 | | | pipeline development theory | pipeline development theory 2005-06-15 - By Helge Mathee
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Hey Brad,
I hope you are aware of that you just started one of these really long
threads.... ;-)
and yes, we do this kind of stuff here at Omation. ;-)
To answer your questions:
1. I looked at Alienbrain, and the main reason for not using it right now is
its database.
Alienbrain uses a text and file based database (and please correct me if I
am wrong) and
the typical SQL relational database features are missing. Especially when it
comes to
searching.
2. I leave that one to Kim & Brad. I know they always have something in the
oven... ;-)
3. The XSI C++ API seems to be really open to work with your own metadata.
I am not breaking any NDA saying that we are using XML based asset
descriptions
here at Omation for rendertrees, models, UVs, rig-data etc. The main
limitations we
encounter are Overrides and Hair, because there's simply no object model for
these.
Other than that, I was able to implement storage and regeneration for all
kinds of
objects through XML. As far as refmodels go: They're what keep Omation
running.
The referenced model architecture might be 'still rough around the edges',
but they're production proven as far as we are concerned. There's a few
kinks,
but as long as you are able to rebuild scenes and 'clean' the referenced
model
animation clip by rebuilding it, it's fine.
Helge Mathee
Research & Development
Omation
-- -- Original Message -- --
From: <xsibrad@(protected)>
To: <xsi@(protected)>
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 1:18 PM
Subject: pipeline development theory
> OK, so, I'm sure we're all buzz-word savy here. We're all multi-media
aware.
> We're integrated. We've all talked to our solutions providers. Our meta
> data is in order and dynamic in nature. And we're all open architecture
in our
> design choices.
> Likewise, we're all using self healing computer systems. And since we're
super
> cutting edge, we're moving from object oriented programming to aspect
oriented
> programming. All using Rapid Application Development (RAD) tools.
Awesome :)
> I've run out of buzz words.
>
> So whats with this pipeline development thing?
>
> Ok, joking asside, I've heard the term thrown about quite a bit when it
comes to
> 3d software as of late and while I was on holiday for the past few weeks
it
> crept into my mind a few times.
>
> Pipeline development.
>
> I guess the question is: what do you folks in general consider to be under
the
> realm of pipeline development?
>
> For example, I've read through the CG Soup articles on pipeline. And it
all
> makes good sense. People organized in a system and a progression for
assets to
> step through. Good solid milstones, locks, review points and
opportunities for
> iteration. Thats how you design a good pipeline with existing software
and
> tools.
>
> But every once and a while I hear some comments which make me think some
studios
> are doing a lot more than simple work force organization and data
repository
> restructuring, and moving from "having a pipeline" into the realm of
> "developing a pipeline, and pipeline tools". And its this area that I'm
> currious about.
>
> For example, for my own projects, I am currently using subversion and
tortoise.
>
> http://subversion.tigris.org/
> http://tortoisesvn.tigris.org/
>
> to version everything from XSI projects, to sourcecode for my plugins, to
the
> psd files I use to generate my synoptic graphics.
>
> The binary DIFFing allows me to save drive space but still feel secure
that the
> past has not been lost. And having the central repository lets me take my
work
> with me from machine to machine very easily. I can even merge changes on
two
> machines that have lost sync.
>
> I've also read in some postings a few weeks ago regarding Omation's
pipeline,
> that there's a good ammount of SQL styled database work going on with
their
> pipeline.
>
> And of course, my mind immediately started spinning visions of reference
models
> being stored as BLOB objects in a huge database with versioning
information.
>
> Then I came back down to reality and realized its probably not quite as
grand an
> integration as that. But who knows?
>
> I also thought about work that was started at R Greenburg and Associates
back in
> the day, that I believe has a life over at RhinoFX today. The basic
theory
> being that Maya ASCII files are stored in a big CVS-like repository and
spliced
> together on the fly. So one could theoritically commit just the lights
from a
> scene to the repository. Then one could have the repository generate a
scene
> that has the most recent characters, the animation from last week, and the
> lighting from yesterday morning. One could tweak the animation and then
commit
> just the animation back to the regpository. Meanwhile, the riggers are
fixing
> minor skinning issues. The next day, you update and pull the latest
version of
> everything to your machine and do test renders. Its like a Maya aware CVS
that
> has concepts of lights and characters and such, and can weave .ma files
> appropriately to make it work. In theory anyhow, I have not used it and
I'm
> not sure if I'm making it out to be more than it actually is.
>
> I realize this is starting to sound like a jumble on random pipeline
info...
> probably because it is.
>
> Question: as far as the XSI world goes, is anyone doing stuff like this?
Once
> a people pipeline has been established, are complex tools being written
around
> the
> pipeline to the point that the production is centered more on a versioning
> reposiory and a database than on a "people maintained directory
structure?" Are
> these tools integrated directly into XSI?
>
> Question: Has anyone been using the alienbrain integration in XSI that
could
> comment on how it works for them in a production pipeline?
>
> Question: Brad and Kim, is this the kind of super secret stuff you guys
do on a
> daily basis? Or is this still something thats over the horizon?
>
> Question: In XSI land we don't really have the power of the ASCII based
file
> format. And reference models are still rough around the edges. Does
anyone
> think (or know for that matter) this kind of self weaving meta-data based
> pipeline technology is something that could be developed for XSI at this
point?
> Or are we a few features and APIs short?
>
> All this stuff has been bouncing around in my head and I'm currious as to
the
> actual state of affairs in the high end production world in XSI.
>
> Thanks for any insight.
>
> -brad
>
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