Bomb v1.30 June 8, 2003 organic visual music http://draves.org/bomb scroll down with arrow/page keys >>>>> table of contents <<<<< basic operation keyboard commands more commands other organs color controls image library sound input >>>>> basic operation <<<<< If you run Bomb and leave it alone (ie don't touch the keyboard), it will go into automatic mode (automode). Select an audio source with the regular windows control panel, relax, and enjoy. Use Control-C or ESC to exit. A collection of about 20 parameters control how the image on the screen changes. Each parameter set defines a particular texture, shape, or effect. As long as the parameters remain unchanged the same basic visual pattern will evolve on screen. In automode the parameters are occasionally varied at random. Bomb starts out with roughly the same parameters every time: a boiling texture dissolving the title page. If you wait, the parameters will change and new effects will appear. >>>>> keyboard commands <<<<< It's also possible to change the parameters manually with the keyboard. The space bar randomizes all parameters and clears the screen. It can be used as a 'reject button': if Bomb is doing something stupid, hit the space bar and a new (and hopefully better) effect will appear. This is the crudest possible control. The rest of the keys are mapped to commands that adjust the various parameters. The normal layout is described below. Access to the easier-to-remember 'mood organ' mappings follow. The middle row of keys (asdfghjkl;') changes the rule. The rule controls the basic algorithm used by the effect. Variants of a rule can be accessed by pressing the same key repeatedly (try hitting 'f' or 'g' several times). Here are the keys, rules, and the number of variations: a rug 3 s image rug 1 d react/diffuse 2 f rotor/flame 9 g acidlife 2 h multi rug 1 j anneal rug 2 k slip 1 l rug rug 1 ; brain rug 1 ' fish/slugs 2 A static 1 F fuse 4 G quad 1 The lower row of keys (zxcvbn) randomize individual parameters for finer control: z change speed/texture x fill screen c change color v next shape b next shape II n toggle rhythm/sound m next shape III v is context sensitive, think of it as getting the 'next shape'. Eg in image rule it loads a new image, in rotor rule it picks a new harmony or flame, in the brain it changes the excitation rules. b is a variant of v, be sure to try it with the brain. Use m and b with react/diffuse. m in image mode uses the image sequences. The top row selects an individual parameter to vary. After the parameter is selected, the ,. keys (unshifted <>) move the value up and down. Eg while in image rule try pressing r, then several commas. You can also type a number followed by RETURN to enter a specific value, or repeatedly hit the parameter key to increment/toggle the value (try uuuu). q color map w beat size e beat speed r texture/speed t # icons in window y icon sequence u toggle smooth color i texture/mask -- unusable o misc p blit rect size [ speed of shape change ] speed of driver rule \ assoc search time { hot time } cool time | brain rule P brain shift O cycle bkg (in rug2) I smooth/random underflow >>>>> more commands <<<<< B fade to black Q enter automode 0 (zero) disable automode L toggle mode lock = dump frame to dribble dir + toggle periodic dribble Z new image and clear screen WER pulse colormap C invert driver / load driver D permute colormap by rotating bits S toggle smooth/plain cmap J double board horiz H double board vert ^F toggle display frame rate and levels >>>>> other organs <<<<< The above keyboard commands allow exploration of Bomb's entire parameter space, but by using clumsy random-walking and type-a-number interfaces. Keyboard mappings called 'organs' allow you to (eg) map a single parameter across the whole keyboard. in these modes the space bar and exit-program commands still function, but all the other keys (including shift and control combinations) are mapped to the parameter. the basic organs are 1 standard 2 mood 3 shape 4 color [[ currently the digits 1-4 have been hijacked and are bound to change the organ rather than type-in-numbers ]] Bomb starts out with the standard organ described above. The shape organ drives with different images. The color organ picks the colormap (even keys produce smooth/looped colors; odd keys produce plain colormaps). The mood organ binds entire parameter sets to individual keys (only a-n so far). The n key toggles use of audio, if available and applicable. >>>>> color controls <<<<< Hit the q key repeatedly to change the color palette. Use the S key to change the interpretation of the palette. There are three interpretations: smooth, semi-smooth, and rough. The c key sets a new and random palette and interpretation, and may also set a special palette such as grayscale or heat. The B key fades to black. Or use the color-organ: press 4 then press any other key. Press 1 to end color selection with the organ. >>>>> image library <<<<< Image mode (on the s key) and Fuse mode (on the F key) display images that are read from files. Normally you switch which image is displayed with the vbZm keys. The images are stored in a directory named 'suck' in gif and ppm format. Bomb just uses whatever images are found in that directory so it should be easy to use your own. The images are also related to each other visually and symbolically. The file 'seq-data' specifies sequences of images by name. >>>>> sound input <<<<< Bomb opens the default audio input device. The regular Windows "Sounds and Multimedia" control panel has a "Sound Recording" panel where the device can be set to the microphone, CD-audio, line-in, or line-out (depending on your hardware and operating system). You should set the recording level on the high side because Bomb has its own level control. The up and down arrow keys adjust the audio levels while Bomb is running (they scroll while the help file is displayed). Use Control-F to display the audio level, the peak level, the bias leval (the ambient sound level) and the frame rate (from left to right). Peaks of 30 to 70 are usually fine. >>>>> the end <<<<<