Additional capability for flashers?

[DaddyHoggy]

Perhaps something for the devs to think about...

Would it be possible to define flashers not just to have their standard sine wave change in intensity, but to also define a 2nd "Carrier Wave" frequency that wasn't necessarily a sine wave but could also be a square wave or a saw tooth.

This way, you could set the flasher frequency as you would now, but by defining a 2nd wave form frequency, start time and type you could have more interesting flasher pattern(s).

If this 2nd waveform wasn't defined you'd just get default/current flasher behaviour.

(Following a gritter lorry yesterday I noticed that it's two lights on the back alternated flashing (side to side flashing) at about 1 Hz but when on the lights themselves flashed at about 10Hz)

I just thought we could have some very clever running light sequences if this change could be made.

<shrugs>

[JensAyton]

(Following a gritter lorry yesterday I noticed that it's two lights on the back alternated flashing (side to side flashing) at about 1 Hz but when on the lights themselves flashed at about 10Hz)

If I’m understanding you correctly, that sort of pattern is achieved by slightly different frequencies in the two lights (e.g. 10 Hz and 10.5 Hz). If two waves were involved, the base frequency would be the same but the peak intensity would vary between cycles.

That said, simulating a complete Moog synth to run the flashers would be kinda fun, but not before MNSR. :-)

[Frame]

I second this.. during the design of the polaris, I only could have the flashers on and off for the same amount of time, while what I wanted was a long pause and then two brief explosions of light.

Impossible with the current flasher settings..

[Kaks]

On a possibly positive note, you can now have flashers with more than one colour, as can be seen on the witchpoint buoys in trunk.

An orange-orange-red sequence (not quite sure what colours you're using, actually) might well get you closer to the effect you describe...

[JensAyton]

Actually, if we removed the “bright colours” restriction you could have a white, white, black, black , black , black , black , black pattern.

[Eric Walch]

..what I wanted was a long pause and then two brief explosions of light.

Impossible with the current flasher settings..

Not quite true for 1.74 as Kaks mentioned. For ups I already created an docking bay with flashers that give a short burst and than a longer pause. I used the multi colour option but than the second and third colour as no intensity.

Code: Select all

			{
				type = "flasher";
				position = (0, 92, 475);
				colors = ({ hue = 60; }, { hue = 60; brightness = 0.0; }, { hue = 60; brightness = 0.0; });
				frequency = 1;
				phase = -0.5;
				size = 12;
			},

Works great. I actually only use two colours but should work with much more.

[DaddyHoggy]

Interesting revelations!

Current (or at least 1.74+): Still, not quite what I was after, but much better than I suspected!

Cheers guys.

[Frame]

..what I wanted was a long pause and then two brief explosions of light.

Impossible with the current flasher settings..

Not quite true for 1.74 as Kaks mentioned. For ups I already created an docking bay with flashers that give a short burst and than a longer pause. I used the multi colour option but than the second and third colour as no intensity.

Code: Select all

			{
				type = "flasher";
				position = (0, 92, 475);
				colors = ({ hue = 60; }, { hue = 60; brightness = 0.0; }, { hue = 60; brightness = 0.0; });
				frequency = 1;
				phase = -0.5;
				size = 12;
			},

Works great. I actually only use two colours but should work with much more.

Thanks,, hard to keep up with all the changes... :S... but thanks again.. multi color flashers with a brightness set at 0 ... nice...

[Thargoid]

You can also get some "interesting" effects by putting multiple flashers at the same spot and giving them different colours and/or frequencies. Won't do some of the things mentioned (like Frame's long-off then briefly-on) but can get some quite psychadelic effects, like the one I used in the jump gates for example.