5 version was a couple updates old! That won't happen again!
Take care...
Ken
So is it just you working hard at the next update (R1 / 2.1) or legions of minions at your beckon call?
In either event - or maybe somewhere in between - is there a date that you're comfortable in announcing as to when 2.1 will arrive?
And then in follow up, will the current version of ShaderMap2 (now 2.0.7) always be checking for an update behind the scenes each time it is run?
Thank you.
Kelly
Hi Kelly,
It is just me doing all the programming. There is no date I am comfortable announcing 2.1 yet. I had hoped to release it during the first half of the year and that may still happen.
The BETA will be released to current customers first. Once bugs are worked out and additional features added then 2.1 will become the standard installation.
2.0.7 checks for updates and news once a day. It will alert you when the BETA becomes available as well as when any news is posted.
_NEil
Very good work. Thank you.
As a customer, should I look forward to being alerted about the beta release whenever that might happen either through the 2.0.7 interface or another means directly from you?
Kind regards,
Kelly
Thanks for your kind words.
Additionally, all current customers will be notified via email when any updates to SM2 are released.