Simplified Nodes
I’d love to see the Value, Vector, and Color nodes replaced with something more streamlined like Constant 1, 2, 3, and 4. Especially since Vector and Color are essentially the same thing, this would make the naming much clearer and more intuitive.
It would also be great if the Math node could automatically detect the input types and process them accordingly instead of having separate nodes like Math and Vector Math.
Additionally, it would really improve usability if I didn’t have to search for “Math” every time. For example, typing “Add” should directly bring up the Add node rather than requiring me to search for and then configure a generic Math node.
I can point to Unreal Engine as a great example in my opinion, it has one of the best node editors, and most of these things work that way there.
6 Comments
already added in upcoming 4.5
anyway
Imho Amplify Shader editor (Unity Plugin) have better node editor QoL.
Nice, it's good that this is being included in 4.5.
I've never used this Unity plugin, but anything might be better than the default. So I don't know exactly what it can do, but for me, Unreal was by far the most user-friendly.
Blender definitely still has room to improve in this area, and this kind of development helps everywhere that involves node editors.
By the way, I also find the Mix Color node confusing in its current form, but I can live with it since each of its functions has a factory variable (which, if I’m guessing right, is a lerp).
Its quite nice, and hence its dedicated node editor that does one job they quite polished UI/UX. Imo It have best node editor that i've used.
I miss few thing from it when working in Unreal and i wish Epic could borrow more.
Eg. How float1-float4 data types look a like:
i like how non-connected that value is nicely visible, and each data type is clearly visible (it can be turned off).
or Multi-connected nodes are nicely done. Normally they have non obscuring 2 inputs:
But You can drag in more connections if needed instead of using multiple multiply nodes:
Or native append many node instead of unreal's janky funtion or multiple appends: ffs Why Unreal does not have it like that?
"Or native append many node instead of unreal's janky funtion or multiple appends: ffs Why Unreal does not have it like that?" (I don't know how to highlight specific parts of your message.)
I prefer Unreal AppendMany node, which is much better in the sense that a single node can handle everything.
"But You can drag in more connections if needed instead of using multiple multiply nodes:"
That is cool
As for the rest, I don't really see the point of the Color node when there's already a float4. Also, I really don't like the slider-based solution shown in the second float1 example. The color coding is good, it’s nice to see where data comes from and where it goes, and luckily Blender can do that now too. However, increasing the number of lines feels a bit excessive to me.
Its optional logical/UI difference, useful when its exposed as parameter, so "color" representation don't shows up.
vs
Just like in Blender:
But unlike nonsensical Blender, datatype is same.
Its same as in Unreal, but slider is also at node:
And speaking of slider, i miss in Unreal Unity's double slider UI parameter, that is eg. useful for remapping:
Thats an option
I just dont like, that its just function with slightly different UI instead of native node (like Lerp)
use ">" before line
I'd avoid bluntly calling to copy a proprietary software. That's potential for legal troubles (see this post for more context on that).
Apart from potential legal implications, different software are built to serve specific needs and targets, making relevant direct comparisons between different softwares easily complicated.
And to begin with, I think it's always better to think as in "how to enhance the current tool set" rather than "let's copy X". Which also is often simpler to implement and maintain.
I'm not sure of what we gain from that. Yes you could have a constant3 or 4 do the job of vector or color nodes, but so what? Could you elaborate on that?
I can think of a few reasons why Blender might have decided to differentiate color from vector or even other kinds of data - even though they really are just float arrays:
All this makes Blender very semantic-based, lets the user be easily familiar with what happens in front of its eyes.
And if you look at Geonodes, we have quite a few more constants nodes too:
That yes, it was kind-of done for the Mix RGB/Vector/Float nodes that were merged into one, I'd love to see it done for the different Math nodes and have them both autoswitch mode (or even burry the mode under the hood) depending on the data-type of one of the inputs (which there again brings out the usefulness of Blender's data-type centric constants instead of mere "more or less big float arrays").
Since Blender 3.1 (March 9 2022) you can drag a node link over an empty space to search any compatible node, socket and node modes:
And searching from the Add Node menu ( ⇧ Shift A ) is already added to the upcoming 4.5 .