Non instanced entities in editor

[Rick]

When looking at various ways to make our houses unique we first looked at an atlas shader. However this lead to all sorts of issues and crashes with the editor and it's looking less efficient than just the normal way of applying a material. However, we are then left with the repetitive feel of only being able to make so many exterior models.

 

We have various possible solutions to this, but this request is about taking advantage of the model load function to specify making a non instanced model that doesn't share a material with the "original" model. http://www.leadwerks.com/werkspace/page/documentation/_/command-reference/asset/

 

We are able to do this in code and it's great! I recall we were pushing for this in LE 2 and it's a great feature. However, currently it's only available at run-time. So my request is to be able to do this at design time in the editor. I'm imagining just a checkbox that is labeled "Instanced". When check it shares materials with the original model like the default behavior. When unchecked it doesn't. Checking and unchecking in the editor I'm guessing would have to reload that model as the editor itself would need to reload the model with the given parameters, but this would allow us to add different exterior materials (house siding) without needing to copy the .mdl file on disk. The code feature is there and it would be great to get that feature in the editor.

 

As an alternative method maybe when we drag the model into the scene if we are holding down the shift key (or whatever key) it makes a non instanced version. Some new icon or other info to show this would be nice as well.

 

 

With our game we are moving forward with limited variation to see how it feels, but I really think it's going to get repetitive. This sort of feature really helps the indie team who doesn't have the time to model a lot of variations.

[MarkusR]

i prefer a duplicate as instance, independent, use original modell menu/button and the object get a info label what kind it is.

means not changes from the object properties itself.

just a context menu in scene tree view.

i like also exchange modells materials in scene editor