Art of Illusion can be extended in many ways using scripts and plugins. Actually, some important features, like importing text into 3D shapes, are available through this mechanism. However, these extensions are provided by different contributors and are inherently scattered over the net. The purpose of this project is then to:
-Provide a place where all scripts and plugins available for AoI can be gathered;
-Ease management of scripts and plugins (install and update) through the Scripts and Plugins Manager and a repository on the web;
-Release sources under the GPL licence for every plugin available;
-Promote writing of scripts/plugins through tutorials and help.
if you're new to AoI, we suggest you read what scripts and plugins are about. Then read how to install and manage extensions using the scripts and plugins manager. Just browse the scripts and plugins available and pick up those you're interested in. Here are a few notable plugins:
-TelefishAoI plugin has a number of format importers and an interesting height field feature;
-The Advanced Renderer brings background preview rendering, a zoom feature and much more;
-The PolyMesh plugin adds polygonal mesh modeling to AoI.
-The Help plugin which allows to browse the manual from within AoI and offers a connection to AoI IRC channel
The Documentation page links to the documentation available for the extensions we host. To be honest, there is not much information available. The good news, however, is that you can ask for help on IRC as well as the firendlyskies forum.
Look at the Code Camp section. We have articles on how to write scripts or plugins (ok, there is not much at the moment. Let's say we'll have something to show in the near future).
You can pay a visit to the SourceForge project site. Even if the extensions are available through the sscripts and plugins manager, sources are published there so everyone has access to our work in case we're overrun by a bus. Or a wallaby, depending on where you live.
You can also post a message at the discussion forum, although generally discussion takes place either at the scripting AoI forum or at friendlyskies.
The AoI scripts and plugins "staff":
-François Guillet
-Nik Travellyn-Jones
-Peter Eastman
-Julian MacDonald
-Kevin Lynn