iPhone Development #4 – ‘Zio’

Well I’ve got my ‘fog’ shading added to the system at last.  It runs pretty well and I’m pleased with it, it’s what gives it a lot of atmosphere and mood.   My webcam doesn’t do it justice in this video, it’s showing the shading very dark and mostly black at times, but is actually much clearer and  balanced in reality.

I’ve also got the double layers working.  The foreground layer has the black dots, the background layer has the white ones.  Everything is still running smoothly enough at 20 fps.  In this video, it is at half the speed from the previous demos, to fit with more ambient music tempo.  I’ll have the option in the settings to adjust between fast/slow.

Next up in development will be the particles (dots) detaching form the stems and floating/swimming about.

This will then cover the basic principles I’ve established for myself with generative animation, i.e.

- continuous growth  (vines)

- dual background/foreground dynamic

- light/shadow (fog shading)

- particle motion to counter growth motion (with particle trails drawn)

- rhythmic camera sway between close up and long shot.

It’s these concepts, if ‘nailed’, will allow endless generative animation, yet maintaining visual interest, surprise, non repetition, artistic sensibility, spatial and temporal variety, and a subtle sense of narrative and purpose.  In short, something which seems alive and creating it’s own world, endlessly.

The music in this demo is my own, and I’m considering ‘shipping’ it with the final app when it’s finished, you can of course disable this and play anything from your Ipod.

Also to be added are the interactive features, moving around, zooming in/out, and shaking the phone will randomise the colour scheme and growth features.

I think I’m about 66% of the way there now.

Live Footage of Peter Gabriel Concert Visuals

Here’s some footage, filmed by fans with mobile phones, of Peter Gabriel’s recent South American tour.  I prodcued the animated visuals for the song ‘No Self Control’  - a combination of my work done in Processing and clips from some of my earlier animated films.

The audio/video quality isn’t great, but you can make out enough detail and colour.  There is a running theme of insects, growing vines, pulsating nerve networks and chaotic butterflies.