New user, questions...

[Stick]

Ok, just paid for the upgrade, and now that I've invested the money, would like to invest some time configuring.

There's a couple of things I would like to do, if you have done them, know how to do them easily, or know that it would be extremely difficult or impossible to do, please let me know!!

1) I'm a windows user, new to Quicktime. What video formats should be able to run by just dropping them into the sprites folder? I tried wmv first but it didn't work.
followup) how can I convert wmv to a mov or other supported format? A quick internet search has found nothing.

2) I would like to do a strobe effect, based on overall sound level. I figure I could do a simple black and white colormap, and imagine there must be some easy command to retrieve or find a sound level, and then maybe use that number to decide when to invert the colormap or something.....?

3) Can you manipulate photos? I like the particle of a "sphere" that grows from a dot to fill up the whole screen. Could I do it with a picture? Could I spin a picture?

4) scripts: can I call one script from the previous? Can I call a script from a particle/sprite config file? For example, let's say I have a bit of text that occurs randomly (in the auto-sprites folder). It says "How long?". Then, after 10 seconds, it calls up a message in the non-auto folder that says "20 feet!". Stupid example, but I would like to make some sequences that are intiated in the normal random queue.


Thanks,
Stick

http://www.auburn.edu/~stichry/chapsticknation.htm

[Stick]

Hmmm... Hoping someone can throw me a bone. I'm on a tour bus for a week and my major project is to learn G-Force.

So, I made a fresh install of G-Force Gold (2.6.8, I think) and installed the latest version of Quicktime. (I'm using WinXP).

I move the Sample.mov movie that comes with quicktime (it's very small) into the sprites folder and use a Ctrl script to call it (running Standalone, btw). G-Force crashes. End o' story. The movie plays fine when just running through quicktime player.

what gives?

also, if I ever do get movies to work in G-Force, is it possible to have a transparent background in a movie (like I've done for my picture sprites). What software could do this, if any?

Thanks, hope to hear from someone soon, while I have the time to fiddle, any help is greatly appreciated!

Stick

[andy55]

Ok, just paid for the upgrade, and now that I've invested the money, would like to invest some time configuring.

There's a couple of things I would like to do, if you have done them, know how to do them easily, or know that it would be extremely difficult or impossible to do, please let me know!!

1) I'm a windows user, new to Quicktime. What video formats should be able to run by just dropping them into the sprites folder? I tried wmv first but it didn't work.
followup) how can I convert wmv to a mov or other supported format? A quick internet search has found nothing.

2) I would like to do a strobe effect, based on overall sound level. I figure I could do a simple black and white colormap, and imagine there must be some easy command to retrieve or find a sound level, and then maybe use that number to decide when to invert the colormap or something.....?

3) Can you manipulate photos? I like the particle of a "sphere" that grows from a dot to fill up the whole screen. Could I do it with a picture? Could I spin a picture?

4) scripts: can I call one script from the previous? Can I call a script from a particle/sprite config file? For example, let's say I have a bit of text that occurs randomly (in the auto-sprites folder). It says "How long?". Then, after 10 seconds, it calls up a message in the non-auto folder that says "20 feet!". Stupid example, but I would like to make some sequences that are intiated in the normal random queue.

1) Quicktime supports most open and popular formats such as mpeg and non-DRM AVI movies (in addition to .mov quicktime movies). As far the the crash you experience when you drop in that sample mov file, I'll look into that asap to see if I can repro it (and fix it, etc).

2) hrm--doing a stobe effect in the way your're talking about isn't really doable (and/or wouldn't look good) in G-Force

3) currently, you cannot transform/manipulate pictures.

4) yes, you have a script call any other script. see the example scripts and docs for how time delays/indexing works.

thanks,
andy

[Stick]

1) Quicktime supports most open and popular formats such as mpeg and non-DRM AVI movies (in addition to .mov quicktime movies). As far the the crash you experience when you drop in that sample mov file, I'll look into that asap to see if I can repro it (and fix it, etc).

2) hrm--doing a stobe effect in the way your're talking about isn't really doable (and/or wouldn't look good) in G-Force

3) currently, you cannot transform/manipulate pictures.

4) yes, you have a script call any other script. see the example scripts and docs for how time delays/indexing works.

thanks,
andy

OK, The movies still don't work, but I'm making my way through the rest of the documentation, and getting a feel for it. I notice that this latest version has much improved documentation (I think), or maybe I just never scrolled down far enough in Boot.txt. Anyhow, is there a list of available commands somewhere (ie: what's available in a script, in a sprite config, in a waveshape, etc.)

follow up to the script question. Could I trigger a script from a sprite config, waveshape or other file, so that the script happens every now and then as part of a slideshow, or is there any way to "slideshow" scripts?

Thanks for the great program!!

Interesting to see how the waveshapes and particles have merged logically.

stick

[kzinti1]

I'm a longtime user of G-Force and now the Gold Edition. I use it only personally. Something quite distracting keeps popping-up in the left, bottom of my screen when G-Force is running.
That something is the G-Force name. Is there any way I can remove it? I know I'm using G-Force and need no reminders. I paid for the use of the program and it's the only visualization I use. Ever. This is like the network logo's on television. It's just an aggravation. I'd gladly pay more to rid the program of this one little unsightly object. I don't mind the G-Force name showing up when, or after, a song starts. Just the distraction of the little logo on an otherwise, almost hypnotic viz. It just plain breaks my mood and concentration.
I'm sorry my very 1st post is a gripe.
Andy, I've always wanted to meet you. If you were bundled-up like Hannibal Lechter! I've always equated sheer genious with sheer madness!

[andy55]

I'm a longtime user of G-Force and now the Gold Edition. I use it only personally. Something quite distracting keeps popping-up in the left, bottom of my screen when G-Force is running.
That something is the G-Force name. Is there any way I can remove it? I know I'm using G-Force and need no reminders. I paid for the use of the program and it's the only visualization I use. Ever. This is like the network logo's on television. It's just an aggravation. I'd gladly pay more to rid the program of this one little unsightly object. I don't mind the G-Force name showing up when, or after, a song starts. Just the distraction of the little logo on an otherwise, almost hypnotic viz. It just plain breaks my mood and concentration.
I'm sorry my very 1st post is a gripe.
Andy, I've always wanted to meet you. If you were bundled-up like Hannibal Lechter! I've always equated sheer genious with sheer madness!

Hi there... Thanks for the good feedback... We'll remove it (and the other "G-Force" logo that appears) in G-Force 2.7 Gold (those images are there for the purposes of exposing free users to what they're using--often, many users don't even know/rememeber that they're using G-Force).

I need to get going--I'm having someone for dinner.

Andy

[kzinti1]

Thanks for your prompt response, Andy. I did as you said and it worked perfectly. I apologise again for bitching in my very 1st post!
I was aware that the G-Force logo was for advertising purposes but didn't know it would be in the Gold version.
I hope you had some good Chianti to go with your dinner (guest)!
Thanks again.
KZ

[JayPro]

Those images are there for the purposes of exposing free users to what they're using--often, many users don't even know/rememeber that they're using G-Force).

Forgive my not understanding fully what you just said; but how can that be? They'd see that the name of the app they'd just downloaded and not know what it was?? Thinking about it, I can perfectly understand why some would forget (in general especially) after a good fix; but to not *know* is IMHO another thing.
By virtue of the fact that they're activating the app to try it (hopefully before buying Gold...and especially with the frequent reminders in the unliscensed version), their understanding that its being used should be glaringly obvious. The only thing I can see such a tiny thing for is an *extremely* unobtrusive way of laying claim to a copyright.
The watermark image(s) are not a problem with me; please refer to the previous sentence as to why I think it should remain.

2¢

JwP

[EL84]

I move the Sample.mov movie that comes with quicktime (it's very small) into the sprites folder and use a Ctrl script to call it (running Standalone, btw). G-Force crashes. End o' story. The movie plays fine when just running through quicktime player.


Stick

Hey Andy,
I also have this problem with GF 3.o Platinum.
No matter how small the .Mov file is it crashes when i call that sprite?
Also wont play MPEG. It will play small SWF files but I cant get them full screen, no matter what size I make them.

Thanks,

Ty

[JayPro]

I'd like to address an issue Stick brought up, at the same time conceding the fact that this for all intents wouldn't be feasible or advisable for G-Force's visual output.

He mentioned the idea of making a colormap--and I would imagine regardless of .map/HSV/RGB type--reactive to the sound output. Indeed, I posted on this some time ago and got a response from someone (AO'M himself I believe??) that such a feature would not be feasible.

Now while I am of the opinion that having the map actually *strobe* in function of sound isn't really a good idea, having the map colors *invert* in function of sound *is*. Theoretically speaking, of course.

That said, it's a shame that the iMap parameter in Boot/Prefs wouldn't be able to utilize the "s" (sample) function (like in the Particles/WaveShapes)--maybe adding (mag) or (fft) along the way--in furtherance of this.

Now lest I wander too far afield:

iMap, quite simply (and maybe to a fault), is explained in Docs:Customization as how the palette actually pans out visually, i.e. foreground-color dominant, equal color distribution or even an inverted palette.

*That* said, it would have been interesting to see how an "s" parameter would have been integrated into iMap.
My primary item for a potential "wish-list" in this regard--again, if it were possible to begin with--is to have the colormap do the following:

1. Use the overall number of colors in the palette in function of sound (theoretically: iMap="i*mag(s*NUM)" [i.e. how many individual components show dependent upon the sample?],

and/or

2. have the colormap actually invert according to the aforementioned factor. This would have been useful also for maps with 2 colors in the overall palette (theoretically: iMap="i*fft(s*NUM)" [i.e. at what rate does the inversion occur given the sample's frequency?].

PS: I may well have butchered the definitions of FFT and MAG with these examples...to say nothing of maybe leaving out the appropriate fcn here and there; but my intent was purely illustrative.

Perhaps with the advent of Project Gallium(?) this matter can finally be addressed and maybe GF and WhiteCap can be retrofitted (sic?? LOL) accordingly.