“object” modes worked okay previously before we got more obvious workspaces to use with some really good defaults. i really didn’t use the old workspaces except for the video editing workspace where i’d actually have to change every editor i had on screen to something else.
i’d say it’s a fair bet that we’re much more likely to use different workspaces now rather than just use a single workspace and tweak it for what we’re doing at any given time and as a result it become much more obvious how awkward modes being attached to objects is.
“object” modes don’t work so well anymore with the new workflow based UI choices.
2.79- seemed more individual object focused.
2.80+ is more workflow focused where you may be doing one type of work across multiple objects.
if 2.8 is supposed to be about workflows it may be a good idea to rethink having modes attached to objects.
right now when you select a different object in the sculpting workspace you find yourself suddenly in object mode.
if i wanted to do something other than sculpt i’d have changed workspaces out of the sculpting workspace instead of simply selecting a new object.
it feels like you’re being forced out of the workflow when this happens. it’s a bit of a hard stop rather than a smooth transition so it awkwardly and unpleasantly breaks the flow.
modes should only change when a user initiates the change directly or moves to a different workspace.
with the 2.8 UI changes any other change of mode feels entirely out of place.
it would work much better to have modes attached to the 3d viewport + workspace and just apply to the current selection rather than on a per object basis. you wouldn’t be kicked out of sculpt mode for selecting a new object. you could just smoothly select a new object and keep sculpting.
lock object modes (in the edit menu) seems like it’d be a somewhat nice feature for pose mode but overall i think a lock selection option would fill the same purpose and be more useful and streamlined everywhere especially if it were a toggle in the visible UI rather than in a menu. especially since selection isn’t limited to single objects.
the problem with lock object modes is entirely in what it does and the way modes are still attached to objects.
it only allows you to select things that are on the same object mode as your current active object. this means even in pose mode you can still accidentally select part of another rig in a crowded area that you may also be animating. however you won’t be able to quickly select an object without a rig that is being interacted with. so on the one hand it’s somewhat useful for animation but on the other hand it still holds you back from getting to what you want to.
in order for it to be used with multiple objects you have to actually go through each object and change their modes before you start to work and since only the active selected object gets it’s mode changed when you change workspaces this means every time you change workspaces you end up having to change a number of object modes.
people who don’t know about it will think you have to change modes or workspaces in order to make a new selection because it’s on by default. (true story, happened to me)
2.80 makes the issues with modes being connected to individual objects more apparent but lock object modes actually makes the inefficiency of having modes connected to individual objects worse.
in most cases it feels like a terrible idea for how to prevent users from running into those issues.
in pose mode it’s not bad but why is it on by default if it’s only useful in pose mode?
i’m not sure what thought process brought the feature about but as it is now it gets in my way far more than it’s useful.
if modes were not attached to objects and lock object modes were turned into lock selection, it would enable smoother more efficient workflow all around.