VISUAL EFFECT

ZGameEditor Visualizer

ZGameEditor Visualizer is a visualization effect plugin with movie render capability. ZGameEditor Visualizer is based on the free open source ZGameEditor that can be used to create visualization objects for the plugin. Video Tutorials here

Using ZGameEditor Visualizer

Depending on the objects selected various controls will become available and may be automated, respond to audio or in some cases accept MIDI input.

• Clear - These effects replicate the foreground and background images as patterns in the video background.
• Background - Background image effects
• Foreground - Foreground image effects.
• Sidechain - You can use sidechaining to select a separate audio input for each effect category (Clear, Background & Foreground). For example, make the foreground effect react to the kick and the background to the lead sound. Simply sidechain other mixer tracks to the mixer track containing ZGameEditor Visualizer and then the inputs will be available. If ZGameEditor Visualizer is on the Master Mixer track then all other Mixer tracks will automatically be available.
• Zoom / Rotate - Zoom and rotate the video image.
• Frame rate - The current frame rate of the video output, use the menu to choose alternative rates. Higher rates are smoother but at the expense of CPU/Video load.
• Paused - Select to pause the video effect. If there is an error message this will be automatically be checked.

NOTE: Most sliders and knobs associated with the effects can be 'Right-clicked' to use create automation clips and edit events.

TIP: If you are unsure which settings produce the best visual effects try selecting Presets - R 'Randomize' above the effect category menu. Often this results in something interesting that you can continue to develop.

Settings

• Antialias - Uses Open GL 4x oversampling for smoother graphics.
• Preload effects - Avoids transition delays when switching effects types.
• Stereoscopic - Switches side-by-side stereoscopic mode on/off for 3D effects when images are fused.
• MIDI port - Some effects respond to MIDI input & control. Set the port between 0 to 255. A setting of -1 is disabled.
• Render to texture quality - Applies to the 'Clear' effects responsible for image feedback processing. Keep this on High unless your graphics card can't keep up when using 'Clear' effects.
• Video Texture - Click the 'Video options' button and select a video or web-camera input to be used with the Video Warp effects. NOTE: The pretty 'mosaic' pattern you see when you select some video effects is the default video texture pattern.
• Detach window - Allows the Video Display screen to be dragged onto another monitor or to a video projector.
• Show Log - Useful to collect Techsupport debugging information.
• Video export - The video is rendered along with the audio from the project. Select this option and set a video save location then render the project as normal. Select various video options under the 'Export settings' button.
• FFT settings - These apply input audio. Sound is analyzed into frequency bands for use by the visual effects. Restart the plugin to apply.
  • Spectral bands for fx - Number of spectral bands available to be used by effects. More = higher CPU but more complex/interesting results.
  • Internal size - Number of spectral bands the processed audio is divided into. More gives higher accuracy at the expense of lag/latency.
• Custom content -
  • Meshes - ZGameEditor Visualizer uses .3ds format 3D meshes that can be loaded and used as objects by some effects.
  • Text - Enter custom text here to be displayed by some effects.
  • Bitmaps - Are .bmp format images that can be used by some effects.
  • Video texture cue points - Set any number of cue points in the video by entering a list of time offsets in seconds. The video is selected from the Video texture > Video options button. Trigger cue-point playback by matching the MIDI IN port set here on the Settings dialog to a MIDI Out Channel's port. MIDI notes played on the MIDI Out Channel will then trigger playback from the set cue points. Cue-points start from note C5 (C5 = the first cue-point in the list) and are mapped progressively to each cue-point down the list as you progress up the keyboard.
• Reset defaults - Press when you have created a complete mess of the settings and want your sanity back.

Controlling the effects

There are three types of control available. How the presets respond to these controls will depend on the design of the visual objects. See below for details on making your own.

Audio Control

Objects will generally have their parameters linked to respond to audio input. Often this is analyzed in terms of frequency to cause the low, mid and high frequencies to cause different visual effects. NOTE: Link a Fruity Peak Controller from key Mixer tracks and or Fruity Envelope Controller from Piano roll/Pattern Clips to target parameters/sliders for more advanced control.

Automation Control

Right-click plugin target controls and select Edit events, Create automation clip or Link to controller.

MIDI Input Control

1. Load a MIDI Out Channel to the project.
2. Match the PORT number on MIDI Out to the MIDI input port on ZGameEditor Visualizer.
3. Notes & control data on the MIDI Out Channel will now be available to control parameters in ZGameEditor Visualizer.

Adding objects with the ZGameEditor

Place *.zgeproj objects in ..:\Program Files (x86)\Image-Line\FL Studio\Plugins\Fruity\Effects\ZgeViz\FgAndBg. To make the objects you will need to download and install the ZGameEditor here.

Watch the video tutorials below to learn how to use the ZGameEditor:

• 01 - Getting Started
• 02 - Designer Layout
• 03 - Project Tree
• 04 - Real-Time Preview
• 05 - Component Properties
• 06 - Build Executable
• 07 - Texture Mapping
• 08 - Bitmap Font
• 09 - Keyboard Input
• 10 - Play Sound
• 11 - Audio Editor
• 12 - Import 3DS
• 13 - Writing Expressions
• 14 - Create Model
• 15 - Spawning Clones
• 16 - Collision Detection
• 17 - Compress Build

Plugin Credits: Ville Krumlinde (ZGameEditor Visualizer), Tsviatko Jongov (Video encoder), JPH Wacheski (scripts) Steven Magyar (development testing).