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"A simple example of what you'll be able to do with Toad's Tool 64 version 0.6b, which will include a rudimentary .OBJ format level importer and a background swapper/importer.

Version 0.7b will include a more full featured polygon importer, but I decided to include a basic one with version 0.6b. This is a test movie, I might remove/replace it if the Youtube encoder fails with this codec.

Note that the Rainbow Mario effect is purely accidental. "

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Yeah, I was about to make a new topic to announce that, but let's preach by example and keep this in here where it belongs...

So, I hereby officially announce that Toad's Tool 64 version 0.6b should be released April 1st 2009 (and it won't be an April fool, trust me!)

Here are the mostly definite features planned for 0.6b:

1. Background importer/swapper. (mostly finished both the code and superficially the interface)
2. New menus (currently available but hidden/buggy in 0.5.994b) for existing commands and a slew of new commands for copying, pasting, duplicating and deleting whole objects, as well as commands to align/distribute multiple objects along an axis.

3. Level/Polygon importer. I know that many people wanted me to wait for a full featured polygon importer like I'm still planning for version 0.7b, but I already have the code for a basic .OBJ importer, and I want to make this upgrade worthwhile and interesting for everybody not just hard-core TT64 users who'd be happy just with the background importer... (Well sorry guys, but only a month and a half left to wait...).

This polygon importer will be limited to import one single mesh that replaces Flatworld battlefield, with a single texture covering the whole level.

You'll be able to set a few parameters before importing:
-Level scale factor, with a 3d preview showing horizontal boundaries.
-Texture scale factor.
-Activate or deactivate alpha transparency for the texture.
-Select which object banks you want your level to use.
-Save/Load 0x24 (and some others like warps) objects in a file so you can re-load them when you re-import a modified model (the level script will be re-created from scratch each time you import, that's why the saving/loading feature will be important)
-Set the number of 0x24 objects you want to be available in your level.
-Collision/terrain type (icy? non-slippery?)
-Parameters to set the size and vertical position of the "death floor" at the bottom of the level.

Version 0.7 will have a much more powerful importer, enabling importation of models with multiple textures, with ways to set many parameters (like which texture to use, collision type) on a level, object or even on a triangle basis. It will feature the ability to use distinct polygon meshes as independent 0x24 objects which can move, using a new behavior system devised in collaboration with messiaen that will use the corresponding collision data. Version 0.7 will also enable creation and edition of a water areas (creation only in the custom level). I'll also look for ways to make use of extended memory, and create multiple custom levels.

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