Author Topic: Adjusting Text Effects  (Read 1176 times)

Offline b737

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Adjusting Text Effects
« on: December 02, 2013, »
Hey Gang, getting to be more comfortable with X-lights/NC.

@ things I'm trying to create for my sequence.   If anyone has any ideas, I'm listening.

1. Is there some way, we can adjust the kerning of the text.  Even at it's smallest, the text is very widely spaced.   Need to adjust the spacing of the letters. IE move them closer together.

I'm Using Arial Bold, has anyone found a good font that may work...and or a workaround.   Hoping someday, Matt,Sean etal will give a little more control of the text, instead of just font size.

Want to display some sung words on the model(mini mega tree approx. 8.5 ft tall)  Right now  they spread of the tree, used any way.  I'll try the the  scrolling stuff, see if that works....hopefully you folks have some ideas.

2. I'm trying to create a sort of beat track for my effects, to ensure my audacity timing is good.  Using the lock and create random, sometimes it will give me the same effect color; so I can't tell if there is a change.   Does anyone have a suggestion about how to set this up, if possible.

Once I know my timing is good, I start to create the effects for the sequence.

3. One effect I want to try and create:  I have a section of the song that say night, I want the tree to do a sparkle white effect...ie stars in night sky. Then there is a part where Christmas is sung, I would  like my tree to switch from the night sky to a red/green tree IE representing Christmas. It is in several parts of the song, but the beats are the same..so once I have it, I can copy/paste.

I'm thinking of fading from effect1 to effect2...is this doable.   Drove myself crazy, trying to set up my 3 color non RGB mini trees to see them in nutcracker.   Never happened.

I don't want to waste a lot of hours again, trying to accomplish something the program can't do at this time. Any ideas, thoughts, greatly appreciated.

Hopefully, someone will read this tonight, as I'm stuck at the moment.   

Thank You.

Best,
David

Offline jnealand

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Re: Adjusting Text Effects
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2013, »
Read the post on using preset effects and watch the 15min tutorial.
Jim Nealand
Kennesaw, GA

Offline b737

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Re: Adjusting Text Effects
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2013, »
Hello Jim, Thanks for the reply.   I have read/watched about preset effects. I have many presets right now.  Not too helpful in my case.

Not really sure how preset effects could pertain to most of my questions, except for the night-red/green effect.

Thanks for trying though.

Best,
David

Offline jnealand

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Re: Adjusting Text Effects
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2013, »
looked to me that presets were the answer to your question 3
Jim Nealand
Kennesaw, GA

Offline onesmoothhead

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Re: Adjusting Text Effects
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2013, »
I use preset for my timing mark element.  I actually have one element named Timing Mark set to single string Channel 516. I then add the element to my Nutcracker and select all odd timings and place a color wash of Orange.  In the other even spots I place a color wash of purple.  This element is saved in my preset.
I then export them to Vixen 2.1.1. Once in Vixen I select channel 516 and right click on the channel and click Select all Channel.  I then can move it and paste where I want all things to be on the beat or timing marks created in Nutcracker. 

Geez, I hope that is not too confusing.  I like being able to see the marks with my vixen and make sure it looks correct, but it also keeps all my elements on the same timing.  It is a little cumbersome to select each odd and even in Nutcracker but with the invent of the F5 button and a scroll wheel on the mouse is now becoming a fast process.

Kevin

Offline b737

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Re: Adjusting Text Effects
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2013, »
Hi Jim and Kevin. Thanks for the info. Yes Jim, you are correct. The presets will work fine on the night/red/green transition.


Sean gave me an idea to try re the text.  I'm going to try and make a png picture to display, see how that works for me.

Thanks again, for your help.

Best,
David

Offline drlucas

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Re: Adjusting Text Effects
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2013, »
Good idea about the png.  I may try that on my tree.
-Ryan Lucas-
- Pickering, Ontario, Canada, Eh?! -

Offline b737

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Re: Adjusting Text Effects
« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2013, »
Well it was worth a try.    I tried to create an image to cover my pixel area   25 pixel vert, and 16 pixel horiz.

Due to the way the text is generated in the program(photoshop), you can't get the letter spacing close enough in that small space.

Then using the pic in NUtcracker, the spacing is large per letter, so the pic won't fit properly either.

Oh well, gonna figure some light effects for the vocals. It was a good idea at the time.   Just not enough time to scroll with the time of the vocals/music.

Hope you folks have better luck.  For me, anything over 3 letters won't work. Maybe someday Sean, will implement the fit to model again.  Might look OK, but I need a taller tree to get text right.....Oh Well.