diff options
| author | Ton Roosendaal <ton@blender.org> | 2004-04-29 14:49:00 +0400 |
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| committer | Ton Roosendaal <ton@blender.org> | 2004-04-29 14:49:00 +0400 |
| commit | 3102c0dad9f07f138a5ad8db6c3e60af5b515005 (patch) | |
| tree | 4452d0fda5b2d01e1aad9a6aa8c18c8835307513 | |
| parent | 2609a608bbd3390e957f075b9940049cb1d0de5c (diff) | |
Added (very nice!) new blender.html written by Willian. This will replace
the short README file. The blender.html doc is meant to give new users
quick hints how to survive with Blender.
| -rw-r--r-- | release/text/README | 31 | ||||
| -rwxr-xr-x | release/text/blender.html | 521 |
2 files changed, 521 insertions, 31 deletions
diff --git a/release/text/README b/release/text/README deleted file mode 100644 index f8bd9247df7..00000000000 --- a/release/text/README +++ /dev/null @@ -1,31 +0,0 @@ - Blender V2.2x - - ----- GENERAL INFORMATION ----- - -Blender is a free and fully functional 3D modeling, rendering, animation and -game creation package for Unix and Windows. Blender is distributed with sources -as well, these should be included at the same location as where you obtained -a copy of this software. - -Blender is free to be applied for any purpose, including commercial -usage and distribution. For more about this, read the copyright notice included -in the download file. - -More information about Blender can be found at: - -- The product website - http://www.blender3d.org -- The artist/coder community website - http://www.blender.org -- The development website - http://projects.blender.org - -And of course, documentation can be purchased in our e-shop: - http://www.blender3d.org/e-shop/ - -Thank you for getting Blender, I hope you will enjoy using it. - -Ton Roosendaal -chairman Blender Foundation -info@blender.org - diff --git a/release/text/blender.html b/release/text/blender.html new file mode 100755 index 00000000000..af65b1d2b51 --- /dev/null +++ b/release/text/blender.html @@ -0,0 +1,521 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> + <title>A brief introduction to Blender</title> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> + <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Quanta Plus"> +</head> +<body> + +<h1 align="center"><a name="top">Blender v2.3x series</a></h1> +<br> +<ol> + <li><a href="#intro">About</a></li> + <li><a href="#pack">Package Contents</a></li> + <li><a href="#start">Getting Started:</a></li> + <ol> + <li><a href="#start_install">Installing</a></li> + <li><a href="#start_run">Running</a></li> + <li><a href="#start_1st">First steps</a>, +<a href="#start_3dview">The 3d View</a></li> + </ol> + <li><a href="#resources">Resources</a></li> + <li><a href="#trouble">Troubleshooting</a></li> + <li><a href="#faq">(FAQ) A few remarks</a></li> +</ol> + +<h2><a name="intro">1. About</a></h2> + +<p>Welcome to the world of <a href="http://www.blender3d.org">Blender</a>! +The program you have now in your hands is a free and fully functional 3D +modeling, rendering, animation and game creation suite. It is available for +Unix-based (Linux, Mac OS X, etc.) and Windows systems and has a large +world-wide community.</p> + +<p>Blender is free to be applied for any purpose, including commercial usage and +distribution. It's open-source software, released under a dual GPL / BL +licence. The full program sources are available online.</p> + +<p>For impatient readers; here the two most important links:</p> +<a href="http://www.blender.org">www.blender.org</a> the developement/community website<br> +<a href="http://www.blender3d.org">www.blender3d.org</a> the general website<br> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +<h2><a name="pack">2. Package Contents</a></h2> + +<p>This is what you should get from a downloaded Blender package:</p> + +<ul> + <li>The Blender program for some specific platform;</li> + <li>This text, with links and the copyright notice;</li> + <li>A basic set of scripts, including importers and exporters to other 3d + formats.</li> +</ul> + +<p>The latest version for all supported platforms can always be found at the +main Blender site, along with documentation, sample .blend files, many scripts, +plugins and more.</p> + +<p>If you are interested in the development of the program, information for +coders and the CVS repository with the sources can be found at the +<a href="http://www.blender.org">developer's site.</a></p> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +<h2><a name="start">3. Getting Started</a></h2> + +<p>Blender's main strength is at modeling, animating and rendering 3d +scenes, from simple cubes and monkey heads to the complex environments found in +videogames and movies with computer graphics (CG) art.</p> + +<p><strong>Rendering</strong> is the process of generating 2d images from 3d +data (basically lit 3d models) as if viewed by a virtual camera. In simple +terms, rendering is like taking a picture of the scene, but with many more +ways to influence the results. Blender comes with a very flexible renderer +and is well integrated with the open source YafRay package. There are also +scripts to export to other popular third party renderers like Povray and +Renderman compliant ones. By <strong>animating</strong> the data and rendering +pictures of each successive frame, movie sequences can be created.</p> + +<p>In <strong>compositing</strong> a set of techniques is used to add effects +to movie strips and combine these into a single video. This is how, for +example, artists add laser beams, glows and dinossaurs to motion +pictures. Blender is not a specific tool for this purpose, but it has builtin +support for video sequencing and sound synchronization.</p> + +<p>The <strong>game engine</strong> inside Blender lets users create and play +nifty 3d games, complete with 3d graphics, sound, physics and scripted rules. +</p> + +<p>Via <strong>scripting</strong> the program's functionality can be automated +and extended in real-time with important new capabilities. True displacement +mapping, for example, is now part of the core program, but before that it was +already possible using scripts. Since they are written in a nice higher-level +programming language -- <a href="http://www.python.org">Python</a> in our case +-- development is considerably faster and easier than normal C/C++ coding. +Naturally, they run slower than compiled code, but still fast enough for +<em>many</em> purposes or for mixed approaches like some plugins use.</p> + +<h3><a name="start_install">Installation notes:</a></h3> + +<p>If you are reading this, you probably already have Blender installed. +Anyway, it's a matter of executing a self-installer package or unpacking it to +some folder.</p> + +<p>There are many paths you can set in Blender itself, to tell it where to +look for your collections of texture and sound files, fonts, plugins and +additional scripts, besides where it should save rendered images, temporary +data, etc. If you're only starting, there's no need to worry about this now. +</p> + +<p>Some downloaded scripts may require extra Python modules not shipped with +Blender. Installing the whole Python distribution is a way to solve this +issue for most cases except scripts that require extensions (3rd party +modules), but we are starting to add more modules to Blender itself so that +most scripts don't depend on full Python installs anymore.</p> + +<p>Even if you do have the right version of Python installed you may need to +tell the embedded Python interpreter where the installation is. To do that +it's enough to set a system variable called PYTHON to the full path to the +stand-alone Python executable (to find out execute "import sys; print +sys.executable" inside the stand-alone interpreter, not in Blender). To check +which Python was linked to your Blender binary, execute "import sys; print +sys.version" at Blender's text editor), it's probably 2.3.something -- only the +two first numbers should have to match with yours.</p> + +<h3><a name="start_run">Running:</a></h3> + +<p>Depending on your platform, the installation may have put an icon on your +desktop and a menu entry for Blender. If not, it's not hard to do that +yourself for your favorite window manager.</p> + +<p>But for more flexibility, you can execute Blender from a shell window or +command-line prompt. Try "blender -h" to see all available options.</p> + +<p>Blender saves data in its own custom binary format, using ".blend" as +extension. The default start-up configuration is saved in a file called +.B.blend. To save your changes to it, click on +<strong>File->Save Default Settings</strong> or use the Control+u shortcut +directly. To revert to factory defaults, erase the .B.blend file.</p> + +<h3><a name="start_1st">First steps:</a></h3> + +<p>This is the point where we stop and warn newcomers that 3d Computer +Graphics is a vast field and Blender has a lot of packed functionality. +If you already tried to run it and fell victim to the "too many buttons!" +syndrome, just relax and <a href="#faq_2">read this part</a> of the F.A.Q. </p> + +<p>Hoping the explanations helped, let's start Blender and take a look at it. +At the top header you can see the main menu. Under "File" you'll find entries +to save, load and quit. If <em>someone</em> ever messes with your workspace +and you can't find your way around: press q to quit. Then erase the .B.blend +file in your home dir and the program will be back to factory defaults.</p> + +<p>Blender's screen is divided in "areas". Each of them has a top or bottom +header and can show any of the available builtin applications (called "spaces", +like the 3d View, the Text Editor, etc). If you started with a default +configuration, there should now be three areas: +</p> + +<ul> + <li>A thin strip at the top where you can see the header of the <strong>User +Preferences Window</strong> (its header is also Blender's main menu);</li> + <li>A big one in the middle with the <strong>3d View</strong>, where you +model and preview your scenes;</li> + <li>A smaller at the bottom with the <strong>Buttons Window</strong>, where +you add and configure most of your scene data.</li> +</ul> + +<p>These are the three most important spaces, at least when you are starting. +At the left corner of each header you can find the "Window Types" button, +which is like the "Start" buttom of many desktop environments. Clicking on +it lets you change what is shown in that area.</p> + +<p><strong>Highly configurable workspace</strong></p> + +<p>Blender's interface has been considerably improved for the 2.3x series. +Besides the goals of exposing functionality via menus and adding tooltips +for all buttons, there are even more ways now to change your workspace.</p> + +<p>As before, areas can be resized, subdivided in two or joined; headers can +be moved to the top or bottom of an area or hidden completely. Just experiment +to find out how, it's trivial. Hint: the mouse cursor changes to a double arrow +when it is over the inter-area edges.</p> + +<p>There should be a button with "SCR:" in the top header. It has some preset +workspaces that can be tried now for a tour of the possibilities. When you +change your current setup to something worth keeping, that same button has the +option to save the new screen.</p> + +<p>Since version 2.30 Blender lets users define new color themes that can also +be shared with others when saved in the default startup .B.blend file.</p> + +<p>The User Preferences space has many options there that you may want to +tweak, like turning button tooltips on/off, setting paths, etc. Just remember +to save your configuration if you want to keep it for the next session). +Since these preferences are not saved in regular .blend files, the presets will +retain working even when loading files from others. Note however, that the arrangement +of the UI itself - its screens and windows - are always saved in each file. +</p> + +<h3><a name="start_3dview">The 3d View:</a></h3> + +<p><strong>Mouse buttons and the toolbox</strong></p> + +<p>Pressing the SPACEBAR or Shift+a while the mouse pointer is inside a 3d +View space will open up the toolbox. The toolbox gives you faster access to +many functions, like adding new objects to your scene, editing their properties, +selecting and so on.</p> + +<p>This is how the mouse buttons work in this space: +<ul> + <li>Left button: anchor the 3d cursor in a new location -- it defines where +your next added object will appear, among other things.</li> + <li>Right button: selection. If you hold it and move, you can move the +selected item around.</li> + <li>Middle button: 3d space rotation or translation -- choose which one in +one of the User Preferences tabs.</li> +</ul> +Combinations of mouse buttons and Shift or Control will give you additional +options like zooming, panning and restricted movement. 3d scenes can be seen +from any position and orientation, but there are some default ones you can +reach with Numpad buttons or the "View" menu in the 3d View's header.</p> + +<p><strong>Edit Mode</strong></p> + +<p>When you want to edit the vertices of a mesh, for example, it's necessary to +select the object and enter "Edit Mode", either using the 3d View header "Mode" +button or by pressing TAB on your keyboard (press it again to return to object +mode).</p> + +<p><strong>And this was only the beginning ...</strong></p> + +<p>The above guidelines should have given new users enough to start playing +with the interface. The next section lists online references that can actually teach about 3d and this program, but it's a good idea to spend some time just +playing with Blender, looking at menus and finding what mouse actions do in +each space.</p> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +<h2><a name="resources">4. Resources</a></h2> + +<ul> + <li><a href="http://www.blender3d.org">www.blender3d.org</a> - the general site, with documentation and downloads</li> + <li><a href="http://www.elysiun.com">www.elysiun.com</a> - the user community</li> + <li><a href="http://www.blender.org">www.blender.org</a> - the developer's site</li> + <li><a href="http://projects.blender.org">projects.blender.org</a> - the project's site</li> +</ul> + +<p>This short presentation is meant to guide newcomers to Blender through their +<em>very first</em> steps, giving directions to where you can find the +resources you will need. We can't teach you 3D in these few lines of text, +that would take a lengthy book.</p> + +<p>The Blender Foundation has released a new guide, with hundreds of pages of +illustrated tutorials. It comes with a CD-ROM that has Blender version 2.32, +YafRay and many goodies: sample .blend files with models, textures and +animations, plugins, scripts, documentation, etc. It's an extensive reference +written by Blender gurus and also a good way to help Blender development.</p> + +<p>You can learn more about it at the main Blender site: +<a href="http://www.blender3d.org">www.blender3d.org</a>. There you'll also +find news, online documentation like tutorials, the 2.0 guide, the Blender +Python API Reference for script writers, etc. There are also forums, +galleries of images and movies, games, scripts, plugins, links and more.</p> + +<p>The main Blender community site is elYsiun: +<a href="http://www.elysiun.com">www.elysiun.com</a>. There's a lot of +activity in its user forums, where newbie and guru users share tips and tricks, +show their most recent images, movies and scripts, ask for help and generally +have a good time.</p> + +<p>Irc users are invited to try #blenderchat on irc.freenode.net .</p> + +<p>There are also local Blender community sites in some countries, that should +be listed at the links section of the main site.</p> + +<p>If you are a coder wanting to get in touch with Blender development, the +developer's site is at <a href="http://www.blender.org">www.blender.org</a>. A +good way to start is to follow the mailing lists for a while and check bug +reports, to see if you can fix one. On irc.freenode.net: #blendersauce (open channel) +and #blendercoders (official channel, where also meetings take place).</p> + +<h3><a name="resources_xtra">Other useful links</a></h3> + +<p>In the realm of open-source cg programs, it's a pleasure to mention other +great projects that can help you achieve your visions. Note that these +programs are completely independent from Blender and have their own sites, +documentation and support channels. Note also that this list is not complete +and should be updated on future versions of this text.</p> + +<dl> + <dt><a href="http://www.gimp.org">The Gimp</a></dt> + <dd>The mighty GNU Image Manipulation Program. In 3d work it is a valuable +resource to create, convert and, of course, manipulate texture images.</dd> + <dt><a href="http://www.wings3d.com">The Wings 3D modeler</a></dt> + <dd>A great mesh modeler, with a different approach. Some things are much +easier to model in Wings, others in Blender, making them a powerful combination +for experienced users. +</dd> +</dl> + +<h4>Renderers:</h4> + +<dl> + <dt><a href="http://www.yafray.org">YafRay</a></dt> + <dd>A relatively new and already very impressive program. Blender has builtin +support for it.</dd> + <dt><a href="http://www.povray.org">Povray</a></dt> + <dd>One of the best and most popular renderers in the world. There is a +script to export Blender scenes to be rendered with it.</dd> + <dt><a href="https://renderman.pixar.com">Renderman-compliant:</a> +open-source: <a href="http://www.aqsis.org">Aqsis</a>, +<a href="http://pixie.sf.net">Pixie</a>. Closed-source: +<a href="http://www.3delight.com">3delight</a>.</dt> + <dd>The Renderman spec was created by Pixar years ago to define both a +standard and powerful representation of 3d data for renderers and the expected +quality of the renderization itself. Think about 3d art from some movie -- it +was much probably created by Pixar's own Photorealistic Renderman (PRMan) +renderer. This is a good site to learn more: +<a href="http://www.rendermanacademy.com">The Renderman Academy</a>. Neither +Pixar nor its products are affiliated with Blender.</dd> +</dl> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +<h2><a name="trouble">5. Troubleshooting</a></h2> + +<p>If something isn't working, please read this entire section before looking +for help.</p> + +<ul> + <li><a href="#trouble_gen">General start-up and usage problems</a></li> + <li><a href="#trouble_vdo">Video card blues</a></li> + <li><a href="#trouble_py">Scripts</a></li> + <li><a href="#trouble_bugt">The Bug Tracker</a></li> +</ul> + +<h3><a name="trouble_gen">General start-up and usage problems</a></h3> + +<p>If the program crashes or something isn't working properly, try running +Blender in <strong>debug mode:</strong> execute it as "blender -d" from a +command prompt. This might give some info about what is wrong. There are also +other options that might be useful, "blender -h" lists all of them.<br> +Most likely an immediate crash is due to Blender's need for a compliant and +stable working OpenGL.</p> + +<h3><a name="trouble_vdo">Video card blues</a></h3> + +<p>Although OpenGL is cherished as an excellent cross platform library, the enormous +growth of different 3D cards have made this a complicated affair for Blender. Unlike +other programs - or 3D games - Blender utilizes OpenGL for its entire GUI, including +buttons and pulldown menus. That means also the 2D options for OpenGL should +work good, something easily ignored or badly tested by 3D card manufacturors, who +target more at the latest SFX features for new 3D games.<br> +In general Blender performs +very well on 3D cards from renowned brands, such as NVidia, ATI or 3DLabs. Recently +however, new drivers (especially for ATI) have shown that they're dropping basic +OpenGL support needed for proper menu drawing in Blender. Downgrading drivers then +always works, but we're also working on rebuilding the (quite old) code for GUI +drawing to prevent such errors from ever happening again.</p> + +<p>Some useful links to check:<br> + +<a href="http://www.blender3d.org/cms/FAQ.194.0.html">The graphics card FAQ</a><br> +<a href="http://www.blender.org/modules/gfxdatabase/index.php">3D card performance database</a><br> + + +</p> + +<h3><a name="trouble_py">Scripts</a></h3> + +<p>To be sure that some functionality is scripted: all scripts in Blender can +be accessed from the "Scripts" menu in the Scripts Window's header, even if the +same functionality is also in another menu somewhere. If you see an entry in +one of the submenus there, it refers to a script. Please don't report problems +with scripts to the bug tracker or other normal Blender channels. You should +find the author's site or contact email in the script's text itself, but +usually the Python & Plugins forum at +<a href="http://www.elysiun.com">elYsiun</a> is used for posting +announcements, questions, suggestions and bug reports related to scripts. It's +the recommended place to look first, specially if no site was specified at the +script's window or source file(s).</p> + +<h3><a name="trouble_bugt">The Bug Tracker</a></h3> + +<p>If you really think you found a new bug in Blender, check the Bug Tracker +entries at <a href="http://projects.blender.org/tracker/?atid=125&group_id=9&func=browse">the projects site</a> and if +it was not reported yet, please log in (or register) and fill in detailed +information about the error. A small .blend file or script (if it is a problem +with the Blender Python API) showcasing the bug can help a lot.</p> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +<h2><a name="faq">6. (FAQ) A few remarks</a></h2> + +<ol> + <li><a href="#faq_1">Quick tips.</a></li> + <li><a href="#faq_2">What's up with the interface?</a></li> + <li><a href="#faq_3">How good is Blender? How does it compare to other 3d +programs?</a></li> + <li><a href="#faq_4">Something doesn't work, what do I do?</a></li> +</ol> + +<h3><a name="faq_1">Quick tips:</a></h3> + +<p><strong>Rendering</strong>: to see something when you render (F12) an image, +make sure the scene has a camera pointing at your models (camera view is +NumPad 0) and at least one light properly placed. Otherwise you'll only get a +black rectangle.</p> + +<p>If you want the fastest possible access to Blender's functionality, remember +what a <cite>wise power user</cite> wrote: "keep one hand on the keyboard +and the other on the mouse". Learn and use the shortcuts, configure your +workspace to your needs.</p> + +<h3><a name="faq_2">What's up with the interface?</a></h3> + +<p>Blender does not follow the most common, somewhat standard rules for user +interfaces -- it doesn't look like most programs do -- which is not necessarily +a bad thing. There used to be two sides to this: Blender was both a powerful +production tool for professionals and enthusiasts who dedicated enough time to +master it and also a nightmare for some newcomers who might have tried one of +the commercial 3d modelers first. The main reason for this is that +Blender was born as an in-house studio tool, optimized to speed up daily heavy +work, not to please everyone. But it's true that in the past the interface +was far from newbie-friendly.</p> + +<p>Hopefully this is not the case anymore: it has been considerably +improved for the 2.3x series, exposing most functionality via menus, adding +panels, color "themability", tooltips for all buttons and internationalization +support. This is an ongoing effort or, better, a goal to keep the best ideas +in Blender's design while expanding and making it more user-friendly.</p> + +<p>Too many buttons!</p> + +<p>Again, 3D Computer Graphics is a vast and fun field. If you're only +starting, Blender can seem daunting, specially because of all its packed +functionality. Don't let that upset you, there is no need to care about +<em>all</em> those buttons right now -- or ever.</p> + +<p>There are basic things all users should learn early up:</p> + +<ul> + <li>Start the program and access the main menus;</li> + <li>Find and configure user preferences;</li> + <li>Basic scene set-up: how to add and transform (move, scale, rotate) + lights, cameras and objects;</li> + <li>Create and link materials to objects, at least to color them;</li> + <li>Render your scenes.</li> +</ul> + +<p>One hour is enough time to assimilate and practice that before going on +with basic mesh editing and texturing, for example. There are many different +areas to learn about. Taste, interaction with other users and your main +interests (game art, rendered stills, movies) will guide you and define the +skills you'll want to master. Then it goes like a spiral: practice something +for a while, study and find about new tricks or whole new areas, practice a +little more and so on. Soon you'll become pleased to have all those buttons to +play with. A few more months and you'll probably be back asking for more ... +</p> + +<h3><a name="faq_3">How good is Blender?</a></h3> + +<p>If you ever get the impression that it's not possible to create great +looking or complex works with Blender, rejoice -- you are just plainly +uninformed, as browsing galleries and community forums can easily confirm.</p> + +<h3>How does it compare to other 3d programs?</h3> + +<p>In short: it takes considerable dedication to become good, no matter which +program you work with, as long as it is good enough not to get in your way. +Blender is. And, like the others, has strong and weak points.</p> + +<p>Compared to commercial alternatives, Blender misses some features and isn't +as "newbie-friendly". It doesn't come packed with "one-click" or "wizard" +functionality, where you get much faster results in detriment of flexibility +and value. It also isn't bundled with tens of megabytes of sample models, +texture images, tutorials, etc. (which only partly explains how Blender can fit +in a less than 3 MB download).</p> + +<p>Thankfully, these are not fatal shortcomings. The pace at which features +are being added or polished in Blender is impressive, now that it's a well +stablished open source project. More: through plugins and scripting, many +repetitive or otherwise cumbersome tasks can be made trivial. But plugin and +script authors go further, teaching Blender new tricks, from importers and +exporters to more advanced "applications".</p> + +<p>About goodies, there are many places where you can get them (check +<a href="#resources">resources</a>). Besides the book, the main site and +elYsiun are the best ones to start, specially because some resources you +find spread on the net are not up-to-date with current program versions. This +doesn't render old tutorials or books useless -- just a little harder to +follow, sometimes -- but older scripts probably won't work. For free texture +images, a simple search for "free textures" should bring many results, just pay +attention to their licenses if you plan to release your work later.</p> + +<p>Commercial packages can make it easier for newbies to produce nice looking +material, but only another newbie would praise the results. There's a huge +difference between what a skilled artist and someone poking at buttons and +using presets can accomplish.</p> + +<p>Last but best of all: Blender is open-source, free for all to use, study and +improve.</p> + + +<h3><a name="faq_4">Something doesn't work, what do I do?</a></h3> + +<p>First note again that errors and questions related to specific scripts +should not be sent to Blender developers or its bug tracker. Then +<a href="#trouble">read this short section thoroughly</a>, please.</p> + +<hr> +<p>Thanks for reading, we hope you enjoy Blender!</p> + +<p><font size=-1>Document version 1.0, april 2004</font></p> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +</body> +</html> |