Improving the visual look of visual scripting . . #1159
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Again, thank you for your time, we started talking about, how to make visual script better, I feel the interface or, user - experience is a bit lacking, the OPTIMAL look for me, is pretty close, to what they have, in Blender, atm . . Super-fast to ready, well organized and, artist - friendly, at the same time . . ps. Still like the bendy lines, a lot, keep those, pls . .
And, thank you . . . |
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Here's my idea, of an ideal work-space, for visual script, there's a bar, at the top, with the name, of the box, and at the bottom, there's another bar, which has settings like, ' ? ', a question mark, that takes one to official docs, for what the box does, and another button, to toggle the box, as alsmost transparent, so one can make a large script more readable . .
I'm not sure what most common features are, but I would like an ' expand all options ' button, a ' make box transparent or, faded ', and a ' Question ' button, to take one to the docs . . And, a collapse all options, after one has set them, if possible . . . Thanks . . Visual scripts get very ' clouded ' soon, it would be nice with a box setting, to make them almost transparent, and one can click, to make them visible again, so scripts become easier, to manage or, read . . . |
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Here's an idea, for how the ' lines ' between nodes could look, a really nice style . .
That would be, my ideal visual script environment . . . |
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Here's sort of the idea, for a nice visual script look, or so . . .
So, when you're connecting the boxes, it feels like you're making, one of these, a REAL program, code . . Or, the ' lines ' are like, these things, on the chip . . Last, if one could add ' points ', on each line, to make them follow a particular path, it would really help, so if one gets spaghetti, one can place a point, on a line, between script boxes, to make them follow, the grid . .
So, if one gets lines, that over-lap, or become unreadable, one can sort of ' change ' where they go, the lines, with a click . . As an artist, it would also make me feel like a ' real ' coder, which I really would like . . Thx, I feel a bit behind, atm . . . Last, in the common settings, in the lower bar, on the boxes, one could have a PRINT button, so one can print the outputs, of a box, to debug faster, if there are three outputs, or results, when one clicks the PRINT button, one gets a little menu, and has to choose from a checklist box, which one wants to PRINT, in the debugger, so one doesn't have to make PRINT boxes, and connect them, in really big scripts . . . . Tbh, I'm not sure what the best things, are to put in the lower bar, but stuff one uses often and, that makes it easier, to use visual script, in Godot, Thx . . But, if Godot started by adding some useful ones, over time, from user-experience, one could even find the best ones, over time . . So, I hope it will get the visual look, of the Blender shader nodes, that are easier to read, and lines that connect the boxes, like above, either 90 degree, or 45 degree angle, like on a chip or, a mother - board, so cool <3 . . . This way, the boxes look artistic, artist-friendly, the rounded look, of Blender nodes, but the logic looks computer, so it appeals to artists and, coders, at the same time . . . . . |
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I had one last idea, as a total beginner, and I know this might be tedious, but if one made so the background in visual script could be green, blue or, yellow, like classic chips, or motherboards, and made so the lines were either silver or, gold . . It would be such a cool look, I'm only talking about color themes, and so that the boxes were black, like chips, and had white writing in them, so they looked like chips, it would really fit these ideas, along with the standard ' dark ' Blender theme and, ' light ' Blender theme . . That way, you're almost feeling, like you're working with the CPU, when working with visual script . .
This would mean, visual script would appeal to both artists more, but also coders, as one could pick a theme, that felt amazing, no matter ones background . . . Also, that one could right click, or CTRL + left-click on any line, and then open an edit mode, where one could place points, and make the lines between script boxes run, exactly the way one wanted it, purely visual . . This could help manage the ' spaghetti ' that many people run into, and find frustrating . . And, it would give Godot's visual scripting a unique look, that's different from the other engines, as well, and that was inspired by Blender, which is almost optimal, to look at, the boxes have a top bar, that clearly marks the function, and the bottom one, as well . . . Last request, if there was a button, to change the color of the ' top ' bar, and ' low ' bar, see above example, so one could after having made a character controller, make all the boxes in that part, a certain color, for easier reading, or so . . Thx, I know this is a noob suggestion, but the more READABLE scripts are, the easier they are to manage, even at higher levels, and will be more appealing for beginners, and artists, while looking, like one has made a CHIP <3 Again, thanks for even reading this, tbh I'm VERY impressed with how you manage the engine, what you add to it, how you spend the money, you do a better job than I could, so I feel confident, no matter what happens, you will make the engine better, than I even could, Thanks, mean it, you're amazing <3 . . Point is, this is a suggestion, that you could LOOK at, see if it was useful, or you could make something even better, I suspect you can, this is my little suggestion, can't wait to see what you do, it's usually better, than my ideas, so thanks . . . . |
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Last idea, in the two bars, for the boxes, in the suggestion, make one button that completely collapses a node box, into a small box, where all the lines flow into one input, so one can make a box, smallest possible size, with just the top and, lower bar . . And, a text field, where one could write a custom name, for the collapsed boxes, like if when collapsed, there can fit 6 letters, one can write a custom ' name ', like ' Input ', ' VctClc ', when the script is done, one can better focus on working on the rest, especially if needs to make some boxes, that run on ' TOP ', of other boxes . . Hope you give visual script a nice over-haul, so it's more friendly to work with, that's all . . . Sorry, for the many posts, have trouble keeping my thoughts, together, have OCD, some autism . . . Can't WAIT, to see what Godot 4.0 becomes like, already looks amazing, last these are SUGGESTIONS, I know you guys are more pro, at basically anything, hope you can use it, for brain-storming, about what visual script should become, I know it will be better than this, most of all, can't wait, can't wait . . . Here's an example, I think some older SUPER cool chip boards we're yellow, the really cool ones . .
This could help Godot get a UNIQUE visual script environment, that was better than Unreal, and only took inspiration from Blender, the shader system box idea . . These are my idea, for the ultimate visual script system, with the most appealing aesthetics and, functionality, for beginners and, advanced coders, alike, thank you . . . This way, Godot can have it's own thing, and not be a copy-paste, of what others are doing, which is fitting, since Godot is runner up, for best engine, already, imo . . Last, I have tried editing to, not make so many boxes, sorry . . ADD . . If one could have a setting, where one could make rounded or, square boxes, and a separate setting, to make lines between boxes bendy, or like, at 45 degree angles, AND one could have a button, for the top bar, to select between 24 - 32 colors, so if one wanted, one could make a box square, with a black bar on top, and one on bottom, to make it look, like a chip, completely, that would be a really cool way, to make scripts, so the boxes look like black chips, with white writing, classic chips . . .
And, the standard font in visual script, was the classic font, on computer chips, that would be so cool, and give Godot a unique style, different from Unreal, other game engines . . Thank you, can't wait to see what happens, been reading a bit about how you organize the engine, the engine makers, you have much better ideas, than I could hope, to have, so I'll happily accept whatever you do, can't wait for more Godot . . . <3 Like talking, to the computer, almost, as a visual scripter, feeling, like a code God, a master . . . So, wonderful, amazing . . I think, the most amazing chips, are green, with gold, instead of silver lines, between the chips, it would be a cool look - back, to older times, and also have the more rounded look, of Blender, as two ' theme ' options, for how scripts look, so everyone can pick something, they really like, love . . <3 Last, because chips are sort of layered, with lines running in planes, if one could make a script, and then ' zoom ' between vertical layers, like moving up, and down, inside a chip, one could place nodes in maybe layer two, then when one moves up, one can make more advanced scripts, effectively having a 3D canvas, where lower nodes fade or, disappear, to make coding easier, and feel like making a ' chip ', oneself . . So, there are ' heights ' in the canvas, so one can place nodes ' over ' each other, if it becomes unreadable, and click a button, like the ' zoom ' button, to go up one layer, while still being able to make connections, to ports in lower layers, as well . . . Chip-maker visual script, feeling, like talking and, programming the chips, making goodness . . . Here's my idea, for how boxes should look, notice in bottom bar, there is a ' settings ' for the box ( color, of top bar, lower bar ), and a Prt button, to PRINT any output or, input from the box, while debugging and, a ' ? ' so one can go to docs, for any of the boxes . .
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Also, I really suck at making icons, use MS Paint, but idea is to have also a button, to expand or, collapse the box, to see all settings, like ' use default args ', so it's more accessible . . . I'm not sure what things should be in the lower bar, those are just some ideas, no more . . This is like one big proposal, I hope you can use some of these ideas, to make visual scripting even nicer, to look at . . That's, the idea . . . Sry, for so many posts, I struggle with using, the internet . . :O :O |
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It's based on GraphEdit and GraphNode like Visual Script: https://radmatt.itch.io/dialogue-designer |
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Okay, if Godot visual script got a look more like that, it'd be amazing, anyway these are just some ideas, I know the core team is very pro, thank you . . I have seen repeatedly the core developers have much better ideas, than I ever had, wanted to show what would be the best, for me, maybe other people could like it, or at least work from it, thank you . . |
that looks amazing |
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Yea, I really hope we get something like that, for visual script, so it looks even better . . Also, not just a ' name ' bar on top, but a settings bar, with common features, like PRINT ( any output ), and a button, to expand all the Arguments, ie Use Default Args, and a ' ? ' there, to take one to docs, for any box . . So, on page for docs, if there is missing info, one can place a ' message ', or perhaps write it oneself, or add use-case examples, to the docs, or so . .
The lower bar would be collapse, by clicking a little button in the lower corner, or in top bar, so it doesn't get very messy, and my biggest wish is, we get a ' line ' editor, where one can make lines follow the grid, and bend, by adding ( purely ) visual nodes on, lines, so one can avoid spaghetti or, get nicer lines, better flow . . But, the example above already looks amazing, I do think the ideal form, is like Blender, but with a lower bar, one can expand or, collapse, ie make disappear, with Print, Expand Default Args, and a ' ? ', so EACH node, over time, will get examples, in the official docs, by the users, if the core team can't make all that documentation, I'd like to spend a few hours thinking how to make a nice example, for a box, or maybe explain a difficult one . . So, cool . . . Overall, the radmatt example is really nice, but it's not compact enough, ie the boxes are very big . . That's where Blender is better, with more compact boxes or, like current visual script . . With so much wasted space inside boxes, one won't be able to have enough boxes on screen, ie wasted space in the boxes, to some extent needed, becomes a problem, as it means a ton, of scrolling, and one can't ' see ' all the nodes, for a bigger script, that's, the problem . . I think if the boxes got the visual look, of radmatt, but kept the same size as 3.2 boxes, it would be almost ideal . . |
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Since a lot users that use visual script like simplicity, adding a collapsable bar, at the bottom, so one doesn't have to drag a PRINT box across the canvas, which creates almost always a spaghetti line, it would make it nicer, it should just PRINT all the outputs, like a drop-down list should appear, when clicking PRT, then, a name or, an index number, ie first output = index 0, second output = 1, or so . . I think the lower bar, which can be toggle on / off ( collapsed ), would make visual script a lot, a lot nicer to use, and more interesting, for artists . . The biggest problem with radmatt is, that there seems to be a lot of space, in the nodes, compared to 3.2 or, Blender, that means one can't have as many boxes, on screen, but if they zoom function works better, that will fix it, but it has to work, then, ie, be readable . . No matter what radmatt, is an improvement, a big one . . Also, having that lower bar, would give Godot it's own unique look and, style, separate from other engines, AFAIK <3 ADD : Also, the people updating visual script, could decide, what should be in that list, as long as there's a ' ? ' to, official docs, and the docs become updated, so users can submit stuff to them, ideally when one clicks ' ? ', so if some box isn't documented well or, at all, whoever uses it, and makes it work, can do that, ie less work, for devs . . . :O As long as the zoom function works well, ie remains readable, not an issue in 3.2 on a 4K monitor, since the boxes didn't have a lot of un-used space, but if that works, the radmatt design would be basically ideal, hoping for a lower bar, with common uses, like PRINT, expand default args, and ' Docs ' ( ?) . . . |
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I have to say, can't wait for Godot . . Hope, we get a time-frame soon, for when visual script gets a new edition, can't wait, can't wait . . God, I wish we could see a demo, or hear from the people / team working on it, on the official Godot page, like a ' News ' article <3 . . Imo, radmatt's looks too friendly, I like the current size of the boxes, there's less free space, in each box, or like in Blender, where they are more compact, and ' business ' . . For some reason, the new visual script looks well, kids - oriented . . That's not a bad thing, if that's the intended audience, but as an artist, on a mostly grown-up team, especially the wasted space, means I won't be able to have as large a script on screen, at once, as I wished . . Still, it's a massive improvement, if we get that, just saying . . . |
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It would be nice, with a function, or button to add, to the official docs, for any node . . Often, when I'm done with some work, and I have an hour, of rest, or like that . . I have the time to wonder, what would be a really good explanation, or tutorial, for a box, so people could easily fill out the docs, if needed, between work, on their games . . . That would be especially easy, if each box had a ' ? ' mark, alternatively, all these things, like PRINT, ' ? ', and so, could be inside one button, that opens a menu, when clicked, instead . . . Some of the boxes, in 3.2 are frankly, not easy to make work, it took me a few days, asking online, to make change a material work, so if there was a docs button for each node, with a separate, quick page, and also bugs could be written there, ie if one had to do some weird stuff, to make it work, that could also be there, as well, would be nice . . . |
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Closing this proposal as we have officially discontinued the VisualScript module. It may return in future as an engine extension, then all the feedback can be reevaluated by maintainers of that extension. Thanks for your suggestion nonetheless! |
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@3DLAB0 There's a separate repo for visual scripting now, worth posting the pic there! |
Describe the project you are working on:
A Tomb Raider game, atm, 3D, animations made in Blender . .
Describe the problem or limitation you are having in your project:
This is sort of a proposal, atm visual script looks a bit basic, it's looking nice but, I wanted to ask, for a later update, if it could get a visual look, more like Blender's shader nodes, which is very streamlined and, geared towards artists, which visual script is also, to an extent, not sure, it says in docs . . As an artist, the ' look ' in Blender's shader nodes, are probably the ideal look, also for visual script . . This is the proposal, make Godot's visual script look more, like Blender, the shader node system, like this . . .
Describe the feature / enhancement and how it helps to overcome the problem or limitation:
It's just a visual update, we had a discussion on what we wanted, to make visual script nicer, and this was my idea, I know it's simple, but it's so much more readable, what they have, in Blender, it's also open source software . . .
Describe how your proposal will work, with code, pseudocode, mockups, and/or diagrams:
The image above shows it, the shape of the boxes, except, the lines should be bendy, the idea is, make visual script in Godot look more, like the artist - friendly system, they have in Blender, for shaders . .
If this enhancement will not be used often, can it be worked around with a few lines of script?:
I don't know how to change this very quickly, as a solo dev, I don't want to change the engine, to do this . .
Is there a reason why this should be core and not an add-on in the asset library?:
Well, I think Godot visual script is amazing, I have already made some simple games in it, I tried Unity some months ago, and I could not make a game, so visual script is amazing, for artists, prototypes . . . But, it looks a bit ' not artist - friendly ', and I personally think Blender has an almost optimal look, also for visual scripting . . Maybe you could think about it, and try to take something from both systems, and make a good ' mixture ', of those two styles, for instance, the boxes are more clearly colored, ie one can easier see what the boxes ' do ', in Blender, than in Godot, it's just for help, assistance . . .
Thx, know this is probably silly, Blender has such a nice LOOK, except for the non-bendy lines, between nodes, maybe Godot could take some of that, and make it more user-friendly, visual script . . .
But, keep the bendy lines, or have an option, to have ' straight ' lines, as Blender shaders, or the current bendy ones, as well . . That's, my proposal, I leave it to the engine gods, to decide what's best, I know I'm not good enough, to do that <3
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