Put them all together with a dash of virtual midi port, and you get this:
Or as Jeff describes it:
Whorld is a free, open-source, live visual synthesizer for sacred geometry. It uses math to create a seamless animation of mesmerizing psychedelic images. You can VJ with it, make unique digital artwork with it, or sit back and watch it like a screensaver. The WiiWhorld project makes it possible to control the Whorld visualizer with the Nintendo Wiimote.
Jeff Mission writes to say he’s been working on a new project that couples the Wii remote with generative visuals — all built in free software. Like it, but think it could go further? It’s free, so have a go (soon, at least). Jeff writes:
Chris Korda, developer of the open-source VJ softwares Whorld and FFRend, and I have been working on a project to control real-time, generative geometric visuals with the ever-popular Nintendo Wiimote. We dubbed the project WiiWhorld.
I am pleased to announce that the first proper WiiWhorld demo video is now available online:
Swirly colors, techno, dancing, and lots of smiling faces! Anyway, I think it does a decent job of capturing people having fun playing with our little digital toy.
The video was cobbled together from about 90 minutes of party footage shot a couple months ago. We set up our rig and invited people to play around, with a minimum of instruction. It was great fun to watch people play around, figure it out, and then teach new techniques to one another.
As for the project itself, it requires a Wiimote and a bluetooth-enabled computer. All the software involved (GlovePIE, Whorld, and FFRend) is 100% free, making this (we hope) a project that others can adopt and expand in the future, at minimal cost. We hope to publish more detailed information soon, so that others can try WiiWhorld for themselves.
Please give it a look, leave comments and ratings, and pass it on!
The project is apparently brand new — and Jeff says more web content and videos and documentation and such are all coming soon.
And yes, GlovePIE, Whorld, and FFRend are all free and open-source Windows apps. (And you thought Linux had all the fun.) beatfix (aka Jeff) suggested them and got our Windows free apps round-up going:
VDMX, the “realtime video studio” from the makers of Grid, semi-modular live visualist tool for Mac, and very possibly the “world’s most mature beta software”, continues to pack goodness into each new beta release. But the most recent addition, just now available as part of the primary public beta release, warms my heart. The latest beta adds support for OpenSoundControl or OSC, a protocol for communicating between computers, hardware, and software. With high-resolution data, an open-ended naming scheme, and network savvy, OSC is just plain better than MIDI at at least some tasks. But it’s suffered from a lack of documentation, a vague specification that’s a bit too open-ended and daunting to developers, and most of all, a lack of critical mass as far as tools. One small step at a time, that’s changing.
So far, the VDMX developers have tested their implementation with the multi-touch Lemur controller and inter-app data with Apple’s free Quartz Composer. But OSC is also supported in Processing, Max/MSP/Jitter, Pure Data, and free controller implementations for the Wii remote and Wacom tablet, among many other things. It’s also supported natively by the Monome controller, which is quite a lot cheaper than a Lemur. Want to pipe data from a Wacom into Quartz Composer? Sync data between a Mac running VDMX and a PC running vvvv? Something … uh … else that I haven’t thought of? Quite a lot is possible.
And an iPhone implementation could come next. (Or you can send OSC from iPhone right now, with MrMr.)
You can try this out in the beta that’s available now, though David Lublin from Vidvox warns us:
…there’s still more to do with OSC, currently no way to trigger files, it’s just control data, but the core functionality for sending and receiving is there, so we really just need to start building on top of that for whatever protocols there are to support
…the OSC support is still very much in it’s early stages.. it is there and stable, but we are barely scratching the surface of what we can do with it
Of course, that description could apply to OSC in general, which is why the two CDM’s (createdigitalmusic and createdigitalmotion) will be working over the course of 2008 to work with users and developers to share knowledge and get better implementations in everyone’s hands sooner. It’s something I hope to check in on while I’m at NAMM next week. Stay tuned.
Speaking of multi-touch OSC implementations, we hope to catch up with CyberPatrolUnit, who’s working on a VJ interface on Lemur, as pictured below. He’ll be bringing it to the CDM NAMM party, so if you’re in LA, come see us next Friday!
Musicians have thousands of years of history when it comes to interfaces and instruments, but visuals are relatively new. Little wonder, then, that visualists are eager to try new interfaces to help make visuals akin to performance instruments. Or, in less lofty terms, let’s get Wii remote wagging in the club tonight.
Over on createdigitalmusic.com, we’re celebrating Game Day — basically, I’m squeezing as many game-related posts into 24 hours, because a whole bunch of tips came in at once. A couple of Wii-related controller solutions jumped out.
Wii + Flash
MoteDaemon = Flash (and Flex, and AIR) + Wii, on Mac. On Windows, look to WiiFlash.org. (I imagine it wouldn’t be hard to modify your code to use one or the other on each respective platform if you want to develop cross-platformly.
Getting hardware control in Adobe Flash requires some work: basically, you need a client-server model. The good news is, there are already two Wii-specific solutions out there.
Pretty soon, people are cooking up Minority Report demos with Flash (using Papervision for 2.5D-style 3D in Flash’s 2D world, and Open Dynamics Engine for physics):
I’d loved to see this coupled with something like Onyx for an all-Wii, all-Flash performance app. With Flex and AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime), this could be the basis for some really hard-core, full-blown apps … though you will be limited by Flash’s slower performance, at least in comparison to C/C++-based tools like Max or even Java.
Looks like Linux users are presently out of luck, unless I’m missing something (feel free to chime in if you know a cross-platform alternative).
Wii + MIDI, OpenSoundControl (OSC)
For a more app-agnostic solution, you can hook up a Wii to send MIDI or, ideally, OpenSoundControl (OSC) to apps that support it (vvvv, Max, Pd, and hopefully VJ apps soon — I’ve heard a couple of developers working on it).
On Mac, you can send both OSC and MIDI with one app, perfectly-suited to taking data from the Wii controller: OSCulator. OSCulator is a great tool for the Wii, but it also shows promise of what a hardware input hub could generally look like, with open-ended inputs controlling visuals and sound rather than pre-defined, MIDI-style keyboards and knob and faderboxes as have traditionally been used in music.
On PC, GlovePIE is an awesomely-powerful scripting tool for use with Wii and other game devices. I’ve talked about it endlessly before, but I’ll stay quiet — just go. Get it. Enjoy. In fact, with OSCulator on Mac and GlovePIE on Windows, it’s hard not to be insanely happy on either platform.
Another interesting out-of-the-box alternative, though, is the new Wiinstrument. It’s largely geared for playing back drum samples, but it’s not hard to take that metaphor and use those control changes and other MIDI messages as visual controls — especially if you think of your “drum kit” as sets of visual clips (video or other visuals).
Adrien Mondot has posted a preview of his latest creation for OS X - eMotion. eMotion is an physically modeled, OpenGL powered particle engine enabled app that is Quartz Composer friendly, has an incredible text engine, and has Wii remote, wacom tablet, OSC and sudden motion sensor inputs to drive parameters. Watch the video to see for yourself, the text effects are quite amazing.
Unfortunately no public beta is currently available. You can check out Adriens other Quartz Composer and OpenGL related projects (with downloads and source) on his blog. Be sure to check out the “Simple Time Remap” application, it seems like the smoothest video scratching tool Ive come across.
eMotion looks to be an incredibly powerful and smooth addition to any VJ setup, especially with its Quartz Composer integration and text-savvy nature. This is one to keep an eye on. We’ll try and get you more details on eMotion, but for now you can lust after its mysterious ways and watch that video.
Hi, first of all I wanted to say I love the site and have been checking it daily for about a year now, as well as createdigitalmusic. I just came across a clip on youtube that really puts what I’ve seen of people abusing Wii remotes so far to shame. This seems to me to be the first case where it’s passed from the experimental to the creative-use phase. It’s freaking awesome and I’d love to know what software he’s using, perhaps a Max patch?
And the creator is none other than Daito Manabe, the awesome Japanese DJ who created the Turntable-Controlled Vibrating Chaise Longue using Ms. Pinky vinyl. (And, as I recall, he uses Pinky as a vinyl control scheme for VJing as well as music.)
It takes a turntablist to figure out clever ways of using the Wii remote that don’t reinvent the wheel. What I especially like about this is that the whole system becomes self-contained. It definitely pushes me to build a performance system around the Wii controller rather than the other way around. And he gets some nice, expressive controls in there, as well. Thanks to Lightbourne for this!
If you’re using the Wii remote for your live visuals, let us know how it’s going.
Wii Midi Control in Resolume with glovePIE: Full Instructions, Pictures and Settings Files -
I had hoped to have Wii Remote control over at least part of Resolume happening for my gig on Friday night, but didn’t have time to setup the various MIDI messages in glovePIE. If only I’d googled it first. Erm, so not an “I feel lucky” search, but the second result is this thread on the Resolume Forums in which VJNexus details his Wiimote Resolume control technique and shares his glovePIE script and Resolume MIDI preferences file (5th post from the bottom). Tasty!
antivj have cooked up a fantastic Wii-to-MIDI tutorial — and a very pretty feature image to go with it! (Nice!)
Much of the focus for the Wii controller has been on the music and VJ side, but they’re equally compelling as live visual controllers. Our friends at the uber-hip French visualist blog antivj have translated their slick Wii-to-MIDI tutorial into English, and added a video using Arkaos:
The instructions are PC-based; if you’re on the Mac, you’ll want to use wiitomidi. With Max/MSP/Jitter on Mac, try the superb aka.wiiremote external. I’d also really like to see an OpenSoundControl (OSC) application, which would be ideal for Flash and Processing. (Any ideas, anyone, on the best way to implement this? It’d be great if the core of the implementation could be cross-platform; you still need to do platform-specific stuff to talk to Bluetooth, as near as I can figure.)
What should be immediately apparent from the video, as well, is that there are many different ways of using the Wii remote in a visual patch. Here, scratching is linked to tilt; in a project I built, I used acceleration instead, with very different results. And a lot of what the results look like will depend on your visual style; I could see some great applications using interactive Processing animations, etc.
Jaymis has been working on using the Wii with Resolume on Windows; we should hear from him soon. I’ve been working with Jitter and VDMX on the Mac. And soon we should have Processing (here) and Reaktor (on cdmusic), as well.
Game consoles as visualist tools? Sign me up! Nintendo doesn’t make it easy, as usual, but it looks possible to turn the Wii and perhaps even the GameCube into homebrew gaming, interactive visual, and video devices. My Wii is now on its way, so I look forward to giving Flash a try. Best resource so far: the incomparable Mario Klingeman aka Quasimondo has a promising technique for getting control data out of the Wii controllers, which, really, is the whole point. A number of Flash developers are now making homebrew games for the Wii and Opera browser.
What about Processing and Java? The Wii Opera browser lacks a Java runtime, but many new Wii owners will have a basically useless GameCube console sitting around. That brings us to Gamecube Linux. So far, any embedded Java runtime must have been fully experimental, but there is some promise to make GameCubes into powerful video/multimedia machines on the cheap.
Anyone have other resources? (I’ll keep you posted.)
VJ Culture’s awe-inspiring rig. I’ll be toting one black MacBook, by contrast. I’ll try to make the set look like I’ve got more.
Some people at Macworld Expo assume “digital art” only means someone working in Photoshop. Thursday night of the show should give them a terrific introduction to live visuals, with plenty to appeal to advanced users, beginners, and eye candy lovers alike. The third annual Video Salon at Macworld will feature a lead visual programmer for Apple and creator of Apple’s free developer tool Quartz Composer, prominent VJ Grant David (VJ Culture), a book launch, an open jam, and, well, me. Grab a drink, a friend, and cozy up for some optical cocktails.
I’m proud to co-sponsor the event on behalf of Create Digital Motion. (Hey, that means if any of you show up, I may buy you a round. Particularly if I screw up during my bit!)
VIDEO SALON, SF
Jan. 11th 2007
7:30PM-12:30AM
Demos start at 8:00
Open VJ Jam starts at 10:00
150 Folsom St. (@ Spear)
San Francisco CA 94105 [Map]
If you’re in San Francisco, either as a resident or in town from Macworld, I hope to see you there. And definitely spread the word to anyone you know going to the expo. I’ll of course have full coverage here on CDM for all those who can’t make it.
Grant writes:
Quartz Composer demos by lead programmer/founder Pierre-Olivier Latour and graphic artist Alessandro Sabatelli.
Presentations by Peter Kirn on Jitter, v001, Flash and Nintendo Wii controller.
Grant Davis (VJ Culture) presents Motion2 and MIDI demo
Cheap drinks :-) Bring your laptops and unplug, free wireless. Plus, bring your media for jamming. We have a new format for this Video Salon. We will have formal presentations for the first two hours, and then open the floor to the traditional Video Salon style VJ Jam.
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2007-Mar-20@03:39
