Only 2 1/2 people…
A tidier panel and a Sketch that brings the model into view. Another small step towards making Automason Studio easier to use, and explain.
I think only 2 1/2 people understand what Automason Studio is. I’m not entirely sure which fraction I am.
The idea is simple enough. Describe a building — how big it is, where the openings go, what it’s made of — and let the computer do the repetitive work of making the model in Blender. It’s the same technology I use to make my own models, gradually being put into something other people can use.
Explaining it takes rather longer. So here’s a short video of the current development build, 0.2.2.
The changes in 0.2.2 are mostly about making the controls less awkward. The labels now sit above their fields, so the names and paths have room in Blender’s narrow sidebar. Create Config, Load Config, Sketch and Generate each get their own full-width button. Small things, but it helps if you can actually read what you’re doing.
Then there’s what happens when Sketch finishes. Blender now brings the generated scene into view and opens the Automason panel again. You can inspect the building and get back to the controls without first having to find either of them.
Sketch leaves out the cladding and roof slates. It’s a way of checking the building before asking the computer to do all the detailed work. The video shows that stage: load the configuration, click Sketch, then look around the result.
It’s still in development. This is a look at progress, rather than a public download announcement. There’s more about the idea on the Automason Studio page, and the earlier proof of concept shows where this started.
Anyway, a little easier to use. Possibly a little easier to explain.