xLights/Nutcracker ROCKS!!

[Steve Gase]

I finally spent some time (2 hours) to create 5 new sequences from scratch.

I used Audacity to create timing marks manually (I prefer transitions based on song transitions, instead of the automated on-note or beat detection).

Then I selected my objects (sometimes raster-based custom objects, other times arches, ...) and began with the random-generation.  Then some tweaking...

Finally, I "dimmed" my Technicolor strings and panels and then converted to my player's expected formal.

2 hours, 5 songs.  (...and I was getting faster as I continued through the process!)

We went around looking at lights in the area and came home to view our lights... WOW!!  I was very happy with what Nutcracker did for us.  There were some incredible effects that simply "happened" without really trying. 

If my discriminating eyes were pleased, I imagine that most of my visitors will be suitably impressed.

Thanks to everyone on the Nutcracker/xLights team!!   

I put a lot of faith into the tool all year long, and somehow the tool exceeded all of my hopes. 

[Jeffl]

This is like teasing.  How can we believe you without video proof! 

[mms]

I would 2nd that.  I was able to sequence my open and station IDs relatively quickly.  I spent a few months (off and on) sequencing my TSO medley that's only 1:40, it was nice to breeze through some of the other things I like to have that would have taken me several hours before, took me maybe 1 hour for 2 small sequences.

Thank you Sean, Matt, and the rest of the Nutcracker developers!

[Steve Gase]

This is like teasing.  How can we believe you without video proof! 

Videos will be done when I get my tree up.  maybe tomorrow???

[taybrynn]

I am equally impressed ... as I can tell it would be so much faster to sequence new from xlights/nutcracker than to deal with LOR in any capacity.   I was blown away that I could creat custom models for things like snowflake spinners, snowflake walls and even the holdman star.  Yes only certain effects apply to those, but the sequencing they will do is amazing.  When Sean adds spatial next year -- watch out!

[taybrynn]

I will say that the more I use xlights/nurtcracker the more I am CONVINCED this software is light years ahead of everything else out there.

Especially LOR, but also LSP.   LSP could have been great, but still missed the mark by starting off with an unstable foundation and format even worse than LOR.

So while there are some small issues to deal with -- what Matt, Sean and others have done is AMAZING !!