How to fake Random numbers or events in 3D Animation (NEON LIGHTS DEMO and Tutorial)

Sci Fi Funk

This animation tutorial briefly discusses how random numbers are computer generated and how to simulate generating random numbers and therefore events in 3d Animation.

PART 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L6S_aY3Aq4
PART 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C91baReRYcg
PART 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB0HmkfoK6I <--- THE DEMO </p>

Computer generated random numbers don't really exist. Instead by combining a seed (a start point) and a string of numbers calculated by taking the CPU clock time and a mathematical formula, apparent random numbers are generated.

Armed with this knowledge we can simulate a string of apparent random numbers and a seed value to make our random numbers in 3d animation.

To bring this principle to life I demonstrate how to set up random changing advertising hoardings.

In part 2 (Out tomorrow) I will show a render of these "random" advertising hoardings.

more info and tutorials at
http://www.facebook.com/scififunk

Sci Fi Funk

Part 2 added today.

Here we see the basic idea rolled out to a 7 groups of (apparent) random advertising hoarding changes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C91baReRYcg

FractalDimensia

Steve,

Great tutorial for generating ads!

As I watched it, I could not help but think through how a short PyCarrara script (maybe 30 lines of script) would fully automate the sequencing process, including varying the duration each ad appears. Expanding your idea, imagine duplicating (and positioning in a city scene) the ad sequence object a dozen or 100 times, then running a single script that would (pseudo) randomly sequence the ads for each one.

This is exactly the kinds of thing that got me excited when I first discovered PyCarrara.

Well done!

Sci Fi Funk

FractalDimensia said:

Steve,

Great tutorial for generating ads!

As I watched it, I could not help but think through how a short PyCarrara script (maybe 30 lines of script) would fully automate the sequencing process, including varying the duration each ad appears. Expanding your idea, imagine duplicating (and positioning in a city scene) the ad sequence object a dozen or 100 times, then running a single script that would (pseudo) randomly sequence the ads for each one.

This is exactly the kinds of thing that got me excited when I first discovered PyCarrara.

Well done!

Thanks man. I'm looking to use PyCarrara.

I'm putting out a demo tomorrow with lots of iterations of these (in the exact positions they will be in for episode 9 - although the camera moves are different in ep 9).

Did you see my request for help on the pycarrara forum thread? I can install it but when I load the demo sequences (either that come with it or the ones you recommend) I get an error (shown on that thread).

If I can get past this then I can unleash my programming skills on the world of Carrara 3D.

Dartanbeck

So cool! And most effective!
You know what comes next, right? Dartan has to say... "well, you know you could just..." LOL

On your shaders, you can Ctrl Drag from the color channel (left side of the shader panel) the Color into the Glow, and they will illuminate without needing light. And then, if you wish, you can add subtle aura to help them sort of blur - pop out - sort of. Just a fun tip.

The way you do it is really easy to set up - since you can easily just select visible, on/off. You can also nest all of those images into a monster shader list and use a single polygon for the whole thing, but I like your method better.

One thing that I think you might really be interested in:

Instead of deleting all of your keyframes, once you have them all in the window, you can also just grab them and move them around, changing the sequence. Still... the method you've used is enormously fast to set up - BAM, it's done and it works just right!

Bravo, my friend! I love it!

FractalDimensia

Sci Fi Funk said:

Thanks man. I'm looking to use PyCarrara.

I'm putting out a demo tomorrow with lots of iterations of these (in the exact positions they will be in for episode 9 - although the camera moves are different in ep 9).

Did you see my request for help on the pycarrara forum thread? I can install it but when I load the demo sequences (either that come with it or the ones you recommend) I get an error (shown on that thread).

If I can get past this then I can unleash my programming skills on the world of Carrara 3D.

Steve, I responded to your problem in that thread. Maybe you didn't see it?
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/viewreply/525557/

If none of that helps, you might try deleting all "Py_____" files in your Extension and Plugin folders, and then copying them over again.

Keep posting your issue(s) on one of these threads, and we'll all help troubleshoot you to success!

Sci Fi Funk

Dartanbeck said:

On your shaders, you can Ctrl Drag from the color channel (left side of the shader panel) the Color into the Glow

Thanks man - Good tip

Fractal - Looks like my notifications are playing up again. I have to log in just to see if anyone has responded.

Many thanks - I'll give that a try and respond on that thread.

Sci Fi Funk

THE DEMO!

See the seven sequences in action, with musical accompaniment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB0HmkfoK6I

Dartanbeck

Sci Fi Funk said:

THE DEMO!

See the seven sequences in action, with musical accompaniment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB0HmkfoK6I

Awesome!
Love that groove! Man, I could just put that on repeat and work to it all day! :)

DUDU

Nice effect !

Sci Fi Funk

Cheers guys.

I'm close to being able to release a pic showing this effect in a large scene, hopefully over the weekend. It will go out under the episode 9 preview pics.