SpeedSix.Flock (Discreet Box12)
PURPOSE
The little flocking characters with attitude, are controlled by hunger and fear; they quest for food while trying to avoid the predator and avoid obstacles. Sometimes they like each other, but other times ...
INPUT CLIPS
1: Background Clip
: The characters flock over this clip.
2: Shape Colour
: An image can be your flocking character.
3: Shape Matte
: A matte for the flocking character to composite the 2nd input clip shape nicely over the background.
4: Birth Matte
: Limit the area where the characters are created. They will only be born in non-black areas.
5: Avoidance Matte
: The flock may not want to enter this area. When used the characters can only stay in non black areas.
Flock CONTROL PAGE
Restart (Pushbutton)
Kill off all the flocking characters and start again.
Restart+PreRoll (Pushbutton)
Kill them off and start again after computing the required PreRoll length.
PreRoll (Pushbutton)
Compute the number of PreRoll frames before rendering.
PreRoll (Number Min: 1, Max: 1000, Default: 40)
The number of frames to compute before rendering.
Advance (Pushbutton)
Generate next position.
Flock Size (Number Min: 1, Max: 5000, Default: 20)
How many flocking characters to create on restarting the sequence.
Seed (Number Min: 1, Max: 999, Default: 165)
If you keep the same seed and do not change any of the other values which may use random numbers, you can recreate the same sequence. Changing the seed will result in a different birth position and pattern of movement.
Birth (Position Default: 0.84,0.84)
Location of the birth zone.
Birth Radius (Number Min: 0.0, Max: 2.0, Default: 0.5)
Radius of the birth zone.
Use Birth Matte (Checkbox Default: Off)
On limits the area where characters can be created.
On: characters will only be born within the non black areas of the birth matte.
Off: characters will be born anywhere within the birth circle.
Invert Birth Matte (Checkbox Default: Off)
Reverse the effect of the birth matte.
Shape CONTROL PAGE
Restart (Pushbutton)
Kill off all the flocking characters and start again.
Restart+PreRoll (Pushbutton)
Kill them off and start again after computing the required PreRoll length.
PreRoll (Pushbutton)
Compute the number of PreRoll frames before rendering.
Texturing Cycle (Checkbox Default: Off)
On: The clips for the colour and the matte of your character will cycle for the length of the sequence over the specified number of frames. e.g. your character is a beetle and it's legs move with 5 positions in a walk cycle. These 5 frames will be re-used throughout the sequence so your beetle will walk as it chases the food.
Off: the colour and matte character clips will be read in sequentially, holding on the last available frame.
Random Start (Checkbox Default: Off)
Off: all the characters take their shape from the first frame of the Cols and Matte clips.
On: a number is chosen at random in the range set by Frames in Cycle for the start shape of each character. This way each one gets its own starting position, and then the cycle commences from this frame.
Frames in Cycle (Number Min: 1, Max: 10000, Default: 5)
Set the number of frames the character can cycle over. If it is longer than the sequence of frames available then the last frame will be repeated when necessary.
Shape (List Box Options: Blob | Rectangle | Triangle | Diamond | Four Point Star | Five Point Star | Cols with Matte | Matte over Cols | Colour in Matte, Default: Blob)
Choose a flocking character.The geometric shapes are pretty obvious. The characters will take the shape specified.
Cols with Matte: the second clip image, Cols, will be scaled and used with the scaled Matte, specified by clip 3, to create the characters. Probably the most fun.
Matte over Cols: the Cols clip is not scaled but the Matte is. As the characters move over the Cols clip their colour comes from the this clip.
Colour in Matte: the scaled Matte clip can be re-coloured using the colour controls.
Shape Width (Number Min: 1.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 72.0)
Width of the chosen character.
Shape Height (Number Min: 1.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 57.0)
Height of the chosen character.
Random Sizes (Number Min: 0.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 60.0)
Higher values for more disparate sizes.
Star Sharpness (Number Min: 1.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 50.0)
Higher values for more angular stars.
Living Rotate (Checkbox Default: Off)
On: the particles rotate to suit the direction they are going in. Set the Base Angle value to a constant value if you need to re-orientate the input clip direction. For example, if you use living rotate, and the characters are scuttling sideways (and they are not crabs!) set the base rotation to 90, to set them going in the correct direction.
You will need to generate 2 frames from restart to get the characters correctly orientated to the direction they are going. When they are born in the first frame, they do not know where they are coming from or going to! Generate the second frame and they orientate themselves nicely.
Off: you control the direction in which the characters rotate.
Base Rotation (Number Min: -360.0, Max: 360.0, Default: 0.0)
Orientate the characters.
Shape Colour (Colour Box Default: white)
The colour the characters.
Random Colours (Number Min: 0.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 0.0)
Add a randomness to the colour of each character. The colour is randomly selected with the range controlled by the original shape colour. The higher the value the more distinct the colour range will be.
The colour is given at birth. Restart the sequence if you change the colour settings.
Shape Density (Number Min: 0.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 100.0)
The density of the character composited over the background. This does not affect the character matte density.
Use Shapes over Cols (Checkbox Default: Off)
On: the geometric shapes will use the colour found in the Cols clip.
Off: the geometric shapes will take the colour from colour controls.
Render Mode (List Box Options: Render | Wireframe, Default: Wireframe)
Wireframe: for speed.
Render: renders the characters in the chosen style.
Influence CONTROL PAGE
Restart (Pushbutton)
Kill off all the flocking characters and start again.
Restart+PreRoll (Pushbutton)
Kill them off and start again after computing the required PreRoll length.
PreRoll (Pushbutton)
Compute the number of PreRoll frames before rendering.
Avoid Predator (Checkbox Default: Off)
Avoid Predator.
Predator (Position Default: 0.4,0.4)
The characters must steer clear of the predator; they move away from its circle of influence, hurriedly.
On: they move away from the predator.
Off: the predator icon disappears and the characters are not worried.
Fear of Predator (Number Min: 1.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 18.0)
The area around the predator where the characters become scared and will change direction to try to move away from it. The nearer they are born to it, the more frightened they become and the faster they will run away.
Hunt Food (Checkbox Default: On)
The characters like to hunt for food; they are attracted to the food icon's location.
On: they chase after the food.
Off: the food icon disappears and the characters react to different stimuli.
Food (Position Default: 0.2,0.15)
Where the food can be found. Animating the food position makes the characters follow the scent.
Use Avoid Matte (Checkbox Default: Off)
The last input clip can dictate areas where the characters should not go. Use it to limit the region they can wander about in. However very narrow passages with sharp corners will tend to leave them stuck, unable to move. Be gentle with them and give them broad sweeping regions to roam in.
On: the characters will try to keep out of the black areas of the clip. If both Avoid and Birth Matte are used then no one is born within the black areas of the avoid matte.
Off: they roam where they will.
Avoid Forward (Number Min: 1.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 10.0)
Avoid Sides (Number Min: 1.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 5.0)
The character looks around to see if there any regions it should not enter within the range of these values. The further it looks about the more like it will not get stuck in a tight corner, but it may think there is nowhere left to go and just dither about.
Match Velocity (Checkbox Default: Off)
The Speed and Acceleration, though influencing the characters generally (see below), will affect how they move as a team as well.
On: when one character reacts to something, for example changing direction to avoid the predator, the characters may change direction too. They try to move as a whole, not individuals. If the team leader backs off, then they all back away.
Off: each character finds its own way, reacting to circumstances which affect it.
Speed (Number Min: 0.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 20.0)
The speed at which a character can move when searching for food, or escaping from the predator.
Acceleration (Number Min: 0.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 3.5)
How forcefully something will affect the character. With a low acceleration the characters gently move away from the predator and circle round the food when they find it. The higher the acceleration the more dramatic the reaction to the predator and the stronger the lure of the food.
Avoid Others (Checkbox Default: Off)
On: so they don't like their neighbours and move away.
Off: they don't mind rubbing shoulders.
Personal Space (Number Min: 1.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 15.0)
How much room each character would like. If they are born close together the first thing they do is move away.
Flock Gathering (Checkbox Default: Off)
On: really they would like to stay as close to one another as possible. If they are born far apart they try to gather together.
Off: they have no real ties.
Flock Grouping (Number Min: 0.0, Max: 100.0, Default: 10.0)
How keen they are to get together.
Presets CONTROL PAGE
Restart (Pushbutton)
Kill off all the flocking characters and start again.
Restart+PreRoll (Pushbutton)
Kill them off and start again after computing the required PreRoll length.
PreRoll (Pushbutton)
Compute the number of PreRoll frames before rendering.
Add Match Velocity (Checkbox Default: Off)
Add Predator (Checkbox Default: Off)
Add Living Rotate (Checkbox Default: Off)
Add Personal Space (Checkbox Default: Off)
Add Flock Centring (Checkbox Default: Off)
Simple Food Hunt (Pushbutton)
Start with this simple food hunting flock then add in the other influences to see what happens.