Please Help the Newbie Make Water

[ScooterMeister]

Hello Light-O-Rama enthusiasts,

I would love to get feedback on my attempt to create a simulated water effect (see three attached sequences). After reading the numerous posts on this forum, I did not see that anyone has already programmed a water effect.

My goal is to place a CCR underneath a 34” high commercial counter and have it produce a very subtle shimmering water effect.

In all three of my scenarios, I have combined the 50 Integrated Circuits into groups of three. The groups of three have identical fade patterns for a more calming effect than having each IC run on a unique pattern. Truth be known, I find it more efficient to create a sequence using the old copy / paste methodology onto large areas, therefore the grouping.


Scenario #1:

1) Uses blue fading up and down at 50%.

2) Uses white fading up and down at 25% (Note: Needed to reduce white down to 25% because White at a 50% fade is much brighter than the blue at 50%.)

3) Uses pronounced (extended time) dark spaces between light fade sequences.



Scenario #2:

1) I have not completely programmed the front of the sequence, because I am not overly impressed with this design. So, Ignore the time section from 1 to 26 seconds.

2) Uses only blue fades with short dark patches between fades.

3) The fade patterns across each IC grow in intensity over time:

a. First fade = 0 to 50% (7 second duration)

b. Second fade = 0 to 75% (6 “ “ )

c. Third fade = 0 to 100% (5 “ “ )

4) Fade sequences decrease in time duration as the intensity increases. This is an attempt to simulate how waves have a slow rolling build-up prior to cresting.



Scenario #3:

1) I have not completely programmed the front of the sequence, because I am not overly impressed with this design. So, Ignore the time section from 1 to 44 seconds.

2) Uses only blue fades with increasing dark patches between fades.

3) The fade patterns across each IC grow in intensity over time:

a. First sequence = 0 to 50% (7 second duration)

b. Second sequence = 0 to 75% (8 “ “ )

c. Third sequence = 0 to 100% (10 “ “ )

4) Fade sequences increase in time duration as the intensity increases.



In summary, I like scenario #1 unless I can get some help from the professionals.

If you are not comfortable with sharing your creations with everyone on the web, then please PM me and we can exchange notes. I am up for purchasing this programming from any artist that can make water.

Thanks in advance for any help out there.


Attached files Water Effect Scenarios.zip

[chckr]

I'm another CCR newbie (just got the CCRs this week :-) so I can't be much help yet on programming the shimmering water. However, what I'm trying to do is something similar. What I'd like to do is create a "Northern Lights" lights effect using CCRs placed on top of four acoustic 'ceiling clouds' in a home theater. The plan is to put the CCRs on top of the clouds that hang 6" from the ceiling. The CCRs reflect indirectly off the ceiling showing a shimmering/fading light on the ceiling through 10" gaps between each cloud and around the outside of the clouds (the clouds are arranged in a 2x2 pattern in a raised ceiling section).

Per your idea for shimmering water, I think something could be programmed albeit a bit of work to do considering all the colors possible. What I was hoping for in the short term was a "random fade" macro that could do this automatically. I've seen other LED controllers that have a function that allows random colors to be faded in and out across the light strip at varying speeds (fade and speed selectable by simple push buttons.) Is there a macro or easy way to do this? I looked through the CCR Tutorial macros and didn't see one. The Quick Start Guide does show how to do some color effects to change colors randomly in "dazzle" and "twinkle" mode but I couldn't figure out how to make it slowly fade from one color to the next. Help anyone?

[Ed P]

chckr wrote:

Per your idea for shimmering water, I think something could be programmed albeit a bit of work to do considering all the colors possible. What I was hoping for in the short term was a "random fade" macro that could do this automatically. I've seen other LED controllers that have a function that allows random colors to be faded in and out across the light strip at varying speeds (fade and speed selectable by simple push buttons.) Is there a macro or easy way to do this?

No macro is currently available to do this but you can definitely sequence something that would fade throught different colors but would not be truely random.

I looked through the CCR Tutorial macros and didn't see one. The Quick Start Guide does show how to do some color effects to change colors randomly in "dazzle" and "twinkle" mode but I couldn't figure out how to make it slowly fade from one color to the next. Help anyone?

You might be able to use dazzle and set the speed settings slower but if you want the whole ribbon to be one color, you'd have to set the logical resolution to 1. You are right that it would not fade, it would just change from one color to next.

[BrianBruderer]

In my Pacman vs Jaws sequence I have the bottom 2 CCRs look like water. It is simply alternating between 3 different images. I think someone could make it look better if you spent more time on it. Take a look at it here and see if this is anything like what you were looking for. The watter effect starts at 28 sec into the video:

[ScooterMeister]

Thanks for the teaser. It looks good but I would like to see the sequence slowed down. Please let me know if it is possible to get my hands on the code.



At this point, I am leaning towards Scenario #3. I have modified the transition that occurs at the end of the sequence and the re-start. At the end, 1/3 of the CCR ends with a 0% to 100% fade up. Then at the start, that same 1/3 of the CCR has a 100% to 0 % fade down which eliminates any completely dark sections.



Previously, I had been leaning towards scenario #1 until I started viewing the sequences indirectly only. When you only look at the reflections off a wall, then the scenario #3 is more appealing.

[BrianBruderer]

ScooterMeister wrote:

Thanks for the teaser. It looks good but I would like to see the sequence slowed down. Please let me know if it is possible to get my hands on the code.



At this point, I am leaning towards Scenario #3. I have modified the transition that occurs at the end of the sequence and the re-start. At the end, 1/3 of the CCR ends with a 0% to 100% fade up. Then at the start, that same 1/3 of the CCR has a 100% to 0 % fade down which eliminates any completely dark sections.



Previously, I had been leaning towards scenario #1 until I started viewing the sequences indirectly only. When you only look at the reflections off a wall, then the scenario #3 is more appealing.

It was written using my SuperStar Software. You can get a free demo download at www.superstarlights.com

I will send you the source, and then you can play it using the free demo download.

-Brian Bruderer