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[wallworm]

There going to be a new tool for you to quickly get your scene populated with props: PropLine. It's in some ways similar to previous versions of RailClone and the native Max Spacing Tool. Unlike RC, it is specifically designed for game prop distribution along splines; Unlike the Spacing Tool, PropLine is parametric and isn't a one-off distribution of objects.

PropLine integrates into the Wall Worm VMF/MAP exporters to export prop entities based on the asset distribution.

The initial version is almost ready for release. Stay tuned!

[wallworm]

PropLine is now out. See the PropLine page for the UI docs. The initial release sale ends on Sunday.

I'll be making a video for it soon.

A couple of brief hints:

* For Props, make a WWMT Model in the scene, create a WWMT Proxie and assign the WWMT Proxie to the Source Node list of the PropLine.
* For the props to export properly to VMF, you need WW 2.62+ (which was released today).
* If you don't want the WWMT Model or the initial Proxy you assigned to PropLine to export in the VMF, turn on the option for Exclude From VMF in the Proxy/WWMT settings.

[wallworm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlqZBAR4Y_w

[wallworm]

PropLine 1.2 is now available.

Version 1.2

   * Added new Prop Distribution method: Probability. This mode will distribute each prop based on its relative probability attribute (added to the custom attribute definition for source nodes).
   
   * Added new parameters Padding and Padding Randomization that adds extra space between each prop when the Prop Distribution Method is set to spacing.
   
   * Added new transformation parameter Upright. When on, all props will use an initial X-axis vector from the spline that is transformed to be parallel with the World's XY plane. This is helpful when you need props to stand upright in the world Z axis regardless of the spline vector.
   
   * Added Probability property to the PropLine Transforms custom attribute.
   
   * Added sub-rollout to Propline Source Nodes section. When a node is selected in the list that has a PropLineTransform custom attribute, that node's transform rollout will populate the subrollout.
   
   * Added button Show Override Changes. Used to update the PropLine if any changes are made to the source node custom attributes in the source node attribute sub-rollout.
   
   * Updated the function for adding custom attributes to source nodes. Now the command panel returns to the modify tab and the current selection is remembered.

   * Moved the Allow Overrides setting to the Transformations rollout.
   
   * Swapped order of the Spline Base UI group and the Source Nodes UI Group because of the added custom attribute sub-rollout.

[wallworm]

A bunch of fun, new features coming to PropLine this week. Stay tuned!

[wallworm]

Version 1.3 Released

   * Added new setting "Use Mat ID Distribution". When on, each prop can be set to obey distribution based on the rules of the spline's material IDs.
   
   * Added Rules to Custom Attribute of PropLine Props to limit object to specific material IDs. Default to use All material IDs, but if set to include/exclude material IDs, allows you to enter a comma-separated list of the IDs to use.
   
   * Added Randomize Spacing option when in Spacing distribution method.
   
   * Added support for spline bases that have been extruded or had geometry added to them.
   
   * Added several buttons to get parameters and settings from other PropLine objects in the scene.
   
   * Fixed the placement of props when using the Interpolation spacing setting to match interpolation correctly.
   
   * Added two macroscript functions: Activate All PropLine and Deactivate All PropLine. These commands must be assigned via Max's Customize User Interface.



No docs on these new features yet. I'll hope to have a video on new features soon.

[wallworm]

Version 1.4

This is a big release :)

   * Added new Prop Distribution Method "divide". When on, places props at equal intervals along the path. Number of props is determined by the Spacing value (which is converted to an integer value when using divide distribution).
   
   * Updated PropLine Custom Attributes to display changes in the viewport immediately. Removed button to force display of prop CA changes. (Props with pre-existing CA need the CA updated by re-assigning a CA to the prop.)

   * Added support for Group props.
   
   * Added new parameter Skip Probability to PropLine and PropLine Custom Attributes. Defaults to 0. When above 0, there is a chance that a prop will be skipped at a location.
   
   * Added new transform setting Average Vector. When on, each prop will orient to a vector defined by the last and next prop locations. When off (default) the vector is between the current location and the next prop.
   
   * Added new transform setting for Snap to Grid. When on, each prop pivot is moved to the nearest grid intersection based on the grid spacing value.
   
   * Added Custom Attribute override for Average Vector.
   
   * Added Custom Attribute override for Upright.
   
   * Added Prop Manager floater.
   
   * Added button to generate new random seed value.
   
   * Fixed per-prop transform overrides losing randomness after a few props when transformation randomness is on.
   
   * Updated Spacing & Padding minimum to be set in a global config file. The default minimum is still 1.0 but you can now change this default.
   
   * Added new Performance Rollout.
   
   * Moved Display as Boxes from the main parameters rollout to the the Performance rollout.
   
   * Added new performance setting Limit Props. When on, the props generated in the PropLine mesh is limited to this value.
   
   * Added Min Prop Size parameter. When on, limits the minimum spacing between props when using the Size distribution method.
   
   * Added performance setting XRef Object Proxies. When on, forces all XRef Object nodes that have proxies to display the proxy object in the viewport.
   
   * Added Global Settings button in Utilities Rollout which launches a controller for setting some global settings that get stored in an INI file.
   
   * Fixed the placement of props when using the Interpolation spacing setting to match interpolation correctly.
   
   * Updated calculation of the probability of props along splines based on Material ID.
   
   * Fixed Prop Orientation to still point to the next prop location even if the next prop is skipped based on Material ID.
   
   * Fixed problem with erratic distribution when the distribution method was set to Size and padding randomization was on.

Version 1.44

* Minor performance optimization.

* Updated the Enforce XRef Proxy setting to only turn on all proxies when enabled. When disabled, the user must manually change the proxy status of objects or to press the Disable XRef Proxy button in the performance rollout. This is to help reduce sever performance problems if some or all of the XRef objects are very high poly.

Version 1.43

   * Fixed viewport performance bug that caused Max to lag during the creation of objects after the PropLine was created.

   * Fixed a bug with materials when using XRef Objects.

Version 1.42

   * Fixed a bug that could crash PropLine and freeze the Max UI due to a dependency loop with some materials.
   
   * Fixed Instantiate function not properly skipping props that were skipped in the PropLine mesh.
   
Version 1.41

   * Fixed a bug in calculating the distribution distances.

[wallworm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T0FViR1JcE

[wallworm]

Version 1.46 Released

* Added new setting AutoUpdate. When off, the mesh is cached and not calculated when any setting is changed.

* Added several new utilitiy functions to the PropLine Manager Floater.

* Fixed bug with some combinations of Distribution type and shape objects other than Editable Spline Shapes.

[wallworm]

Version 1.47

* Added new setting Allow Repeat. When off, props will not repeat with Random or Probability distribution settings.

[wallworm]

Version 1.48

* Updated the orientation of the last prop spawned on a closed spline to point towards the first prop in the closed spline.

* Added new transformation parameter called Point At First. When on, forces the last prop in a spline to point at the first prop whether the spline is closed or not.

[wallworm]

Version 1.49

* Added Scaling options to PropLine and PropLine Transformation Custom Attributes.

For modeling purposes, this is a good way to add variations.

Note that when using this with WWMT Proxies, you should only ever use the option for Uniform Scaling. But the updates to the VMF exporter to accommodate prop scaling are not released.

[wallworm]

Version 1.55

* Fixed transform of WallWormMDL nodes in source list.

* Fixed Display as Boxes and Use Node's Box Mode.

* Fixed Max freezing for a long time and creating an exception one some source nodes. Note this fix does not yet apply to source nodes that are part of a Group.

Version 1.53

* Added New display mode for Use Node's Box Mode. Will respect the individual prop box mode or layer box mode setting.

* Added new global setting to use Subtitute Modifiers on source objects that are over a threshhold vertex count.

* Added new button in utilities rollout to add Substitute Modifiers on source nodes not using substitute modifiers.

* Added Instantiate All MacroScript.

Version 1.52

* Added Source Model integration so that you can manually use Lowest/Highest LODs of models in scene to improve performance. Source Model geometry class are available when you install Wall Worm or Wall Worm Pro.

[wallworm]

Version 1.6

* Optimized loading of Meshes.

* Fixed bug loading some meshes.

* Fixed incorrect offsets when using some kinds of nodes (like WallWormMDL nodes withough models tied to them).

* Updated internal Wall Worm classification for being tracked by the latest Wall Worm scene manager.

* Fixed bug in setting to Box mode.

* Fixed bug when using WallWormMDL nodes and the Source Model Display was set to Per Node.