[X3D-Public] Support for submeshes?

[Alan Hudson]

On 2/5/2013 9:57 AM, Michalis Kamburelis wrote:
> I see your point, but I also like the current simplicity of X3D.
> New Material => new X3D Shape, this makes implementing rendering 
> easier, as you only need to change GPU (OpenGL etc.) state before each 
> shape.
>
> The bottom line is: GPUs do not understand a concept of a submesh, I 
> mean: you have to split your 3D objects into chunks that have the same 
> material to pass them efficiently to OpenGL/Direct3D. This splitting 
> *must* happen somewhere: in the X3D exporter from 3ds/Blender (in the 
> current situation with simple X3D Shape) or in the X3D browser (if we 
> add a submesh support to X3D Shape).
>
> That is not to say that I am against extending X3D to add submeshes, I 
> guess I'm "on the fence" here. I just don't think it's something 
> critical... Like Cecile and me mentioned: you can use PROTOs to make 
> something like this yourself, using X3D Shape underneath.
>
It would make exporters/importers lives easier while making browser 
implementors lives harder.  Most of the errors I see in exporter code 
are in relation to multiple material export.


-- 
Alan Hudson, Director 3D Tools
www.shapeways.com