[Feature request] Add semi-transparent reference plane at XY intersection

[RobLinkA]

To improve the spatial orientation when adjusting 3D models, it would be helpful to add a semi-transparent reference plane option at the XY axes intersection:

Current situation:

• Grid lines are available at the XY intersection
• While helpful, grid lines alone sometimes don't provide enough visual reference

Proposed feature:

• Add an optional semi-transparent plane at the XY intersection
• The plane would complement the existing grid
• Transparency would allow visibility of elements behind the plane
• Could be toggled on/off like the grid

Benefits:

• Better visual reference for horizontal alignment
• Easier to judge model position relative to the ground plane
• More intuitive spatial orientation when rotating or positioning models

This would be particularly useful when:

• Adjusting model height
• Ensuring proper horizontal orientation
• Positioning multiple models relative to each other

[simonbethke]

Yea, sounds easy to implement and honestly, this could really be helpful. :)

[slimbuck]

Just to confirm, I imagine adding 3 toggles, one for controlling each grid plane (xy, xz, yz) - does that sound right?

[RobLinkA]

I think firstly just xy grid plane will be fine :-)

[RobLinkA]

And the toggle name could be like "Ground Plane"

[slimbuck]

Oh wait I do misunderstand.

You would like to augment the existing grid to make it slightly semitransparent so that it's easier to judge the height of the model you're editing.

Is that right?

[slimbuck]

(BTW small thing, the grid is in the XZ plane :) )

[slimbuck]

I actually love this idea @RobLinkA (if I understand you correctly). Having an accurate semitransparent plane to aid in placement could really help.

Believe it or not, such a thing wouldn't be super straightforward to implement, because splats are semitransparent themselves and of course rendering multiple different overlapping semitransparent stuff is usually a huge pain.

I think I might be able to do something in the splat shader itself though. I will give it a try when I have time.

Thanks so much for the suggestion!

[RobLinkA]

Yes, this will help a lot!
For example, if I want to check whether this surface is horizontal, it is not accurate to just look at the coordinate axis position. If there is a translucent plane, it can help me confirm more accurately.

[simonbethke]

A slightly different Idea that could do the same job would be to project some kind of shadow on the xy-plane.
(and in a later iteration 1-2 years from now, I would like to have multiple views at the same time. So I can have an orthographic side-view... however, shortterm we do need the XY-Axis to be shown in orthographic side views)

[RobLinkA]

Yeah orthographic side-view is the best solution

[simonbethke]

There is an orthographic side view... you have to click the labels here:

it just doesn't show where the ground is at all...

[RobLinkA]

Besides the XZ plane, I think the Y axis can add another vertical line. So that I can get a stable center line when the model rotates, making the animation smoother and more stable. For models such as human characters, it can also help confirm whether the axis passes through the center of head.

[slimbuck]

BTW the grid is now rendered in the ortho views #354 too.