Background / Focus / Frame approach (alpha blending)

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p8guitar
Hasn't felt like this about software in a long time
Posts: 139
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2017 18:20

Background / Focus / Frame approach (alpha blending)

Post by p8guitar »

I think the background/focus/frame approach mentioned in the manual is very convincing. But how do you create the frame (window which blocks some parts of the content underneath)? I find it quite cumbersome to achieve this with the Resolume sources or effects, but maybe there are some tricks?

I tried the Metaballs Source in the top layer, with Balls color = red and background color = black. Using an inverted auto mask, the metaballs background created a black frame, but the visible part of layer 2 (where the balls are) is now red.
automask inverted.jpg
I'd rather have "tranparent metaballs".. but when I turn off auto mask and reduce the alpha of the red color of the metaballs to zero, the output is just black.
I would expect the red color to be transparent with alpha=0, not to be black? Confusing.

Zoltán
Team Resolume
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Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2014 13:08
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Re: Background / Focus / Frame approach (alpha blending)

Post by Zoltán »

The Colored metaballs are rendered in front of the Background.
If you set the Color to transparent, then you'll see the background, which is black in your case.

Try setting the layer to Masking all below, and instead of Red Color in the metaballs, use White. An you don't need the auto mask in this case.
Software developer, Sound Engineer,
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p8guitar
Hasn't felt like this about software in a long time
Posts: 139
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2017 18:20

Re: Background / Focus / Frame approach (alpha blending)

Post by p8guitar »

ah, the mask all below approach is much better! thank you! :-)

Are there any other simple methods to create frames apart from the metaballs?

Maybe drawing some simple shapes (black/white) and animating them in Moho for example would give good results...

Zoltán
Team Resolume
Posts: 7088
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2014 13:08
Location: Székesfehérvár, Hungary

Re: Background / Focus / Frame approach (alpha blending)

Post by Zoltán »

You can also use videos in the masking layer indeed. But a Lines source with some mirror or kaleido, can also make for a nice mask.
Software developer, Sound Engineer,
Control Your show with ”Enter” - multiple Resolume servers at once - SMPTE/MTC column launch
try for free: http://programs.palffyzoltan.hu

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