[X3D-Public] Support for submeshes?

[Michalis Kamburelis]

Dave A wrote:
> So, this means that no X3D player could really understand the modern(?)
> concept of a mesh with several materials (actually, modelling programs
> been making them for a long time, was something I faced on the Max to
> X3D exporter).
>
> I think it's time for a new node to be added to the spec!
>

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.

Michalis