Subject: OpenGL and PowerView
From: Simon Champion <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 24 Dec 1995 07:07:28 -0500

Hi all,

I downloaded the OpenGL DLLs for Windows 95 this morning, and then the =
PowerView Intel plugin for modeller.

It works quite well. Indeed it has already become a valuable resource =
for me. Not INvaluable, unfortunately, because (obviously) it's not =
finished yet.

Firstly, it doesn't like single plane objects much. Secondly, it doesn't =
like fonts much either. Try your favourite type 1 font using a word =
containing "S", "W", and any letters with holes in them. There are other =
glitchy letters too. In fact, I can't think of a single letter it =
rendered correctly except the capital "I". Thirdly I have an object made =
from extruded text projecting from the front of a box. The text has been =
extruded to the same depth as the box, and then moved forwards slightly =
so it sticks out the front. The PowerView plugin inverts this, so the =
front of the box is smooth and the text sticks out the back of the box =
(and of course the text is therefore reversed).

At the same time as downloading the DLLs, I downloaded a program called =
GLview from the same web site (I forget the URL but I got it from this =
list earlier today). It can load a variety of 3D object formats (not LW =
unfortunately) and it does things that PowerView doesn't. Mind you, =
PowerView rotates the object shaded, whereas GLview uses bounding boxes =
(as far as I can tell) until the object is stationary.

What I would like to see, then, is the PowerView code rewritten to =
incorporate a basic button interface as with GLview (or better), and =
released not as a plugin but as a patch to modify modeller's code so =
that it appears in the preview window (top right) and not in it's own =
separate window, allows interactive modelling, and has it's options set =
from "Display/Options". Also with the above problems fixed.

Another nice thing would be to ask the author of GLview to incorporate =
"LWO" loading into his code, so that we may use his program as an object =
browser (I read someone asking for just such a thing earlier).

All the best for the (rampantly commercial) Festive Season. Hands up all =
those who've made money in the last few weeks modelling/animating Santas =
and Reindeer ???? :v) :v) :v)

Simon