KamiGato
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VAR FILES OR VAC FILES - C&G-STUDIOS WAY TO GO
🕑 Added 2020-07-19 12:52:37 +0000 UTC
*UPDATE 2 - FINAL* -> *How to install C&G-STUDIO scenes - decision*
Well after over two hours talking about possebileties how to handle upcoming releases this is from now on the method to go since the .var problmes are not solved within Virt a Mate.
You still save the maximum on disk space and everything will be as easy as possible. The fact is that we can´t package our scenes in the .var format because of temporaly issues wich have to be patched first. The second fact is that we are NOT ALLOWED to share any .var files from other creators! ( and thats of course understandable).
As soon as it is possible we will package our scenes in the var format too of course. But this wont change anything on how future C&G-STUDIO scenes will be to handle. So THIS is going to be your install routine:
1.) All direct links from var files we use in that particular scene will be listed directly IN THE RELEASE POST providing the direct links to the authors contribution.
2.) Our Zip file will also contain an installation text with all listed var files again like in the release post so you dont need to worry finding the release post again after some time.
and this is only what you will need to do in the future....
- View Release post
- Download var files via direct links to the contribution and drop them into your Addon Folder ( if you dont already have the var Files )
- Download our MoCap / Scene via MEGA
- Drop C&G-STUDIO Folder into your C&G-STUDIO Folder location
- If needed drop Custom folder into VaM Root directory
- READY TO GO
*UPDATE*
We are going to overthink the packaging system and find an other way this week. We hope for your patience.
Gato
*ORIGINALPOST*
Honestly, it sounds easy, legit and clearly the number one way to go...the "VAR-File structure". You can save much disk space, you can credit all authors properly AND you can get a link to all missing var files directly from in the scene!
After many days of testing we have got to say that we pushed the var structure to the limits and discovered some issues we can´t handle by now. We are using many plugins and different content to create the final MoCap product. For example sometimes the plugin for the hand animations simply doesn´t work beacuase of missplacement inside the var file. An other big technical issue is the sound / music trigger. Music of course is not able to be packed as a var file so it has to be moved into the var file by the packaging system itself as a "fixable issue". This results in a trigger error so the music wont play by trigger because the file is not located anymore where it has been before. The packaging system can´t "remember" or cant communicate with VaM where the file has been before so the trigger gets obsolet. Even if the Mp3 file is in the scene correctly. So...really? we are doing music MoCaps without sound or better where you have to fix the trigger by yourself before you can enjoy? Nope. Not today :P
That are two big issues we as a studio creating motion captured dance animations honestly can´t ignore as we want to give you the most easy way to enjoy our content.
So whats the solution?
Basically we will remain in the VAC-FILE structure with some big differences to keep you disk space needed as low as possible and guaratee to credit all authors & to have everything loadet up correctly IF you have already the clothing needed for example! This solution will not be forever since we might discover other ways or get a hint or something in an other direction ;P
So this is how our new structure will look like:
-> We use only clothing in the VAR format inside the scenes AND we will NOT SHARE the clothing items anymore even if they are always free to use! That means they will load up if you have em already.
-> Essential plugins will be packaged inside the MoCap folder or the Vac files so it wont get messy!
-> Functionality over the top! So everything (besides of clothing) is locked and loaded to go
-> README FILE will contain all direct links of the var files needed if you dont have them already
In the result it means you will have ONE C&G-STUDIO Folder you can place whereever you want to ( well at least inside the VaM-dir.). In this folder you then have the subfolders for example the ucoming mocap "Go back Home" with the needed .vac files and plugins iside the vac wich only take a few MB if not even only Kb sometimes.
Everything we use (besides of some essetial plugins ) will be in the var format we are not sharing anymore. Any var file needed will be written in the README file with direct links to it (as far as possible). If there is something not avalible for the var format and will not avalible in the future we will pack it inside the release package like in the releases before so you dont have to mess around with "where to put it".
So thats it for now. More work for us but at least we can guarantee the functinality and that you alsways can download what you need.
We really hope this solution will help you and us for the next few months to keep everything sortet and clean! This packaging system wll start within the next release!
Have a great time
Gato
Comments
KamiGato
Hi there. So basically thats what we are doing from now on. All Props like hairs, clothing, assets etc will go via var files wich we are not allowed to share. So every var file used by us needs to be downloaded by the end user seperately. It would also be nice to pack our scenes into the VAR format because we could avoid may script doublicates and small things not nessesary to be dublicated ( although they are small sized ). Besides of that the var option saves more options insida a scene so we would´t need a seperate subfolder eg for Physics.
George Nelson
If i may put in my 2 cents, it seems to me, (as a Stupid End User) the best solution for the Var/Vac debate is to put Assets (Clothing and Hair) in Var files and scenes (posing and Props) in VAC files. this solves 2 problems simultaneously. 1) you (theoretically) use less space than a straight Vac setup, and 2) you have your items organized (at least in theory) by author (if they bothered to put the file in an "Author" directory. The only problem is when you have custom skins on clothing/hair assets, which, I (as an SEU) have no idea as how to organize, probably somewhere in the Custom/Asset/People/(Gender)/ subfolders. However, your way seems to work pretty well as well...
initiate
thanks so much for testing and working on better solutions for us :)
tdog
hurts brain
KamiGato
We need to find an other solution for this. Stay tuned for further information :) Gato
NeT
What do you mean not sharing clothing items? Does that mean we download them ourselves instead now?
