Integrating simplepbr is on the todo list. there are some bugs that have to be resolved to make it usable, but next to providing a first binary release, this is one of my highest priorities.
That wouldn’t make things more easy at all. Godots editor is written with a different framework and probably even different language, so in the end everything has to be redone anyways. If there are parts that would fit, inspiration can be taken from every editor.
Right, it is a framework, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have a graphical editor. Some people just prefer to do things visually before diving into code and such an editor will help with that. It may also be viable for debugging certain graphical problems which may or may not be visible through other tools like your modelling tools.
It definitely will never be a requirement to use with panda3d but it will be a valuable addition nevertheless, especially since more and more people expect such tools from modern engines nowadays coming from unity, godot or others. If whoever uses Panda3d prefers a code only way, nothing’s in his way to do, but extending the choices of how to use the engine is in my eyes a good thing.
I’d say it is a feature, not a required but optional one, but still a feature.
Blender is probably the best tool if it comes to model creation for panda3d and I’d also always recommend to use it as it also perfectly compliments the scene editor. Though, in regards to the scene editor, it does differ in a few spots. Just to list a few:
- it doesn’t use pandas (or the simplepbr) rendering pipeline.
- Some features won’t translate 1:1 from blender to panda, like collision and camera settings.
- In the scene editor, you can preview your shaders.
There are and probably will even be more in the future.
In the end, the scene editor is also an important part for the frame project, since it will enable people new to coding to get into panda3d and create games with it. Which hopefully helps growing and sustaining the already awesome community we have here.