Registered: Sep 2001
From: Ohio

I'm rather new to AVS and I've been wondering, is there any sort of simple explanation posted somewhere about Superscope? I've seen it used to great effect, but I have no idea how to get started on making my own. Suggestions?

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Registered: Aug 2001
From:

Hmm...
You know the syntax don't you?
= to assign a var to either
x, y, i, v, ect...
; ends a statement

x is the line on X, try writing " x=i-0.5; " in a superscope.
y is the vertical line, try changing " x=i-0.5; " to " y=i-0.5: ".
v is used to read the sound, try writing "x=i*2-1; y=v;" to get an example of this.
I is what creates the line, without it you'll just get a dot. try " x=0; " for an example.
to make a moving line use "x=sin(t)-i", in "frame" write "t=t+0.02", this will add 0.02 to "T" on each frame. sin/cos/others closes it into the box so it won't go out of it. I assume you know math here.
x and y both go from -1 to 1, where -1 on both is the top left corner and one is bottom right.
That's the basics for ya, try continuing on this yourself.


Linus

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Registered: Jun 2001
From:

I found Linus' explanation to be a bit unclear so here's my way of explaining the superscope:

A superscope is basically a renderer that draws either dots, or the lines between these dots. You have to write code that, at the end, outputs a set of x,y coordinates for each point to be drawn. X ranges from -1 to 1 and is the horizontal coordinate, Y ranges from -1 to 1 and is the vertical coordinate. Some examples:

(0,0) - the center of the AVS screen
(-1,-1) - the top-left of the AVS screen
(0,1) - the center of the bottom border of the AVS screen
(0.8,0.9) - a point near the bottom right

The variable n is used to set the number of points to calculate each frame. Higher n means slower presets, so don't use huge numbers if it's not needed.

The variable i is different for each point and is a percentage that tells you which point you're drawing. For example:
- first point: i=0 (0%)
- last point: i=1 (100%)
- the 50th point of a 150 point superscope: i=0.33333... (33%)

The variable v is also different for each point and contains the current sound value for this point (either oscilloscope- or spectrumdata, depending on your choice).

If you click the 'help' button, you'll see all the functions you can use. Experiment with them if you don't know what they do exactly.

So now we'll make a basic superscope:
Init: n=300;t=0;tpi=acos(-1)*2;
Beat: t=t+rand(200)/50
Frame: t=t-0.05;rad=sin(t)/2+0.5
Point: x=cos(i*tpi)*(rad+v/5);y=sin(i*tpi)*(rad+v/5)

This will seem very complex at first, but let's look at it step by step:

Init - First we set n to 300, so that the superscope draws 300 different points. We also set the variable t to 0. Then, we set the variable tpi to twice the arc-cosine of -1. If you do the math, that means 2 times Pi (6.28....). Don't worry, it's just a trick to prevent you from having to type the number pi yourself, which is a useful number.

On Beat - Every beat, the variable t will be increased by a random integer number from 0-200, divided by 50. So that means a random decimal number from 0.00 to 4.00.

Per Frame - Every frame we decrease the t value slightly. We also calculate rad by taking the sine of t and scaling it a bit. If you know that a sine is a repetive wave-shape and that t is decreased slightly each frame, then you'll understand that the rad value will slowly pulse from 0 to 1 and back, except every beat. Then t gets modified drastically and the rad value jumps.

Per Point - Here we do the actual points. In our equation x and y are coordinates of a point on a circle. The circle has radius rad plus the current sound-value divided by 5. To make sure we traverse a full circle, we multiply i (range 0-1) with 2 times pi, so we get a range of 0-6.28...

Now you have a superscope that draws a spectrum or oscilloscope circle with a jumpy radius.

Another aspect of the superscope is colour. You can either use the (boring) color selector at the bottom, or you can write your own equations for the variables red, green and blue. They range from 0-1 and contain the value for their color. Let's spice up our superscope by adding this to the "on beat" equation:

cr=rand(100)/100;cg=rand(100)/100;cb=rand(100)/100;

And this to "per frame":

red=cr;green=cg;blue=cb;

What's going on here? Every beat we set cr, cg and cb to a random value in the range 0-1. Every frame, we assign these three to red, green and blue. Couldn't we just assign them directly 'on beat'? Nope... AVS resets them every frame with the color defined by the color-selector at the bottom.

So there you have your own groovy, color-changing superscope. It looks neat if you remove the t-changing on beat and combine it with a Trans / Water filter.

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Registered: Jul 2001
From: Montreal, Canada

That was absolutely magnificent. Thanks!

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Registered: Feb 2001
From: i dont get out much so i dont remember

...didnt any of the stuff i sent u help any?

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Registered: Jul 2001
From: Montreal, Canada

But you hafta admit,

Unconed was just alittle more detailed..

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Registered: Sep 2001
From: Ohio

Thanks for the help guys. Though i guesss this means more work for me.

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Registered: Aug 2001
From: Channahon

I posting this reply so people can read Unconed's explaination of scopes....


NoSage|Jason

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Registered: Jan 2004
From: Australia

Just wondering, is it possible to specify the exact coordinates for each dot (so you could create images and shapes out of dots)?

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Registered: Aug 2002
From: Holland

yes, it is possible but a whole lot of work, especially(sp) when using 3D scopes.. here's an example that siddharta_one gave me once, but try to get Deamon's newest pack (hypernation) too, it has a 3D rendered cross..

Attachment: sidd - square.zip
This has been downloaded 474 time(s).

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Registered: Jan 2004
From: Australia

OK, had a look at both the box example and Deamon's cross. It's for the Christian vis thing, so both of them help.

EDIT: I'm still unsure of how to determine the coordinates for each pixel, if ayone can help by creating a vis with just 2 pixels in different postitions, it would be much appreciated.

Last edited by Braininator on 01-12-2004 at 11:59 AM

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Registered: May 2003
From: Fnord?!

It's easy to do. All you have to is use a custom point count then use equal( to set the locations.
In Init

code:

Xloc1=-.5;//sets the X coordinate of our first point to -.5
Xloc2=.5;//sets the X coordinate of our second point to .5
Yloc1=-.5;//sets the Y coordinate of our first  point to -.5
Yloc2=.5;//sets the Y coordinate of our second point to .5

code:

p=0;//reset perpoint counter to 0

code:

p=p+1;//adds one to out perpoimt counter for every point being drawn
x=equal(p,1)*Yloc1+equal(p,2)*sloc2;//When P equals 1, sets the X coordinate to our Xloc1, and when P equals 2, sets our X coordinate to our Xloc2
y=equal(p,1)*Yloc1+equal(p,2)*Xloc2;//When P equals 1, set our Y coordinate to our Yloc1, and when P equals 2, sets our Y coordinate to our Yloc

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Registered: Nov 2002
From: Arnhem, the Netherlands

Somewhat simpler (but the theory is the same):

code:

per frame:

p=0; (this is to reset the counter p you use for each point)

per point:

p=p+1; (meaning for every point p is increased by one).
x=0.1*equal(p,1)-0.5*equal(p,2);
y=0.4*equal(p,1)-0.35*equal(p,2);

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Registered: Jan 2003
From: Estonia.

Anyways... its easy to store points to megabuf(), like tell a scope run only once. wile doing it, store points to gmegabuf() and every other frame just load the points from buffer.
Im too lazy to write an example now :P

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Registered: Jan 2004
From: Australia

Thanks for the help.

EDIT: S-uper_T-oast, your code has a few mistakes in it, but I got the general idea. Thanks.

EDIT 2: Still having trouble. I'm trying to get a line from the center of the screen to the top-right corner, but I keep getting a line from the center straight down. My code:
In Init

code:

Xloc1=0;   //sets the X coordinate of our first point
Yloc1=1;   //sets the Y coordinate of our first point
Xloc2=0;   //sets the X coordinate of our second point
Yloc2=1;   //sets the Y coordinate of our second point

code:

p=0;  //reset perpoint counter to 0

code:

p=p+1;  //adds one to out perpoint counter for every point being drawn
x=equal(p,1)*Xloc1+equal(p,2)*Xloc2;  //When P equals 1, sets the X coordinate to our Xloc1, and when P equals 2, sets our X coordinate to our Xloc2
y=equal(p,1)*Yloc1+equal(p,2)*Yloc2;  //When P equals 1, set our Y coordinate to our Yloc1, and when P equals 2, sets our Y coordinate to our Yloc2

Last edited by Braininator on 01-13-2004 at 06:51 AM

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Registered: Aug 2002
From: Holland

Set n to the exact number of points, or else AVS sets all other numbers to 0

Edit: Instead of using Xloc1, Yloc2 and stuff, you can also use the numbers directly, since you'll only need them once
simplest example:

code:

---init----
n=1
---frame---
p=0
---pixel---
p=p+1;
x=equal(p,1)*.5;
y=equal(p,1)*-.25

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Registered: Nov 2002
From: Arnhem, the Netherlands

You forgot to change the X coord, Braininator. Try:

code:

Per frame:
p=0;

per point:

p=p+1;
x=0*equal(p,1)+1*equal(p,2);
y=0*equal(p,1)-1*equal(p,2);

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Registered: Aug 2002
From: Holland

The y starting at -1 instead of 1 is quite simple to understand: A PC 'thinks' from the upper left of the screen to the lower right. It's more that we as humans are strange, by starting at a high number and lowering our way down along the Y-axis

And I don't think it has something to do with the X-coörds

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Registered: Jan 2003
From: Estonia.

Deamon here ya go:

note that bla is set to 0 in end of frame, so that all loops will be run only 1 time after loading the preset

Attachment: random points.zip
This has been downloaded 359 time(s).

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Phi = (1+sqrt(5))/2

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Registered: Jan 2004
From: Australia

quote:

---

Originally posted by Deamon
You forgot to change the X coord, Braininator.

I have used a minus in the Y coords because AVS has the Y coords from top to down from -1 to 1 for some strange reason.

---

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Registered: Aug 2002
From: Holland

@Jaak

...And here is where coding becomes programming
-Guess what? I love it!!!

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Registered: Jun 2001
From:

By the way if you want to interrupt your shape somewhere, use:

skip=equal(p,4)+equal(p,6);

This will hide the 4th and 6th line segment (or 3rd and 5th, depending on how your counter works).

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Registered: Jan 2004
From: Australia

First bit of success!

Basically, the variables thing means you could set up a template for creating images in the superscope. All you'd need to do is create a number of different points (20 perhaps), set their coordinates to 0, then when wanting to create a new image just change the amount of points required and change their coordinates. So simple now!

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Registered: Nov 2002
From: Arnhem, the Netherlands

Another way of using p2p scoping (point-to-point, which is what you're doing now...) is to let AVS figure out the coords instead of giving them. Here's a nice example I just made. I'm quite proud of it . Take a good look at the Texer II code. Don't bother the 3D stuff around it, the part that matters is:

code:

init
pd=0.4                          //Distance between points

Per frame
xp=-1;                          //starting positions every frame
yp=-1;

Per point
xp=xp+pd;                       //gridforming
yp=if(above(xp,1),yp+pd,yp);

xp=if(above(xp,1),-1,xp);       //grid reset if N is set too high
yp=if(above(yp,1),-1,yp);

It took me some time to figure this out, though it's quite simple now I've got it. I was playing with extra counters first, but after some puzzling, I realised I didn't need any. Let's see if you can figure out what's happening yourself, it's better that way than if I say it right now .

Other dudes around here, tell me what you think. Me personally likes it a lot.

[edit]
Read the comment for code explanation
[/edit]

Attachment: deamon - dreaming of boxes.zip
This has been downloaded 405 time(s).

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Registered: Jan 2004
From: Australia

Next job with my stuff, trying to get points to change on beat.

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Registered: Jun 2001
From: Cydonia, Mars

by the by, next time please don't revive three year old threads....

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Registered: Nov 2002
From: Arnhem, the Netherlands

lol, I didn't even notice that

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Registered: Jan 2004
From: Australia

Neither did I, sorry about that!

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Registered: Aug 2002
From: a twist in the fabric of space

quote:

---

Originally posted by Atero
by the by, next time please don't revive three year old threads....

---

rofl.

i think that i too have been guilty of this once so thats all i'll say right there. it is strange how old threads get resurrected.. i think its probably the result of the search feature being used then replying to a post without thinking. or do people really search through page after page of winamp forum archives by hand (mouse i suppose)?

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Registered: Nov 2002
From: Arnhem, the Netherlands

of course it's the search option, no-one would read about 50 pages of forum topics if maybe their question is already answered. Certainly not new people.

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Registered: Jan 2004
From: Australia

So we're expected to search for a thread relevant to our problem, but if it's three years old we can't reply to it. Weird.

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Registered: Sep 2003
From: Australia

I've been making some avs' with the presets and eventually found it well, boring, so I want to learn how to make Superscopes...
All I need to know is a few basic formulas to get me started. Could someone post some Superscope "codes" for:
Circle, Triangle, Square, Star, Sphere, Cube, Prism???
I can understand the x,y,i,v just not quite the sin(cos(tan( to it.

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Registered: Jun 2001
From:

quote:

---

So we're expected to search for a thread relevant to our problem, but if it's three years old we can't reply to it. Weird.

---

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Registered: Sep 2003
From: Australia

Where's the FAQ on superscopes? (this is it isn't it?)

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Registered: Feb 2002
From: home

There isn't one, but there are several threads which discuss superscope maths which are linked to in the AVS FAQ at the top of the main AVS forum.

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Registered: Jan 2005
From: Stuck in PA

now, i may be mistaken, but instead of going through all that to make a line from the center to the upper-left, could you just put:

init:
n=50;x=0;y=0

point:
x=x+i
y=y-i


I havent tried it, but judging from what i know, that should work.

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Registered: Dec 2003
From: Hungary

quote:

---

Originally posted by martyexodus

I havent tried it, but judging from what i know, that should work.

---

code:

"init"
n=10

"per pixel"
x=-i;
y=-i;

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Registered: Jun 2004
From: Australia,

umm someone wanna deploy a ACTUAL SSC HELP GUIDE?! (ffs not hard enough?)

quote:

---

Superscope tutorial goes here
But for now, here is the old text:
You can specify expressions that run on Init, Frame, and on Beat.
'n' specifies the number of points to render (set this in Init, Beat, or Frame).
For the 'Per Point' expression (which happens 'n' times per frame), use:
'x' and 'y' are the coordinates to draw to (-1..1)
'i' is the position of the scope (0..1)
'v' is the value at that point (-1..1).
'b' is 1 if beat, 0 if not.
'red', 'green' and 'blue' are all (0..1) and can be modified
'linesize' can be set from 1.0 to 255.0
'skip' can be set to >0 to skip drawing the current item
'drawmode' can be set to > 0 for lines, <= 0 for points
'w' and 'h' are the width and height of the screen, in pixels.
Anybody want to send me better text to put here? Please

---

umm how's this supposed to help?! ?

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Registered: Dec 2003
From: Hungary

actually, if you do know some english and posess some logic, you may fully understand that quoted help. and besides, somehow all avs artists before today and some even today understand it. because it is simple! you just have to think!

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Registered: May 2003
From: Fnord?!

hboy pwnd joo

I learned superscopes all by myself back when I was in 6th grade. I had no fourms, no online help, it was just me and the code, and I conquered it. Do it yourself.


bunny

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