Timeliner (again)

I didn't post in my blog for quite a while, been rather busy on projects, January was rather packed.

I used vvvv for one and FlareTic for the other.

At the end of each project, I could see how important a proper Timeliner is and how this changes your workflow (really I mean it, and coming from me who used to hate timelines, it must mean something...)

I already added the basic remaining features in december (copy paste, undo/redo stack, organize tracks/groups, zoom+ pan, navigation, snap to rulers...), which is the MINIMUM expected.

Once the basic is done, time to start fancy features (always do basic then fancy, not the other way round...)

First is keyframe group, you select a bunch of keyframes and can move them as a single unit (while also allowing to move keyframe itself).

You can see keyframes with small alpha, ctrl + click allows you to move the whole group instead of the track itself.

This is really handy when you need to quickly organize your key frame after some requirement change.

Next you can notice purple/blue keyframes, what are those?

This is a simple thing called aliases. So those keyframes reference a parent one.

This is really useful when you copy a bulk of keyframes, but need the same value (almost). Alias host an offset to the parent value, so changing the parent also change the alias, while you can keep a bit of variation using offsets.


So all of this really changed my way of working, but now, let's think forward...non linear playback.

First I already have a playback optimizer (using tree based interval data structure).

So now let's allow to play those clips somewhere else.

Ok screen shot doesn't show much cool stuff, but simple concept is, I can now have a track as a node, and a custom time pin input, so I have the ease of design (via editor), but can also play a track (eventually in different places with different times).

I got 2 versions of track playback, one with time input, one with a signal that asks: start play (which I use with kinect gesture recognizer for example).

That's a pretty handy new feature, but let's not stop in there, let's go... forward (things are never good enough ;)

One common issue I have, most of my data in my tool is stored in GPU (particle system, generated geometry...)

Many times I need some form of control over it (let's say for example compute particle size from age). I often use quick formulas for that, but then thinking : this timeline editor is so easy to use, why not having this track used for this form of control instead of my ghetto formulas?

Track data fits really well into a 1d texture, so here we go, create a node that renders the whole track into texture (with controllable precision), sampler with smooth it out a little if really needed.

Here we go, create new particle behaviour that take 1d texture as control, and here we go, half million particles with age/size controlled via timeliner, life is beautiful as times ;)

As a side note, playback control using 1d texture/sampler is also so seamless that it becomes embarrassingly easy :

* One off playback : clamp sampler

* Loop : wrap

* Ping pong : mirror

Next stage (going forward again), Multi render into Texture1DArray (so can use several tracks for diversity).

As a side note my node collection also did a pretty hefty climb, but let's keep this for later posts :)