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Starfield modification (FOR command SOLVED)

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djex
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 6:28 pm

Starfield modification (FOR command SOLVED)

Post by djex »

Hello, the Starfield is nice, but pretty limited.
I want to change the solid circles by circles that have a transparency gradient and apply additive filter to all the particles.
I think I can simulate using the current nodes in the program but it gets pretty messy and laborious without a way to replicate the circles.
I mean a FOR loop where I can just say repeat the sprite generator 100 times, I guess that is how the Starfield generator is done.
So, is this possible? There are plans for this? How much time? Is the Starfield hardcoded in the program? Any way to change it?

Many questions, yes, I'm considering buying the program but without a way to customize the generators I feel limited.
Thanks!
Sadler
Posts: 1139
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 7:10 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: Starfield modification (FOR command), custom blocks

Post by Sadler »

Yes the Starfield is a bit limited but that doesn't mean one can't do a wide range of visuals with it. If you have read the manual then you'll know you can use any sprite, still or animated, as a particle. There are plenty of examples out there of more sophisticated particle systems but very few are real-time. The developer has plans, I believe, for a more sophisticated particle system but this is no mean feat especially with real-time reactivity and interactivity considerations - patience friend, the application is well worth a purchase in the meantime.

This image is grabbed from a scene in which a single still image is transformed into a glittering array which reacts to music in (IMHO) interesting ways. It is only a few nodes. No need for hundreds of nodes.
starfield.png
starfield.png (122.91 KiB) Viewed 4834 times
djex
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 6:28 pm

Re: Starfield modification (FOR command), custom blocks

Post by djex »

Can you point me to that sample? I has been looking for something like that without luck.
I used the search box of the forums, maybe I'm missing the correct search key.
Sadler
Posts: 1139
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 7:10 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: Starfield modification (FOR command), custom blocks

Post by Sadler »

Grab something like this (or create something yourself):
http://www.freepngimg.com/download/star ... -image.png
  1. Add an image module and load the png file.
  2. Add a starfield and connect the image as an input to it.
  3. Adjust parameters as you like on the starfield.
  4. Add a transparency module before the starfield to give the star some (duh) transparency.
From the manual:
If the [starfield] module has an input connected, it will be used as the star image instead of a circle/square.
djex
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 6:28 pm

Re: Starfield modification (FOR command), custom blocks

Post by djex »

Oh I see, missed the part where you can use any image as the Starfield source.
As you say it's not realtime but my target is mostly video creation so its fine.
Thank you very much
Magic
Site Admin
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Re: Starfield modification (FOR command), custom blocks

Post by Magic »

I'm not sure if I'm understanding, but the Starfield module most definitely *is* real-time...
Sadler
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Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 7:10 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: Starfield modification (FOR command), custom blocks

Post by Sadler »

Hi Eric, you're understanding perfectly. Perhaps I just wasn't clear enough to djex that the many OTHER examples of particle systems are not real-time like Magic is.
djex
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 6:28 pm

Re: Starfield modification (FOR command), custom blocks

Post by djex »

When I tested with ~100 particles using a relatively big custom image an adding color transformations the preview dropped to less than 15 FPS.
Sadler
Posts: 1139
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 7:10 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: Starfield modification (FOR command SOLVED)

Post by Sadler »

Just to give you some idea about the relative power of your machine on which you're running Magic. I have to use 1250 stars/sec (on a 450x450 image) before my frame rate drops to 15. With two Starfields, each with 100 stars/sec on the same image (though this gets a bit dense) I can maintain 60fps. This is on GTX1070.
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