Xion(810)

12th September 2002 23:02 UTC

TV.ape
Anybody have the .ape file TV? I need it for a certain preset...Had it and lost it. :(

See attached file for the preset needing it.

Lion King

12th September 2002 23:12 UTC

if you had read the complete ape list carefully you'd know how get it
anyway... it's attached

jheriko

13th September 2002 17:07 UTC

The lesson here is not to use APEs, they are hassle!!!

Maybe thats not such a great lesson but there still is a solid principle behind it (i.e. make your own stuff)

dirkdeftly

14th September 2002 20:07 UTC

Say that to UnConeD, jheriko. And APEs are only a hassle if you don't include them in the installer, or if you include them in the installer but the installer crashes if you already have the APE, etc.

But the TV APE sucks anyway, so why don't you just make your own TV effect? e.g.:

Fadeout (medium)
Effect list (ignore, max)
.Effect list (replace, XOR)
..Water
..Grain (add blend, static)
..Invert
..17x13 DM (rc, blend, wrap, no bf. Frame: x=x+rand(100)/500-0.1; y=y+rand(100)/100-0.5;)

It's fairly slow (56 fps by itself on my comp), but it looks a lot better than the TV APE in the first place, IMHO. It also has tons of other possibilities - putting a water in the first effect list is an example.

jheriko

14th September 2002 22:41 UTC

Its not directed at unconed because he made his own apes, i just think it is lame to use an ape unless it has either been custom built for a preset (or some presets) or is really general purpose. I may want to use unconeds color reduction for instance (if he would let me) and i would still feel like i made a preset but i would never dream of using tentacles 3d because then i would feel like i made nothing but some fluff to go around a real good effect made by someone else hence the 'i.e. make your own stuff' comment

and yes that effect is dog poo why on earth would you want some unresposive static? there are better ways of creating static effects without making them perfect like atero's (which was really good but slow). if you are interested i used a few static type effects in some of my older presets, i've attached the specific presets in case you want to take a look.

dirkdeftly

15th September 2002 02:44 UTC

The grain (the major slowdown) can probably be replaced by something else, and the DM gridsized could be lower. But remember NOT to use round numbers (4nx3n) because that would end up with evenness - something you're not going for. Hence the 17x13 (4(4)+1x3(4)+1).

And that ;) is supposed to be a ; ).

jheriko, the movement of the dot grids is unfortunately extremely repetitive, and it blinks and doesn't cover every pixel. This is a fast and very random alternative:

Effect list (ignore, replace)
.Fadeout*
.Effect list (XOR, max)
..Random static ssc**
Blur (heavy)
Blur (medium)
Fast brightness (2x)

Much faster and slightly more 'realistic' with blurry dots instead of random regions or fine pixels. However it's not too remix-able....


*Fadeout: 3/4 between the third and fourth dark bars is the lowest. The further the slider is from that point the brighter it will be.

**Random static ssc
Init:
n=w*h/32;
Pixel:
x=rand(8192)/4096-1;
y=rand(8192)/4096-1;
c=rand(256)/256;
red=c; blue=c; green=c;

jheriko

15th September 2002 11:03 UTC

I did think about using a static ssc before but at the time I just couldn't be bothered to code one so I used the dot grids because it looked acceptable to me at the time. Also, wouldn't prime numbers be best for the gridsize, or at least relatively prime numbers.

UnConeD

15th September 2002 11:38 UTC

I may want to use unconeds color reduction for instance (if he would let me)

jheriko

15th September 2002 11:54 UTC

my point was that general purpose apes like multiplier and color reduction are a good thing for everyone to use but using an ape which will render an entire effect with out any real ability to customise it is a bit of lamer.

Xion(810)

15th September 2002 21:56 UTC

Those are all good ideas, but I was looking for static where I can make it ANY COLOR not just black and white. I think I threw in my FoS remix into the megapack 2 preview...

Go get it and see what I mean...I think...

[edit]Sorry, but I'm keeping the FoS hush-hush untill final. :)[/edit]

jheriko

15th September 2002 22:38 UTC

use a big fat superscope and some blending (i'm not gonna be more specific cos the fun in avs is learning for yourself) and you can colorise anything in anyway.

dirkdeftly

15th September 2002 23:06 UTC

All of the ideas presented have customizable colors, and my second one (which actually looks like TV static) can change colors. Anything an APE can do AVS can do as well. The APEs are just faster.

jheriko

15th September 2002 23:18 UTC

okay, i'm certain everyone must be getting my point and you are just trying to pull my leg or something. but customisable colours? the amount of effort that goes into making a huge complicated piece of 3 dimensional geometry is vastly different to choosing a custom colour, by choosing a custom color for something to render in you are doing practically nothing for a preset where as something like multiplier is clearly meant to be used as a part of something and isn't practically a preset in itself. I guess I am trying to say that if you are going to make a preset then make it (all of it) yourself using rudimentary tools and your own skill and technique otherwise it will never truly be your creation, it will be more of a remix.

Xion(810)

16th September 2002 01:52 UTC

I'm sorry but I'm only 15. I've just had 7 days of Geometry work, nothing pertaining to AVS. I'M FUCKING TENTH GRADE...Gimme a chance to explore the possibilities, but I am experimenting. Don't know a lick on how to make my own scopes or DM's or DDM's or Whatever that uses an X=Whatever line! I'm just starting out with movements, and that's about where I am now: Movements.

jheriko

16th September 2002 04:48 UTC

geez, i wasn't trying to have a go... and besides age is no excuse i could solve quartic and quintic polynomials at your age (please don't ask me to prove it, the quartic i'll do, but i will be sitting here writing for a week if you want to see a quintic solution :P), I just guess I expect everyone to find the maths side of avs quite easy since maths is pretty much hard wired into my brain.

Besides I noticed that you have been toying with the superscope a bit so you must have at least a partial understanding of how it works. If you want explanations or tutorials there are tons about. i'd also recommend avs primer as well, I took a look at it to see if there was anything new i could glean from that and it all seemed like pretty solid and reasonably well explained example code.

Plz don't feel that I am having a dig I'm just trying to encourage you!

dirkdeftly

16th September 2002 07:15 UTC

I'm a freshman, and I started in (I think) 7th grade. All it takes is getting an understanding of AVS's components then working out the math.

UnConeD

17th September 2002 01:11 UTC

Heh well just my 'final' word on this... I know APEs like Metaballs and Tentacles have little use outside of Whacko AVS, but I wanted to include them anyway because they were cool, and after all I did spent at least as much time on them as any other preset. However I doubt I'll make more in the future.

The APEs like Multiplier and Color Reduction were made to enhance AVS's possibilities. Expect more of these extra 'toys' in the future :). It's actually very satisfying to see my APEs being used in ways I couldn't imagine when I created them. I think that's how the writers of AVS must feel too right now :). Who would've imagined it that you could create whacky space fights and complicated 3D scenes with it? (*hint*)

Xion(810)

17th September 2002 22:38 UTC

I understand now that people are trying to help, not harm me.

I don't know shit about AVS, but I'm experimenting. I think that the best way to learn is by doing. I don't know what I'm doing, but I know how to make some pretty trippy presets...Just take one of my presets and add a little weed and Volia! It's good! Not saying I'm a stoner myself (Say no to drugs kids, unless a man in white tells you to use them) but I know how some people act when they are stoned...

jim manley

18th September 2002 07:38 UTC

None of us would be here if it weren't for the stoners. Those guys go through preset packs like they were potato chips. All my reviews are like "wow man, can't wait to see this when i'm stoned" or "it's not great, but a little weed can fix that". God love 'em. It's like they're incapable of giving negative feedback.

Stick with it, Xion. I started mucking around with AVS when i left school 'cause i had so much free time. Two years later and i'm only just getting comfortable with it.

What these guys say is true, though. Don't use APEs if you can help it. Practice makes perfect (or practice and a Maths major). Use the essentials (SS, DM, etc.) and you'll get good at them.