Two Features For the Future

[Lin Evans]

I've been thinking about things which could be future improvements and the first is something we visited long ago in early betas but with a possible new twist.

Igor mentioned that the release version might have a way to "soften" small images which are zoomed to minimize the "sparkle" or "twinkle" effects from aliasing in the resize. Right now we have the box to check for "blur" which helps but doesn't always go quite far enough and could be possibly improved by having incremental 'steps" to increase the strength of the blur.

What I would like to see is an "optional" feature which would blur the object "during" the zoom but return it to full original sharpness as soon as the zoom finished. So the best of both worlds. A box to check which would initiate blur in various increments then an option to return to the original sharpness immediately when the zoom finishes.

The second feature is something we already expect in the release - a non-linear zoom so that starts and stops are smoother. It seems that one way to achieve this would be to automatically apply a slow down on the beginning and especially on the end of a zoom so that perhaps within the last percent or two of a zoom in or the first percent or two of a zoom out would have a number of very fine increments rather than an entire percent of zoom. The "perspective" zoom and normal zoom we have now is smooth and very nice, but the start and stop are quite "perceptible". If there were a way to change the rate of zoom at the very end or start to much finer increments (more frames each with finer zoom percents), it seems to me that this might suffice to make a "soft" landing and take-off??

Just my thoughts....

Lin

[JPD]

What I would like to see is an "optional" feature which would blur the object "during" the zoom but return it to full original sharpness as soon as the zoom finished.

Lin, it's easy to do that, you can put the same picture twice, one with blur effect and the other without.

If you change without no delay between one to the other, it's not a good result because we can see it, so you must have a period of about 0.5 second or more to do the transition from one to the other, it would be the same if Igor include this function.

the start and stop are quite "perceptible"

For the start, I notice that sometimes it start late and make a "jump" to the normal value, I wait the next version before to continue test on this point.

[Igor]

Lin,

Concerning the first problem. Currently we don't know possible solution. 3D video card suggests solution for this problem - "MIP Mapping". But it can be used in 3D games, not in business application as PicturesToExe where we require exact behaviour of the program, quality and we use many objects with economical usage of video memory.

Thanks, we'll try to realize adjusting of speed for Pan/Zoom/Rotate effects in v5.00 it will be very powerful settings, but with quick presets (like Accellerate, Smooth, etc.)

Jean-Pierre,

Mixing of two images can be used but only if both images are fully opaque (as JPEG). We're thinking about this idea as option for the next versions.

[JPD]

only if both images are fully opaque

Yes, that's right, it's not possible if there are variations of transparency inside the picture. The only way I see is a variable blur, but probably difficult to do.

[ksf]

With careful use of keypoints and varying the degree of opacity and movement you can create an acceleration/decleration effect on zooms and pans. Also, if you copy an image in photoshop and blur it so that it appears wildly out of focus then you can use the normal fade techniques to make this image appear to come into focus. You may need to experiment with fade duration and opacity etc but with patience you can achieve some satisfying results. The same applies to transparent png images. If you make one image blurred then this can be moved around with varying degrees of opacity and careful manipulation of keypoints can make this ghost-like png suddenly come into full strength and into focus.

Sometimes the answers require a combination of PTE, Photoshop, and lateral thinking. It's worth experimenting and sometimes we need to compromise and accept that there will always be some limitations in the software (PTE is already far and above most, if not all, other programs anyway). The danger is that if we keep asking Igor for more and more features we may never get to see the next release....

[JPD]

The same applies to transparent png images

Keith, that right only if the opacity is the same on all the picture but if the opacity is the same on all the picture it's easier to use JPG.

If the opacity isn't the same at all place of the picture the global opacity of the two png pictures will not change at the same ratio between the place with hight opacity and those with low opacity, it's a non-linear function.

I have made an example on how to have a constante opacity (60% in the example) for 2 pictures (for instance with blur and without blur) during the transition from the first one to the other. Unfortunately, it's in french you can see the curve of transparency on a page on Diapositf forum

The formulas are in a french Excel file in the zip file, but it's not sure it work on an english one.

[Lin Evans]

Hi Keith,

First, I'm sorry if I wasn't clear that these thoughts concern "future" versions of PTE and are not intended as distractions to impede the progress and release of version 5.

I have done any number of Photoshop manipulations in a my animations actually since the first beta release including gaussian blur and multiple images used to simulate bringing an object into focus but this is not really my point. We must also realize that not everyone who will eventually purchase and use PTE has Photoshop or other image rendering software skills nor the inclination to do this in cases where applicable. The time factor for complex animations precludes doing this on a regular basis.

Here is a small sample from a slideshow I made long ago with a very early beta of this:

http://www.lin-evans.net/pte/focusme.zip

My suggestion in the relevant sense is to actually "avoid" seeing a change in focus - this would defeat the purpose. The intent is to not see aliasing artifacts created by intermediate zoom resolutions (pixel counts) on small, sharp objects during the zoom, yet have the object in good focus at the end when zoom is completed. The amount of blur applied initially in the present iteration is a programming choice and necessitates a compromise between image quality and artifact visibility. Having a selection of blur amounts from which to choose will greatly expedite the creation of superior effects without having to resort to treating each object in an experimental fashion in Photoshop, etc. It's precisely this "experimentation" which my suggestion is intended to avoid.

The same is true for achieving a non-linear acceleration or deceleration effect to achieve a smooth start and stop. I can do it with multiple and carefully timed keypoints, but not everyone who will eventually use the PZR effects with PTE will become highly skilled with this technique nor should they have to in order to achieve a smooth and natural appearing stop and start to their zooms.

As I said, these were suggestions for future consideration not intended as impediments to current development.

Best regards,

Lin

With careful use of keypoints and varying the degree of opacity and movement you can create an acceleration/decleration effect on zooms and pans. Also, if you copy an image in photoshop and blur it so that it appears wildly out of focus then you can use the normal fade techniques to make this image appear to come into focus. You may need to experiment with fade duration and opacity etc but with patience you can achieve some satisfying results. The same applies to transparent png images. If you make one image blurred then this can be moved around with varying degrees of opacity and careful manipulation of keypoints can make this ghost-like png suddenly come into full strength and into focus.

Sometimes the answers require a combination of PTE, Photoshop, and lateral thinking. It's worth experimenting and sometimes we need to compromise and accept that there will always be some limitations in the software (PTE is already far and above most, if not all, other programs anyway). The danger is that if we keep asking Igor for more and more features we may never get to see the next release....

[Lin Evans]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the links and information. It's amazing how far the video technology has come to date. Some of the newer players do indeed make it interesting and questionable about future directions. Of course storage capacity considerations will probably eventually dictate HD and BluRay type solutions at least in the near term.

Having been involved via my wife's occupation in the storage industry for many years, I get some insider "insights" into the direction this is going. The future is very bright with terabytes of storage on small holographic media coming quite soon so even BluRay and HD are quite likely just transient intermediary solutions.

I've found that the present solution used for video with PTE beta's is actually quite good with smooth translations for page curl and other previously "difficult" transitions. The future will be very good for this (PTE) software.

On another note there is much dissension in the ranks of the "competition" with the realization that with myriad "bells and whistles" also comes myriad "bugs and issues" which are really bogging down development and distribution presently. Igor's approach has proven to be the superior path and PTE just keeps getting better and better while the competition struggles to maintain.

My suggestions are definitely future looking and not intended in any way to impede the completion and release of version 5 - just suggestions for refinement if and when they can be implemented. Even as it is now in beta 8, PTE produces a superior product indeed and it's a pleasure to work with. We are all, I'm sure, eagerly awaiting beta 9 which will give us all most of those features we have eagerly awaited.

Best regards,

Lin

Hi Lin,

There is a basic slideshow program for mac only (fotomagico) that can apply a motion blur (temporal antialiasing) to make the output appear smoother at low fps.

Motion blur is automatic in movie projectors. 24 fps looks smooth. I was reading a technical article about the next xbox360 that has improved hardware bluring. In the past it was difficult for videogames to apply real time motion blur (without delay) because of the fast and unpredictable movement in a 3D environment. Correction: Motion blur is a part of DirectX10, which means everyone would have to upgrade to Vista with a powerful video card. It might be awhile before that happens.

http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsv...les/447226.aspx

Information about motion blur and sample video

http://www.crysis-online.com/Articles/moti...t-on-gaming.php

I created a very basic temporal antialiasing example last summer.

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index....ost&p=31469

Off topic:

There are DVD players that can display regular video at 1080p. Amazing deinterlacing/resampling of the video image. Cool technology. Makes me wonder if we even need HD discs.

http://www.oppodigital.com/

sample images (scroll down)

http://www.oppodigital.com/dv981hd/dv981hd_info.html

Tom

[Lin Evans]

Hi Jean-Pierre,

Yes, that's how I've been doing it in applicable cases but it would be nice, especially when dealing with multiple objects, to have the process automated. Perhaps one day when hardware and drivers make that feasible it will be implemented.

I'm sure Igor has been working toward that end (making the non-linear zooms possible) and I was really only "thinking" out loud - LOL. It occurred to me that it might be possible to change the frame rate during a during a small percentage of the start and stop zoom positions on the timeline which would, in effect, give this "soft" landing and "takeoff". However, after more careful consideration this approach may not be possible since PTE is already creating intermediate zoom images at or near maximum possible hardware frame rates. The solution then would probably lie in changing the actual portion of the timeline devoted to start and stop with constant frame rates.

Best regards,

Lin

Lin, it's easy to do that, you can put the same picture twice, one with blur effect and the other without.

If you change without no delay between one to the other, it's not a good result because we can see it, so you must have a period of about 0.5 second or more to do the transition from one to the other, it would be the same if Igor include this function.

For the start, I notice that sometimes it start late and make a "jump" to the normal value, I wait the next version before to continue test on this point.

[Lin Evans]

Yes, the "violence" has definitely escalated on games, but these clips remind me very much of what I was doing (second combat tour in Vietnam) 40 years ago - not good memories and I wish the game people could concentrate more on other aspects rather than war.

The 3d effect seems to be accomplished via shadows and independent movement on simultaneous layer display and may eventually be possible with PTE. Actually, Igor has simulated some of the forward movement through clouds in one of his earlier examples.

Best regards,

Lin

I agree Lin. There are interesting new technologies that are beginning to show up in the new video games. The one that looks interesting to me is depth of field. It would be cool to have an option to set the depth of field in PTE to simulate 3D. I have no idea how it might work (object/layer/?), but it would be cool.

crysis hd demo movie with dof (they didn't have such violent games when I was a playing video games 20 years ago)

http://xboxmovies.teamxbox.com/xbox-360-hi...HighDefinition/

Tom

[JPD]

I'm sure Igor has been working toward that end (making the non-linear zooms possible)

I think he has an idea of how to do it, and will give us this function.

[rakn]

Hi Lin,

Some time ago I suggested a feature that could blur an object in the same way that you can set the opacity.

That way you could save a lot of Photoshop work and duplicate images, if you for example want an image to become a blurred background for the next images.

See original posting

Perhaps this could serve your purpose as well.

Ragnar.

[ksf]

Hello Lin, Jean-Pierre, and everyone else who has given feedback on this topic.

I find myself torn between agreeing with Lin (and others) for requesting additional options to refine certain effects and simply wanting to get my hands on the next release. I do not want to stop people making suggestions, far from it especially as we will all benefit from them, but I don't want Igor to feel that he has to build these sorts of enhancements in just yet - guess I'm just being too keen to try the next version!