Michael,

Would it be possible to allow users to select which method they prefer for rotating objects? I myself prefer the faster 3D widget method. Like in Cinema 4D and other modelling programs. I'm guessing that the method MoI currently uses is quite common in CAD? Although I do see some benefits to the current method. Like being able to select the centre point of rotation as opposed to always rotating around the centre of the object. But I find that most of the time the centre of an object works just fine.

MoI's procedure for rotating:

Select 'Front' (Can only rotate on the X and Y axis in 3D view)
Select 'Transform'
Select 'Rotate'
Select centre point
Select reference point

The quicker "rotation widget" method:

Select 'Rotate'
Select the rotation axis and release mouse button when at the desired angle


Does anybody else struggle with the current rotation method? Or am I on my own here? :)

It was different at first, but I assigned it to hotkey and that made it almost as fast as a widget. Plus it has alot more versatility with being able to quickly set a custom pivot relative to things around it, rather than resetting a hotpoint away from object center. If you know the angle you want then just hit rotate, select pivot, type the angle and hit enter.

> I'm guessing that the method MoI currently uses is quite common in CAD?

Yes - this method is necessary to do precise rotations that are aligned to other things. It's not just placement of the center of rotation, it's also for being able to capture an exact angle. Here's an example:



The method MoI uses allows for doing a precise rotation of that rectangle such that the rotated copies exactly touch at their endpoints. So enabling that type of stuff is the reason why it is currently set up in this way.


Do you find yourself rotating objects pretty frequently? I'd be interested to know what type of stuff you're doing where you do lots of rotations, it would help me to understand how to improve it when I am able to focus on that area.


> Or am I on my own here? :)

You're definitely not on your own, I've already heard from several other people who would prefer to do it exactly as you are asking for.

I would like to enable this as an option at some point. I have thought some about putting a kind of illustrator-type frame around selected objects that would allow you to grab a grip on the frame to scale or rotate the object. But it is going to be a fair amount of work, I'm not quite sure when it will be possible to do this, I think probably not until after the V1 release...

- Michael

My method for any rotation in the space :)

Ps The "perpendicular" can be integrated in the second point of the function Rotate axis !)
So just a "tricky line" to draw for rotate any volume in any position in the space around any axis:D

When I tried MoI for the first time, everything made sense to me and everything felt so easy to do. But when it came to rotating an object, that was the only time I had to stop and think what was happening. I dare CAD users would've glided through it.

> Do you find yourself rotating objects pretty frequently? I'd be interested to know what type of stuff you're doing where you do lots of rotations, it would > help me to understand how to improve it when I am able to focus on that area.

I was hoping to try and do some organic modelling with MoI. I know MoI isn't really designed for that task. But I come from a odd world where modelling with primitives is the norm (even for organic forms). But modelling with primitives means there is often lots of seams between the intersecting shapes. MoI's filleting will hopefully help me to get rid of alot of those. So my approach to making a human figure involves making all the limbs and then bringing them all together and rotating them into the correct pose. Perhaps I should just go ahead and test MoI's rotation method in practice. I may even find it easier in the long run. With the current method, it'll mean that I'll be able to select an arm and set the rotation axis point to the shoulder.

> I would like to enable this as an option at some point. I have thought some about putting a kind of illustrator-type frame around selected objects that > would allow you to grab a grip on the frame to scale or rotate the object. But it is going to be a fair amount of work, I'm not quite sure when it will be > possible to do this, I think probably not until after the V1 release...

Yeah! A frame sounds better. ...and I can't imagine the appearance of big red, green and blue widget fitting with MoI's interface style. :)

Anyway, lovely program, Michael!. I can see more developers abandoning the boring old Windows interface style in the near future, once they see MoI in action.

> Yeah! A frame sounds better. ...and I can't imagine the appearance
> of big red, green and blue widget fitting with MoI's interface style. :)

:) Yes, figuring out something that is not really intrusive is part of why it will take a chunk of effort. I've kind of thought about a sort of "ghost frame", like something where just the corners of it would be visible, and even those would be translucent until you moved the mouse over top of one... But the idea is not completely formed yet, it will probably take tinkering with a few different approaches to find a really good one, again taking a chunk of time to do.


> Anyway, lovely program, Michael!.

Thank you!


> I can see more developers abandoning the boring old Windows
> interface style in the near future, once they see MoI in action.

I hope so! I agree it does get rather boring seeing too much stuff all in the traditional "old fashioned" style...

It's definitely more fun to break the rules. But it is surprisingly tricky to do it in such a way that doesn't end up confusing people a lot though.

- Michael