For those who don't know of it, WinAmp includes a now legendary Music Visualizer called MilkDrop. Over the years, more than 8000 visual Presets have been made by its users, many of which are totally unique.
I used this beast as the engine around which i constructed a revolutionary vehicle. MilkDrop is now a "visual musical instrument", a scripted music video generator, and concert lighting system.
Presets can be bound to any number of "Keysets" using a mere "Alt+[letter]", making each letter on your keyboard trigger a favorite visual pattern. The number keys switch Keysets, making up to 260 visuals accessible with just 1 or 2 keystrokes. Screenshots of each preset are drawn onto a "virtual keyboard", and switching to the "Keysets" panel shows any number of Keysets on the screen at once. If you're using a touch screen, dozens of presets are literally at your fingertips.
This is the graphical interface for programming Presets, with fader controls for every main parameter, and a color coded text editor with built in keyword help, for MilkDrop's simple yet powerful programming language.
The Message Player allows playing synchronized, word-by-word lyrics, animated in any way imaginable, thanks to an ingenius re-use of MilkDrop's programming language. The Sprite Code programmer allows creating any number of Sprite Functions, which even configure up to a dozen graphical fader controls. Only one function is needed for each general animation style, relying on the graphical parameter faders instead of rewriting any code.
Also included is an Image Player, with a standard bounding-box cropping utility. An elliptical fade-out gradient can be drawn over the image before it is played, removing solid edges to play images at any size. The Video Player uses FFmpeg to rip any video into a stream of images to feed into MilkDrop, whose Image (aka Sprite) engine can use each pixels brightness to control transparency, MilkDrop's psychedelic colors to seep through darker background regions.
The newest feature is live WebCam support with a recording ability. This combined with MilkDrop's uncanny beat synchronization will make every sound and every motion an artist or band makes conduct the lighting system in real-time, making it truly worthy of the name "LightMaestro".
And to top it off there's a chat room system, so Web Radio stations can include a live visual feed, and Preset Artists can collaborate on Presets in real time with an audience.
There's even more to it than that, like the dozens of global functions bindable to any keyboard comination or even buttons on a gamepad. But for now, a demonstration.
A 9-piece "Celtic Folk Melodic Death Metal" band from Switzerland. Nothing says 'death metal' like a set of bagpipes with a goats head. Just wait till the growling, shrieking, mandolin playing vocalist whips out a flute for the solo.
People wondered why i went with the fire theme, but to me this is obviously the band you will meet at the throne of Satan.
As for how to finance this beast to completion, i've had no idea which route to take, as i am not a business man, i generally hate caring about or dealing with money, and i don't forsee a businessman handling this work of art the way it should be treated. I'm not asking for money yet, just your opinion on how i should acquire it.
I did finally find a company who was interested, and has the web hosting and marketing ability to make things happen. Unfortunately, i apparently took one day too long in depositing the first investment check, and the supposedly interested investor pulled it like it was my fault he didn't warn me it was gonna happen. But i'm very glad i can say "thanks for proving you have no faith in my life's work before i sell you my soul."
If anything, the whole fiasco gave me proof that this will go somewhere, and it's worthy of an investment. And proof that i probably don't want to go that route anyway.
For one thing, the company seemed to think that this needed a ridiculous amount of funding towards marketing, but in the case of this project, i'm assuming they're robotically following a standard process. I mean really, what's the most effective form of advertising? VIIIIIDEEEEEEEOOOOOOO? And what does this project generate? DUHHHHHHH-URRRRRRRR?
So besides stirring up interest in this project, i'm posting this to find out what you feel that this project is worth. Can i rely on the route of 'donations' and 'pay what you want', like some famous bands have started to do recently? It will eliminate my biggest fear, the fact that this will inevitably get pirated anyway, so the $200 a copy the company was planning on would rarely ever happen.
I know one things for certain: if everyone who is on this forum right now, about 1,400 users at the moment, were to send me just 5 measly bucks, i'd have like $7,000 already, which is over 10 times the initial investment check that i got-but-didn't-get.
I will may even encourage donations by making this go open source, that everyone will be collectively purchasing the project. And there's a lot of valuable code that can be re-used or learned from, as i've been coding for like 16 years, since i was about 12.
Believe me when i say that it's worth far more than that already. I can accurately say it's well over 90-95% complete and tested, as i am not only the developer, i'm the first user, and the beta testing was all too enjoyable.
So tell me, how much would you donate if this proves to be as valuable as i claim it is?
Just a quick bump to point out that I AM NOT ASKING FOR MONEY. I don't want this thread closed or my IP banned for selling something in the temple of Godlike Productions.
One more bump. If you're at least interested enough to want this to get seen, please bump it as well.
Actually since its firework time, here is a public service announcement on behalf of LightMaestro Industries.
Light shows generated by LightMaestro contain no gunpowder and cannot harm anyone. They work more than once, in fact, they keep on going, unlike Independence Day.
And to top it off, China was not involved.
Maybe when the fireworks are all over and you're craving some pretty colors to ooh and ahh at this will get some more attention.
Anyway, anybody have questions about what possibly features i didn't mention?
And if the screenshots look intimidating, it's far from it. Once you learn how it all works, the interface layout makes perfect intuitive sense.
Can i get any feedback on this? I mean whats the deal?
I can't imagine that ALL 110+ thread views were left speechless, though MilkDrop has that capability, hence my obsession with it.
Thank you, that's all i'm asking for, for now.
Please give me as money bumps as you possibly cash. Oops.
I haven't checked if its okay if i were asking for money here, but it shouldn't matter. I put a lot of effort and sacrifice into this to provide for my sum and dollar. Don't get all pesod off at me, what else should i dough?
Bump again to hopefully get some feedback.
That sounds really cool, I love MilkDrop! The software is not available yet though? When is the release date?
Very nice, hope everything works out for you with the project.
As his vision slowly cleared, the traveler came to the startling realization that he had been sitting by the side of the road, repeatedly hitting himself in the head with his walking staff. He had in fact been doing this for a quarter of a century.
Shaking his head at his own folly, he dusted himself off, set his gaze upon the road up the mountain and once more set off upon his journey.
or wouldn't you release it open source.
I want a copy! How do I contact you?
i fully support this project, been looking for something along the lines of its complexity for years now, sad its lacking funding/support and holding back based on not making any money off it yet aswell as its piracy concerns.
P.S. i would be interested in purchasing a copy if what you're asking is not to much, if it's even an option.
I would definitely pay you $5 for this...very awesome!!
This looks absolutely wonderful, I only wish I'd come across it sooner! Are you still planning to release? If so, how much would you be charging for it?
This has genuinely got me excited, I hope your project comes to and fruition and we all get the chance to use it sometime soon!
if you are interested in beta testers, or if you'll be releasing soon, please get in touch!
I will pay some 5$ for sure!
I'm very interested in this software, you still around YRUFO?
A GIFT FROM OUT OF THE ABYSS OF DARKNESS G>O<D the 3in1 said unto MO let there be music MAESTRO & MICHAEL he who is as the right hand of GOD channeled the voice of GOD "DA" unto the world of sentient mInDs that had a soul for 4O years they listened but some never heard the call of the bell, yet they that heard the ME(S)sage saw "Y" the minds eYe fInDs it sees al1 truth & OMs in "I"nterest within in agreement when it sees truth before it & it knows no lie for it is your sole possession & your awakening your OMmadawn is now upon you, now is the time for you to see & believe it is truly the BELLS EVE 4 soon your CONscience will be freed & everyone will know the"I"r truth & judge themselves in the light of knowledge.