Well... i started pre-programming a new show... actually i dont have any complain about the fixture files... until now... its for me a pain to remake all the fixture i going to use for my next show for some reasons...
The fixture profile its good for programming using the real fixtures, but using 3DVIEW i need to do many fixes because:
1.- Colors cant be displayed in 3DVIEW... Ok, i fixed some fixtures...
2.- Strobe doesnt work in 3DVIEW... fixed to
and the most painful thing
3.- Incorrect gobo files, and its very confusing searching the correct gobo... ok... i can fix them too...
Yes, yes, yes, i know... FIX AAAAAAAAAAALL THE FIXTURES for correct display trough 3DVIEW (and more easy pre-programming) its a BIG BIG BIG VERY BIG job... and needs a lot of time... but for my part... i'll upload some fixed fixtures with correct gobos, correct colors, and many corrections for good display in 3DVIEW.
I just use 3D numbers and I know my gobos by number. Also whenever I edit fixture profiles I include a gobo description that makes sense to me.
Strobes? 3D and IRL are vastly different. I just run thru a fixture in the shop, or on site, and figure out 3 relatively slow strobes, 3 medium strobes, 3 fast strobes, and the fastest strobe level. Once I know those values, I can make do. So long as 3D is showing the light is strobing when I am checking programming, I'm good.
Colours? As long as it is not a split colour, or coloured gobo?
Ultimately when I am working Live and making Macros, I have the pages up of features that do not show in 3D so I can constantly confirm the fixtures will do what I want.
Well maybe u are working with the same fixtures all the time, but in my case, every show is differente, with different fixtures, and a lot of my work its pre-programming and only few rehasals with the real fixures and my problem its because i need to save time doing adjusments and have all my fixtures with correct values...
my suggestion after this for the team
put a little bit of more effort doing the fixtures files with correct gobos images, colors, etc. For the example the people at HIGH END... maybe they need 5-7 days for every fixture file... but! the files are very very useful for pre-programming... (and simulation)
What you are talking about is either cloning, which this software doesn't do.
Or building programmes for different fixtures week in and week out. That type of programming works best in a pallette based approach, but this software is not geared for that, though I have structured my Live usage as a pallette based approach.
Either way, sure exact gobos would be nice but a monumental undertaking for the aims and target users of this software.
I do tour with this software but I tour with my own moving lights and ground specialty lights package. I only use house conventionals and Lekos, so in the advance I request a plot, they tell me what they got, I adapt the plot, and then just softpatch what I want unto my existing programming or use the house console patched to my preferences.
In the occaissons I am using house moving lighting I have 30 cue steps and can usually build the programme with the house LD in about an hour.
My general impression of what you need to do, I would do on a pro console like a Frog...
I'll stop there, as what consoles I would suggest would be based on what I am familiar with.
And even when I am on tour the production equipment/lighting I get is primarily from one of 2 production companies whose lighting inventory I am familiar with.
I just started using this software a couple months ago and I too am finding that I spend a lot of time creating gobos, icons, and adjusting fixture settings to get everything look right in 3D. I am amazed that not every Chauvet fixture is included in the built-in fixture files, and that some don't even seem to be set up correctly.
It would be nice if they had a way to test the fixture files before including them - or including notes about who created it and anything that might be wrong with it. Even mine are not perfect, because I often run out of time have to settle for "good enough".
So now that I have created or "fixed" some fixtures, where do I post them so others can use them?
I've just started with the ShowXpress Lighting Controller a few months ago, but I am learning quickly. I am using both the Windows and Mac versions. I don't yet have actual fixtures, so the 3D view is very important now, and will also be important in the future so I can work on the show while traveling. Anything that can be done to ensure or improve accuracy in 3D view is really valuable, including allowing users to further customize their fixtures.
For the most part, it seems to work fairly well in v 8.1.15, except for multi-lamp, or multi-beam, single-head moving fixtures. Specifically, the Chauvet Colorband PiX M and ADJ Sweeper Beam LED series aren't very accurate in 3D view. It appears they can either show up as a single moving-head, as non-moving LED lamps, or as 12 or 8 (or any number of) moving head spots with inaccurate DMX channels. It would be nice if the fixture editor could separate common DMX channels, similar to the Pixels editor. And then group several fixtures with those common DMX channels as a single fixture. That could at least allow a user to create 12 or 8 moving-head fixtures that represent the individual LEDs, where each fixture has common DMX control of the Y axis, master dimmer, shutter (strobe), chase, etc. For now I have chosen to show these fixtures as several individual moving-head spots, but as I said, the DMX addresses aren't accurate, because each one is forced to have its own DMX channels for Y-axis, master dimmer, shutter (strobe), chase, and speed controls. It seems like you would either need to leave 3D as it is, and allow for further DMX channel manipulation and grouping. Or maybe more accurately, create new multi-beam moving-head fixture types for 3D view. Or perhaps both, to help future-proof against new fixtures to come.
and my problem its because i need to save time doing adjusments and have all my fixtures with correct values...