Planning for 2013 Nutcracker

[smeighan]

Well it is time for 2013 planning for Nutcracker

I am open to any suggestions you would like to see.

This is my current short list
1) Explore making Nutcracker C++. This will give real time feedback while creating effects. Still to be worked out as how these standalone programs can talk to a central database so that we still get the gallery. If Nutcracker can talk to a remote database this will reduce the Nutcracker foot print from 1 gigbyte to < 20mbytes. Today Mysql+Apache=970mbytes + 10mbytes of php Nutcracker code. Future could be just 20mbytes of C++ code. The code would be C++ plus wxWidgets. There would be a Windows, Linux and Mac version available.

This option would eliminate the need for wamp or xampp to be installed on your machine.

2) I want, in the future , new effects that can be easily shared by other sequencers. For example the new fireworks effects (with physics, particles fall), should just be able to be dropped into xLights. I want to see if Vixen 3 and HLS could use effect generation modules in their sequencers.
3) New expansion of Music phrases. Beat tracks, Notes, individual instruments. Once a song has been marked up, everyone could use it. Each person would decide what effects to attach to the new meta data.
4) Speaking of #3, enhance current effects to be beat aware. Example: While a spiral is turning, have beat track effects that can highlight that effect. Maybe flash white on spiral on down beat of each beat.
5) Be able to play movies in nutcracker. Start with avi files.
6) Use avi files to create layers open top of your existing effects or have them be effects by themselves
7) Expand targets
a) all targets can start at the left,right,top,bottom corners.
b) Horizontal matrix
c) Marty Fans
d) Spinners
e) Snowflakes. You will be able to design how many arms
f) Stars. 5 point, 6 point, n point. Have effects specific to stars
g) Each string in your target can be given a starting channel #.
8) Create a msq, asq file export for LSP
9) Expand single strand effects. Model arches, eaves better.
10) Write software that can locate every rgb pixel in your display by capturing a video of your show and mapping each rgb node to x,y,z space. Think cover a tree with strings and then map all the pixels. Now the tree is a "matrix" that we can project all our effects on to. This is a big , fun target
11) Increase effect classes
a) plasma balls
b) fireworks
c) process a mp3 and great equalizer effects
d) general sound to effects
e) general video to effects


So what would you all like to see this year?

[WakeFan]

#4 is what I had the most difficulty with. For instance, I like to time spirals to the music, maybe a complete 360 in 4 beats. I looks to me like you have a good plan and in order of importance, at least for me. Thanks a bunch for the program!

[Skunberg]

You sound like you have a full plate. Can we add the old snowflakes that looked like a snowstorm?

Brian

[smeighan]

two more areas i am going to add to Nutcracke rin 2013.

1) Documentation. A wiki page, a pdf document, vimeo tutorials. I hate to use software that is not documented. I hate software that is not intuitive and takes too much of your time to learn. Unfortunately easy, intuitive and good documentation takes a lot of time. Time is the most precious commodity for myself and for all of the developers. This is not an excuse, i am just saying that i do recognize the need for this and will work to get it better in 2013.

2) Stability and performance. Nutcracker is still too complicated. Wamp, xampp, create a songs worth of effects in 20 minutes. Many things here i want to improve.

So i will be working on these two items no matter what the vote above.

thanks

[jlowe]

1- YES. I never really understood how to use nutcracker until I started messing with it in xlights. It just makes so much sense having immediate feedback. Having a less complex install would also be awesome.

2) YES. Especially after seeing Joe's tutorial on dropping nutcracker effects into a sequence. Any integration you can work out with sequencing software people is going to be very important.

3) This sounds really cool, and since many people use certain songs, I see the value here.

4) YES. To be able to better integrate effects with beat would be HUGE.

7) YES.

10) I saw a video of this somewhere... I see the utility in it, but it won't be a huge thing for me.

11) YES.

Basically, I love all of them!

[smeighan]

Here are some the new stars that will be available as targets soon

[smeighan]

Fasteddy posted in lsp forum
"To be able to do 3D objects and elements is the next step in this crazy hobby."

My answer
If there is enough demand i will create the effects like you see here

3D LED RGB Cube 16x16x16 (b) - YouTube

16x16x16 = 4096 pixels. Using $0.80 a pixel (this will come down) it would cost around $3200.

To be effective in a yard, i was thinking of putting each led in a ping pong ball and spacing them 5" (20cm) apart would give us a 6 1/2" cube.

yeah, 3d would be fun.

[JerryPlak]

Sean Thanks, keep up the great work.

[djulien]

1) Explore making Nutcracker C++. This will give real time feedback while creating effects.

Would there be some kind of API or plug-in architecture to allow writing + adding our own effects? (maybe upload/share those plug-ins also) I'm not wanting to make your list longer, just asking.

Still to be worked out as how these standalone programs can talk to a central database so that we still get the gallery. If Nutcracker can talk to a remote database this will reduce the Nutcracker foot print from 1 gigbyte to < 20mbytes. Today Mysql+Apache=970mbytes + 10mbytes of php Nutcracker code. Future could be just 20mbytes of C++ code. The code would be C++ plus wxWidgets. There would be a Windows, Linux and Mac version available.

Maybe make it dynamic - if a connection can be established then use the central database, otherwise just run from a skeletal local repository. The next time the central database can be connected (if ever), download new stuff and prompt whether to upload local changes to the central copy.

don

[Some Guy]

Here are some the new stars that will be available as targets soon

I'd suggest that your nested stars have 4 layers, as most music uses 4/4 timing. Here is an example of what works well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w95VUbxXzC8&t=36s

Sort of like with arches... I was considering 3 arches in my display, but I'm glad I went for 4 as having 4 arches works best with the timing of music. When there are only three arches, one beat is lost.

Here is a basic example:
http://youtu.be/zm1f6k5yApQ?t=36s

For a better example, watch this from the 19 second to 35 second mark, and you'll see that by simply making the arches jump with each note, and without any "timing fudging" the arches even disappear at the right time:
http://youtu.be/Gevf0MvLaaI?t=19s