Nutcracker: What effects would you like to see?

So many of the basic effects can be done with the user defined class. This allows you to write your own effects. I will be teaching (and documenting this) for the academy this weekend. I am going to gather a bunch of them together and make a new basic class. Maybe it will have 20-30 effects in the next month.

Here is a user defined effect (meaning you can type in the php code to generate basic effects). See the bolded line below that creates this flashing color cycle
array_to_save
username f
user_target AA
effect_class user_defined
effect_name USER1
window_degrees 180
start_color #FFFFFF
end_color #FFFFFF
frame_delay 200
sparkles 0
param1 1
param2 2
seq_duration 2
php_program if($frame%4==0) $rgb=hexdec(\"#FFFFFF\"); if($frame%4==1) $rgb=hexdec(\"#FF0000\"); if($frame%4==2) $rgb=hexdec(\"#00FF00\"); if($frame%4==3) $rgb=hexdec(\"#0000FF\");
submit Submit Form to create your effect
OBJECT_NAME user_defined
AA+USER1.gif


Here is another example:
array_to_save
username f
user_target AA
effect_class user_defined
effect_name USER7
window_degrees 180
start_color #FFFFFF
end_color #FFFFFF
frame_delay 200
sparkles 0
param1 3
param2 2
seq_duration 2
php_program # function user_defined($frame,$s,$p,$maxFrame,$maxStrand,$maxPixel,$param1,$param2,$start_color,$end_color) $rgb=hexdec(\"#FFFFFF\"); $H=$S=$V=1; $slice=$param1; // use first parameter passed in from user $slice_size=$maxPixel/$slice; $H0 = (($frame% $slice) * $slice_size); $H=($p+$H0)/$maxPixel; if($H>1) $H = $H-intval($H); $rgb=HSV_TO_RGB ($H, $S, $V); return $rgb;
submit Submit Form to create your effect
OBJECT_NAME user_defined

AA+USER7.gif


One more. Again, the bolded line is the entire program to create this effect. I will have a document describing how to create your own. The doc will describe the functions available to use.


array_to_save
username f
user_target AA
effect_class user_defined
effect_name USER9
window_degrees 180
start_color #FFFFFF
end_color #FFFFFF
frame_delay 200
sparkles 0
param1 3
param2 2
seq_duration 2
php_program $H = rand(1,100)/100; $S=rand(1,100)/100; $V=rand(1,100)/100; if(($p+$maxFrame-$frame/2)%5==0) { $H=$p/$maxPixel; $S=$V=1; } $rgb=HSV_TO_RGB ($H, $S, $V);
submit Submit Form to create your effect
OBJECT_NAME user_defined

AA+USER9.gif




another:
array_to_save
username f
user_target AA
effect_class user_defined
effect_name USER3
window_degrees 180
start_color #FFFFFF
end_color #FFFFFF
frame_delay 100
sparkles 0
param1 1
param2 2
seq_duration 2
php_program $H=$S=$V=0; if($s%2==0) { if($p<=$frame) { $H=$p/$maxPixel; $S=$V=1; } } else if($s%2==1) { if($p>=($maxPixel-$frame)) { $H=1- ($p/$maxPixel); $S=$V=1; } } $rgb=HSV_TO_RGB ($H, $S, $V);
submit Submit Form to create your effect
OBJECT_NAME user_defined

AA+USER3.gif



I will probably build 50-100 of these by end of summer and just create them all into the basic effect library.

first, i will get the nutcracker to sync its effects to the music.
 
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Matrix Panel Staggered Rows.

I've been reading and thinking about matrix panels and the conclusion I've come to is that a staggered matrix allows for closer pixel spacing and better displays that a square matrix. Basically it's nothing more than shifting every other row by 1/2 the pixel spacing. The only two problems 1) The software has to compensate for the distortion but when it does curves are much smoother so graphics generally look better. 2) It's much harder to make a modular panel that is is with a square matrix. So is this something you might look at?

John
 
Re: Matrix Panel Staggered Rows.

timon said:
I've been reading and thinking about matrix panels and the conclusion I've come to is that a staggered matrix allows for closer pixel spacing and better displays that a square matrix. Basically it's nothing more than shifting every other row by 1/2 the pixel spacing. The only two problems 1) The software has to compensate for the distortion but when it does curves are much smoother so graphics generally look better. 2) It's much harder to make a modular panel that is is with a square matrix. So is this something you might look at?

John
Click to expand...

u build it, ill look at it. i have supported most everything people have asked. it will be put into my inbox of work that i need to sort.
 
Sean being that you have effects radio button and the gallery button , it would be awesome if users could (while in effect generator) select the target-model , choose the effect type-class and and then select an image from the gallery and have it load in the generator.

just a thought.

Cheers
 
I know, it's already been asked for, but since you are currently adding effects, I thought asking again wont hurt :)

What about a Firework effect ?
 
Sean - not sure if you're checking this thread or not, but was wondering if you'd thought about implementing a firework effect? Launches from the bottom part of a model (megatree or vertical matrix seem like they'd be the best for this effect) with a single pixel width and goes toward the top of the model where it explodes into a firework burst. The burst could be rainbow or single color.

I know you've got your hands full with the rewrite, so I don't expect an answer (or implementation) any time soon, if ever. Just wanted to put it out there.
 
aaron1 said:
Sean - not sure if you're checking this thread or not, but was wondering if you'd thought about implementing a firework effect? Launches from the bottom part of a model (megatree or vertical matrix seem like they'd be the best for this effect) with a single pixel width and goes toward the top of the model where it explodes into a firework burst. The burst could be rainbow or single color.

I know you've got your hands full with the rewrite, so I don't expect an answer (or implementation) any time soon, if ever. Just wanted to put it out there.
Click to expand...

"implementing a firework effect?" Yes
I will have one for my 4th of july show.

something like this
http://r3dux.org/2010/10/how-to-create-a-simple-fireworks-effect-in-opengl/

Be Aware! Our effect will not look like this because no one i know has a 800x600 node display. This would be 480,000 nodes or 1.44 million channels. $300-400K

on our more typical 32x50 displays the challenge is getting it to look good with such small resolution. But yes, i will be making such an effect

thanks
sean
 
Donny M. Carter said:
I had a request that I posted here, but I guess it should be in this thread! Thanks Sean!

Donny
Click to expand...

Donny; where you posted it is ok. This thread has been mostly for what new "Effects" people would want to see. I could rename the thread to just Nutcracker Enhancements

1) New Effects
2) New Targets
3) New export capability
4) New xLights functionality, like new hardware support
5) New things like the user gallery
6) Things related to projects

Currently only (1) has been posted here. I will respond no matter where you put it. I do go back and review what effects people have asked for, even from last year. It comes in spurts when i have the time.

thanks
sean
 
G'day Sean,
I have a couple of effect requests. Could we see basic shapes like triangle, square, circle, star of differing sizes? Also shapes that look like presents? I am using a 2d Ray as my tree and these would look great. The present or gift box shape can be seen here in fasteddy's video at around 1:45
http://player.vimeo.com/video/55705124?autoplay=1
 
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I would like to see the ability to select chase along with the spiral effect .

I have not tried to do this within HLs yet but It has been stewing in my brain for months as to how to do this easily . hmmmmm
 
I'd like to see the ability to have the effects which have "falling" behavior, e.g. meteor, have an "accumulate" mode where once the meteor reaches the "bottom" it stays there and eventually things "fill up". This would make them similar to garlands, but the falling objects are more random than with garlands.

(I thought the old web based version did have a version of meteor like this, but I could be mistaken.)

Mark
 
MarkL said:
I'd like to see the ability to have the effects which have "falling" behavior, e.g. meteor, have an "accumulate" mode where once the meteor reaches the "bottom" it stays there and eventually things "fill up". This would make them similar to garlands, but the falling objects are more random than with garlands.

(I thought the old web based version did have a version of meteor like this, but I could be mistaken.)

Mark
Click to expand...

I second this request.
 
I have been messing with xlights and you can use 2 seperete effects and mask 1 over the other .

this looks as though you could mask a falling effect to a garland to resemble accumulation .

I know this can be done simply in hls also
 
smeighan said:
That is a great question! I have been waiting for the user base to get past the how to create a target rgb device, attach an effect and get an output.

If you look at most megatrees, they do not sync the effect to the music. The run 10-15 seconds of a pattern while the rest of the show syncs the other devices. There are some shows that do things like have the meteors fall in sync with the music.


So , here are the choices:
1) Load one of my effects and then cut and past things like the flashing, meteors and move it to align to the music
2) Load one of my effects and paste over it with a highlight. Find the pulse and make streaks of color matching the beat on top of a spiral effect,.
3) Use a new feature, not yet released, of a timing file.
Click to expand...

Like the third option: A beat file can be loaded for each song, and then have you match the 50/100mS timing to the nearest multiple of the beat. This way the effect is always on a multiple of the beat. I think it would best to be an even multiple. Shouldn't be hard to move the effects off of the 50mS standard to 48.6mS, or 52.1mS, or the closest integer value. My two bits.

Also, bravo on your software it makes RGB doable.
 
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