Disco Dots

What is a 'Disco Dots' effect?

Disco Dots is a very popular and versatile interactive floor effect that will work with any projector or LED floor tile system. The effect is considered a type of 'trail', in that a trail of animated images appear when movement is detected.

Disco Dots allows you to add audio that can be volume controlled, making it ideal for performances, galleries, and even as a cool way to hide secret messages in an escape room!

Great ways to use the Disco Dots template

Retail:

• Display a logo or brand in a playful way
• Add experiential elements inside a store
• Entertain customers waiting in line

Performance & Entertainment:

• Create custom performance spaces
• Hide a secret message or surprise in an escape room or gallery
• Encourage audience participation

Events:

• Add a beautiful themed effect to a wedding aisle or entryway
• Create an interactive dance floor
• Encourage social image and video sharing (this effect is extremely Instagram friendly)

How to prepare your images

All images should be saved as png files. Background, Mask and Logo images should be made with the final resolution and aspect ratio of your installation display in mind.

The Mask, Idle, and Logo images should be saved as png with an alpha channel (transparent background).

Video backgrounds work best if they are MP4/H264 compression, and they should be rendered to match the resolution and aspect ratio of your installation display. Videos that are a seamless loop under 60s in length will perform best.

We recommend that videos be under 500MBs for smooth performance. The limit for all assets combined is 1GB, but each template produces a slightly different size by default based on the template itself and the other assets included.

Audio should be .mp3. Make sure you have permission to use your chosen audio.

How to use the Disco Dots template

Download the graphics used in this tutorial

We recommend connecting your final installation display to your computer as a second monitor so you can preview your final app on the intended display. If you have a full LUMOplay installation connected to your computer (including a display and a camera), you will be able to test your app as you build it.

1. Open LUMOplay, select Motion Maker from the left menu, and click Create next to the Disco Dots template.

2. When the template launches, give your app a name and click anywhere on the grey bar marked Overlays to open the first menu. (NOTE: the tools may look different on your computer, particularly if you are using multiple monitors.)

3. Click the folder icon underneath each item to choose the appropriate image. All overlay images are optional, and should be created as pngs at the full resolution of the final display, with the graphic placed exactly where you want it to appear on your display. This tutorial does not include any overlay images.

Idle: image will appear on the screen when no one is interacting. It can be used as a call-to-action (i.e. Move to Play) or to display a message when no one is playing. You can turn the idle image animation on or off and adjust the opacity.

Mask: image is a frame of leaves that is transparent in the middle, and is used to feather the edge,  add a custom border to the effect, or videomap the experience onto an irregular shape. The Mask is not interactive.

Logo: image that sits on top of all other images. You can adjust the opacity of the Logo image. The Logo is not interactive.

4. Open the Background menu and click the folder icon to choose your background image or video.

6. Open the Shapes menu and choose the shape, size, spacing and colors of your interactive dots.

You can achieve different patterns and effects by toggling Offset Dots.

The first color is the idle color, so this is the color you'll see when there's no movement.

Use the Glow Intensity slider to adjust the glow effect. (Note that the Glow effect will be applied across your entire background, and may lighting the colors of your display.)

Use your mouse to test your effect by clicking and dragging over the preview area.

TIP: This experience lends itself well to some cool optical illusions!

7. Open the Shape Behavior menu.

Enable or disable Wrap Colors - this will determine whether the dots will hold on the final color or wrap back around and continue cycling through the colors you've chosen.

The Change Time, Reset Time, Propogation Limit and Propogation Delay sliders change the speed and size of the dot trail. Use your mouse in the preview area to test these as you adjust them until you find the effect you like.

Idle Animation will trigger a few of the dots in random places when no one is interacting. It can be turned on or off, and you can adjust the speed.

Idle Timeout determines the length of inactivity required for the Idle Animation dots appear. It also impacts when the Audio volume changes, if you change your audio volume when the effect in inactive in the next step.

7. Open the Audio menu and upload your .mp3 audio file. Adjust the volume of the audio when there is activity and when activity stops. This is a great place to hide a secret message - you can put in an audio track that will only play when there is movement!

NOTE: If you forget to name your app, or if you accidentally close it before you're finished, it will automatically be saved to the Drafts section in LUMOplay's Motion Maker, so you can edit it again.

Publishing your Disco Dots app

Playmaker: When you're ready to publish your app to your account, click Publish and confirm. You will not be able to edit the app after it's been published.

When the app is uploaded you will see a confirmation message.

You will find your app in the APPS list in your LUMOplay software. If you can't find it right away, use the search field to look for it by name. It will be available to every license in your account.

Playground & Free: Upload your app to save a copy to the LUMOplay server. You will be able to continue editing your app until you purchase it.

Each time you upload your app, you will be given an option to purchase it or upgrade to LUMO Playmaker and publish an unlimited number of Motion Maker apps.

When you're ready to purchase your app, you can click Purchase and you will be redirected to LUMOplay.com and prompted to log in. When you're logged in, you will be taken directly to the cart page to purchase your app.

Once the app has been purchased, it will appear in your APPS list in your LUMOplay software, and you will be able to search for it by name.

Still have questions? Contact us!