Hiya.

I couldn't think of a short subject title, so I'll spell it out here.

I'd like to see the editors be a LOT more 'context sensitive and intelligent'. What I mean is, if go to import a .x model into MED and the texture isn't there, I want MED to recognize that and pop up a question for me like "Model is missing a base diffuse texture. Would you like to assign one now? [Y] [N]". I could then choose, for example, "Yes". MED would then pop up a standard dialog box asking for the location of the texture you want to use. If there is something odd with the texture, it would detect it and say what is wrong...like "The texture selected is a 16-bit BMP file; only 24 or 32 bit BMP files are allowed. Continue anyway? [Y] [N]". If I choose "Yes", it pops up something like "Do you want to convert it to a 32-bit BMP? [Y] [N]". If I choose yes again, it does a simple conversion on the texture making it 32-bit and then imports your .x model. The texture is now intact and you can see your model in all it's glory!

Basically, take a look at all the "Gotcha!" things in the engine with regards to assets and general import/export. The perfect vision would be that I could just open GED and just select a "Import..." option, allowing me to import *any* type of asset I want. Model, sound, texture, terrain heightmap, script, .dll, etc. The engine would then do a quick check of the item to see if it is "viable" as is; if not, then whatever problem it finds it reports and asks what I want to do. If it's a simple conversion problem, it could call a built-in converter for that type of file, run it, and convert to what is appropriate, then continue. So I could select a .fbx file and A8 would ask if I want to convert to .mdl or .md5; if that converter finds a problem (ex: missing texture), it pops up a question asking me if I want to find/assign one. If that finds a problem (ex: trying to use a .pcx file), it pops up a question asking me if I want to convert it. If I say yes, it pops up a question asking me what type of texture I want. Of course, each of these could have a little check-box for "Always convert to this type?", so once I tell A8 I want to always convert to .ogg, it will always convert any sound file to .ogg.

Anyway, something like that would be *unbelievably* useful for the non-programmers who use the program or are on a team trying to get there textured and animated Vixlaxian Soldier .fbx file imported correctly into A8. In other words, for people like me.