deepMesh (Irrlicht Powered 3D Modeller) 2.0 Major Release

[silence]

deepMesh v2.0 is now available - if you already own an older version, the update is free (you should already have an email in your inbox). The project has gone through a lot of changes since it was last posted here (under an old account) - so with the release of version 2.0, here's a recap..

deepMesh is a primitive-based 3D model editor made with Irrlicht. It includes all the usual lathe/extrude/modifiers you'd expect from a modeller, a built-in uv-mapper, easy texture painting, lightmapper, key-frame animation, scene editor and support for over 20 model formats.



Because it uses the Irrlicht material system, you won't have to jump through hoops to get your models 1:1 into Irrlicht, and the deepMesh model format (.dpm) is fully documented and easy to load into whatever language or engine.

Might be worth a look if you find the likes of Blender too hard to learn, or as an additional tool for your projects.

• Primitive-based modelling with over 28 primitive types
• Create and edit models from scratch with the vertex editor and mesh builder
• Import support for 20 model formats, (including .x, .3ds, .b3d, .obj, ogre .mesh, collada and irrlicht)
• Export support for .x, .3ds, .b3d, irrlicht .irrmesh, ogre .xml, .smd, luxrender, .obj, .stl and .ply
• The deepMesh model format provides deep control of animated or static models
• Material editor allows direct painting of faces with up to 4 texture-layers per material
• Powerful mesh modifiers and editing tools
• Boolean operations (CSG) for carving complex shapes from primitives
• Integrated UV Mapper with a range of auto-unwrap and manual editing tools
• Mesh optimization tools for welding, polygon reduction and cleanup
• Support for keyframe animation, bones (skinning) and hierarchical animation
• Integrated direct-illumination lightmapper
• Write scripts to automate modelling tasks with deepScript
• Now includes deepScene tools fully integrated into deepMesh editor
• Illustrated user-manual covers over 50 topics with step-by-step tutorials
• Free updates for life

3 minute Video Tour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg9-LJYz ... ormat=720p

deepMesh Website: http://www.deepmesh3d.com/
Developer Blog: http://www.deepmesh3d.com/blog/
Demo Download: http://www.deepmesh3d.com/download.php

50% Discount code for Irrlicht users: IRRLICHTDM50 (expires 7th feb)

Development is ongoing, and loads of new features are on the way, so feel free to throw any ideas, feedback, feature requests etc.. my way for the next version.

[chronologicaldot]

Once again demonstrating irrlicht as commercially useful. Thanks for the offer. So are you going to keep it open-source?

A feature you might consider adding is loop-selection. I first encountered it in Metasequoia and it's one of the most convenient features.

[silence]

Once again demonstrating irrlicht as commercially useful. Thanks for the offer. So are you going to keep it open-source?

A feature you might consider adding is loop-selection. I first encountered it in Metasequoia and it's one of the most convenient features.

No plans for open sourcing the editor, but the model and scene formats are open (documented in the manual), and there's an SDK planned for things like format loaders, plugins etc...

Loop selection is a great idea - will add to the todo list for the next version.

[Mel]

i'd go for a terrain editor also that exported the heightfields so they could be used in Irrlicht directly, the terrains in Irr have an extreme potential that no one uses

[hendu]

Windows only? Expand your markets, supporting mac+lin can double your income.

[christianclavet]

Hi! Great release! I will really have to dig in and learn this tool. Thanks for the new tutorials!
@Hendu, Unfortunatly, I don't think it would be possible to port this to Mac/Linux without rewriting all the GUI code...

My wish list: (This is not really needed as a secondary tool, would only be fun to have if you use the software to model as your primary tool)
--- Object modeling: (Mostly edge modeling tools, as they are very powerful when doing retopo)
- Edge and faces loop selection
- Can add edges
- Being able to connect 2 edges together, could also specify the number of segment (as I do in Max), connect will be used by selecting the edge first.
- Can remove edges by selecting them (faces will be fixed by the software, so they still render)
- Can move edges, vertices and polygons by forcing the movement to follow the face normal, or an axis (ex: moving a window frame in a house model)
- Edge extrusion (selecting a single edge or edge loop, then moving the mouse will add new segments on the model. Ex: Selecting the edges around a shoulder, using this to extrude to create a arm)

Level modeling tool: (Asked before)
- Block builder tool. Working as in Quake (Hammer/Unreal) level editors

[silence]

Hi! Great release! I will really have to dig in and learn this tool. Thanks for the new tutorials!
@Hendu, Unfortunatly, I don't think it would be possible to port this to Mac/Linux without rewriting all the GUI code...

My wish list: (This is not really needed as a secondary tool, would only be fun to have if you use the software to model as your primary tool)
--- Object modeling: (Mostly edge modeling tools, as they are very powerful when doing retopo)
- Edge and faces loop selection
- Can add edges
- Being able to connect 2 edges together, could also specify the number of segment (as I do in Max), connect will be used by selecting the edge first.
- Can remove edges by selecting them (faces will be fixed by the software, so they still render)
- Can move edges, vertices and polygons by forcing the movement to follow the face normal, or an axis (ex: moving a window frame in a house model)
- Edge extrusion (selecting a single edge or edge loop, then moving the mouse will add new segments on the model. Ex: Selecting the edges around a shoulder, using this to extrude to create a arm)

Level modeling tool: (Asked before)
- Block builder tool. Working as in Quake (Hammer/Unreal) level editors

Thanks for the wish-list - will add as much as possible from those in a future version. As for the level modelling tool, I assume you mean CSG/Boolean carving? It's already in (Tools-->Boolean-->CSG Subtract etc..), so it's there, but CSG is notorious for creating messy geometry, so read up on the 'Cuboid Split' alternative, which becomes really useful once you get used to carving only with cubes.

[christianclavet]

Hi, Thanks!

For the block builder tool, that should work with the boolean, but it's not a CSG tool. It's a "block" construction tool. that help in starting a map in games. (Building walls, floors, etc)

Check that presentation about the SourceSDK(Hammer), that's one of the best level builder tool in the industry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL0cR5bZ ... ults_video

The presentation of the block builder tool is at 2:26 - 2:39. Don't confuse it with the box primitive, as it's created very differently. Look how he can resize and move the block. (That what make it so easy and fast to create the base geometry for a level)

In your video demo of 2.0 you seem to apply the textures in about the same efficient way and I found that very exiting! If we could have a block builder tool similar in operation as in the SourceSDK (They use a similar technique in Quake editors, Unreal, etc). So that block builder tool is kind of "standard" in most level editor tools.