The image above is a frame capture from a MSG based procedural animation. A single MSG preset was run in loop action mode to generate the animation output. I opened a movie stream before starting the loop action run of the MSG preset, so each cycle of the loop action processing was output as a sequential movie frame into the open movie stream. The MSG preset processes a single source image. The dynamic patterning animation over time is procedurally generated from multiple temporal generators attached to editable parameters in the MSG preset.
The MSG preset I used for generating the procedural animation is shown below. The screen snap of the MSG Advanced Editor shows the editable parameters associated with the selected 3CReflectTrans3 processor.
The MSG preset processes a source image and generates a very abstract symmetry patterning derived from the both the source image and an Angular Gradient generative processor. The 2nd,3rd, and 4th MSG processors in the processor chain list (left side above) work to build the symmetrical patterning effect. The last ICompressor1_C processor boosts the final output contrast of the effect.
A large number of different temporal generators are attached to editable parameters for most of the processors associated with this particular MSG preset. The time based procedural modulation generated by these temporal generators is responsible for the dynamic movement seen when the preset is run in loop action.
This MSG preset is an edited version of a custom preset sent in by a Studio Artist user (thanks Thorrific). I modified this original MSG user preset by editing it’s IO connections to be more technically correct, adding an additional processor, and then working with directed evolution in the Evolution Editor to get the final desired effect. I also did some manual editing of parameters to insure the patterning maintained center symmetry (note the 50% values for H Center % and V Center % in the last 3CReflectTrans3 processor).
The MSG preset shown above is available 6-13-.msg You can examine this MSG preset in the MSG Advanced Editor to get a feel for how it’s IO (input-output) connections are hooked up, as well as examine the many different temporal generators attached to different editable processor parameters. By using the Evolution Editor, you can create mutated variants of this original preset to generate custom patterning animations.
The resulting animation generated from running it in loop action mode is available here.
The animation was made by processing a single static source image. I could have used a source movie file as an alternative source if I wanted even more variability in the final output animation.
To generate the animation, I first used the File : Stream : New Movie Stream menu command to open a new movie stream. I also turned on the Enable Write on Op End Stream menu flag to insure that a single frame was output to the open movie stream for each cycle of the MSG loop action processing. I then shift clicked the Action button to start loop action and let the MSG preset run for multiple loop cycles. To stop the loop action processing, I pressed the space bar. I then closed the open movie stream (File : Stream : Close Open Stream menu command).
