[WF-Protocols] Discussion on Open Model Format

[Killemov]

A binary (IFF-style?) format should be the primary one. An XML-version 
should be used for debugging and tweaking purposes. Most tools only need to 
implement the binary format and there should be a converter to and from XML. 
(Binary <-> XML.)

The standard can only be published in a document. But it should be supported 
with a reference implementation.

An IFF-style format allows for different levels of self-containment. The 
simplest file could exist of bare geometry (3 X,Y,Z sets for each triangle) 
with no color, texturemapping, material, skeleton and animation data. And 
the most complex file could exist of different types of geometry (Triangle, 
NURBS, ...), sub-objects, several layers of texturemapping, animated 
materials (even including vertex/pixel shaders), animation, morphing, ... 
with all resources included in the file. (Take a look at Newtek's Lightwave 
'lwo format as a starting reference.)

I found the current definition of a 'SubMesh' to be somewhat unclear. The 
first impression is that a sub-object is implied (grouped by geometry). But 
actually it is the collection of geometry that share the same material. 
(grouped by material)

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