Changelog 3.0.0

This major release of BBMOD focuses on modularity of the GML library, increased animation playback performance and support for advanced rendering pipelines.

General:

  • Done a full switch from matrices to dual quaternions for node transforms and animation data.
  • Interpolated animation frames are now precomputed offline during model conversion. Animation sampling rate is fully configurable.
  • Added three levels of animation optimization. Higher optimization levels increase the animation playback performance but disable additional features like transforming nodes through code, node attachments or animation transitions.
  • Done changes to the model and animation file format and increased their version from 2 to 3.

BBMOD CLI:

  • Added new option --optimize-animations (-oa) using which you can configure the animation optimization level.
  • Added new option --sampling-rate (-sr) using which you can configure the animation sampling rate (fps).

GML API:

General:

  • Moved included files from ./BBMOD to ./Data/BBMOD.
  • Increased macro BBMOD_VERSION from 2 to 3. It is not possible to load *.bbmod and *.bbanim files from previous versions.
  • Removed all obsolete and deprecated functions etc.
  • Split the library into multiple folders - modules. Each one of this module adds extra functionality, but the only module you need to import to be able to use BBMOD is the Core module.
  • PBR is now its own module and it is no longer the default shader/material - you do not have to include it if you are going to use your own shaders.
  • Renamed sprite BBMOD_SprDefaultMaterial to BBMOD_SprCheckerboard and removed its subimages except for the first one, which is the checkerboard texture.

DLL:

  • Added new methods get_optimize_animations and set_optimize_animations to BBMOD_DLL using which you can configure the animation optimization level.
  • Added new methods get_sampling_rate and set_sampling_rate to BBMOD_DLL using which you can configure the animation sampling rate (fps).

Vertex format:

  • Added a new method BBMOD_VertexFormat.get_byte_size, which retrieves a size of a single vertex using the vertex format in bytes.
  • Added new macros for BBMOD_VFORMAT_DEFAULT, BBMOD_VFORMAT_DEFAULT_ANIMATED and BBMOD_VFORMAT_DEFAULT_BATCHED, which are the default vertex formats for static, animated and dynamically batched models respectively.

Mesh:

  • Converted legacy struct BBMOD_EMesh into a GMS2.3+ struct BBMOD_Mesh.
  • Added a new property VertexFormat to BBMOD_Mesh. This is a BBMOD_VertexFormat that the mesh uses.

Node:

  • Converted legacy struct BBMOD_ENode into a GMS2.3+ struct BBMOD_Node.
  • Added a new property Parent to BBMOD_Node, which is the parent of the node or undefined if it is the root node.
  • Added a new read-only property IsBone to BBMOD_Node, which tells whether the node or any node down the chain is a part of a skeleton. This is used to increase performance of animation playback.
  • Added a new method BBMOD_Node.set_skeleton using which you can mark a node as a part of a skeleton node chain.
  • Added a new read-only property IsRenderable to BBMOD_Node, which tells whether the node or any node down the chain has a mesh. This is used to increase performance of model rendering.
  • Added a new method BBMOD_Node.set_renderable using which you can mark a node as renderable.

Shaders and materials:

  • Renamed shaders BBMOD_ShDefault, BBMOD_ShDefaultBatched and BBMOD_ShDefaultAnimated to BBMOD_ShPBR, BBMOD_ShPBRBatched and BBMOD_ShPBRAnimated respectively.
  • Added a new set of default shaders (with the same names as the original ones). These are basic pass-through shaders, much easier to customize than the PBR ones.
  • Added a new struct BBMOD_Shader, which wraps regular GM shader resources.
  • BBMOD_Material now accepts a BBMOD_Shader instead of a regular GM shader resource.
  • Added a new struct BBMOD_PBRMaterial which inherits from BBMOD_Material. Moved PBR-only properties of BBMOD_Material to BBMOD_PBRMaterial.
  • Renamed BBMOD_Material's RenderPath property to RenderPass.
  • Added a new function bbmod_get_materials which returns an array of all existing materials.
  • Added a new read-only property Priority to BBMOD_Material. This property determines the order of materials in the array returned by bbmod_get_materials.
  • Added a new property Repeat to BBMOD_Material using which you can configure texture repeat for the material.
  • Added a new method BBMOD_Material.set_priority, using which you can change the Priority property of a BBMOD_Material.
  • Added new properties TextureOffset and TextureScale to BBMOD_Material, using which you can control its texture coordinates within a texture page.
  • Method BBMOD_Material.apply now returns the self (BBMOD_Material) instead of a boolean.
  • Added a new method BBMOD_Material.copy which copies the material's properties into another material.
  • Added a new method BBMOD_Material.set_base_opacity using which you can change the material's base color and opacity using floats.
  • Changed the default value of the BBMOD_Material.OnApply property from bbmod_material_on_apply_default to undefined.
  • Removed function bbmod_material_on_apply_default. Setting shader uniforms and textures is now taken care of by the BBMOD_Shader struct.
  • Added new macros BBMOD_SHADER_DEFAULT, BBMOD_SHADER_DEFAULT_ANIMATED and BBMOD_SHADER_DEFAULT_BATCHED, which are the default shaders for static, animated and dynamically batched models respectively.
  • Added new macros BBMOD_SHADER_PBR, BBMOD_SHADER_PBR_ANIMATED and BBMOD_SHADER_PBR_BATCHED, which are PBR shaders for static, animated and dynamically batched models respectively.
  • Added new macros BBMOD_MATERIAL_PBR, BBMOD_MATERIAL_PBR_ANIMATED and BBMOD_MATERIAL_PBR_BATCHED, which are PBR materials for static, animated and dynamically batched models respectively.

Rendering:

  • Added a new struct BBMOD_RenderCommand.
  • Added a new property RenderCommands to BBMOD_Material. This property is a list of BBMOD_RenderCommand structs that use the material.
  • Renamed method render of BBMOD_Model, BBMOD_DynamicBatch and BBMOD_StaticBatch to submit. This method still immediately draws the model.
  • Added a new method render to BBMOD_Model, BBMOD_DynamicBatch and BBMOD_StaticBatch, which enqueues the model for rendering.
  • Renamed method render_object of BBMOD_DynamicBatch to submit_object. This method still immediately draws the dynamic batch.
  • Added a new method render_object to BBMOD_DynamicBatch, which enqueues the dynamic batch for rendering.
  • Added new methods render([_materials]) and submit([_materials]) to BBMOD_AnimationPlayer. These are shorthands for model.render(materials, animationPlayer.get_transform()) and model.submit(materials, animationPlayer.get_transform()) respectively.
  • Added a new method BBMOD_Material.submit_queue using which you can submit all its render commands.
  • Added a new macro BBMOD_RENDER_SHADOWS, which is a flag used to tell that a material is rendered in a shadow pass.

Animations:

  • Removed legacy structs BBMOD_EAnimationNode, BBMOD_EAnimationKey, BBMOD_EPositionKey, BBMOD_ERotationKey and BBMOD_EBone. Animation data is now stored in a more optimal way.
  • Removed property InterpolateFrames of BBMOD_AnimationPlayer. All frames are now precomputed.
  • Removed property AnimationStart of BBMOD_AnimationInstance.
  • Added methods supports_attachments, supports_bone_transform and supports_transitions to BBMOD_Animation using which you can check if the animation supports node attachments, bone transformations through code and transitions respectively. This is determined by the optimization level of the animation.
  • Added new method get_node_transform_from_frame to BBMOD_AnimationPlayer using which you can retrieve a node's transform from the last played animation frame.
  • Replaced property OnEvent of BBMOD_AnimationPlayer with methods on_event and off_event.
  • Added new properties Animation and AnimationLoops to BBMOD_AnimationPlayer which is the last played animation and whether it loops respectively.
  • Added new method change to BBMOD_AnimationPlayer. The animation player now remembers the last played animation and if a different one is passed it automatically transitions into it. This also triggers a new animation event BBMOD_EV_ANIMATION_CHANGE.
  • Added a new macro BBMOD_EV_ANIMATION_LOOP, which is an event triggered by an animation player when the animation played loops and continues from the start.
  • Added a new method add_event to BBMOD_Animation using which you can add a custom animation event triggered at a specific frame.

Camera and renderer:

  • Added a new struct BBMOD_Camera which implements both first-person and third-person camera.
  • Added a new struct BBMOD_IRenderable which defines an abstract interface of renderable objects. These can be rendered in the BBMOD_Renderer struct.
  • Added a new struct BBMOD_Renderer which implements a basic render pipeline. This struct can be inherited from to define custom render pipelines.

Mesh builder and model importer:

  • Added a new struct BBMOD_Vertex.
  • Added a new struct BBMOD_MeshBuilder, using which you can create BBMOD meshes through code.
  • Added a new struct BBMOD_Importer, which is a base struct for model importers.
  • Added a new struct BBMOD_OBJImporter, which is an importer of *.obj models.

Math library:

  • Removed CE dependency.
  • Added new structs BBMOD_Vec2, BBMOD_Vec3, BBMOD_Vec4, BBMOD_Quaternion and BBMOD_DualQuaternion.

Exceptions:

  • Renamed struct BBMOD_Error to BBMOD_Exception.
  • Added a new struct BBMOD_NotImplementedException, which is an exception thrown in methods that do not have an implementation (generally in methods of abstract interfaces).

Third-party libraries support:

  • Added functions bbmod_mesh_to_colmesh and bbmod_model_to_colmesh using wich you can add BBMOD_Meshs and BBMOD_Models to TheSnidr's ColMesh, a popular library for 3D collisions.
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