What is a 'falling shapes' effect?
Falling Shapes is a type of interactive effect for floor projection displays. The effect can be used as an interactive sign, game, or sensory activity. This effect is commonly used to create a sort of digital 'ball pit', and works really well for event and performance installations. 3D shapes fall from the sky and scatter, revealing the background image or video, when movement is detected.
Great ways to use the Falling Shapes template
Retail:
- Showcase a logo or brand in a playful way
- Promote a seasonal sale or event
- Entertain customers waiting in line
Education & Health:
- Encourage active play
- Create a themed experience for a clinic or school
- Show off donor or sponsor names in a fun, creative way
Events:
- Add an interactive floor to a performance
- Promote a tradeshow booth
- Provide a custom experience for birthdays, bar and bat mitzvahs, and seasonal events
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.
If you want to add background audio to your effect, you can add looped audio to the video.
How to use the LUMOplay Motion Maker Falling Shapes template
NOTE: The graphics used in this tutorial are for demonstration purposes only, because we're huge nerds and we thought this was a super cute idea. If you use any of our tools and templates in a commercial way, you're acknowledging that you have the right to use the artwork.
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 Falling Shapes 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. The Idle image will appear on the screen when no one is interacting. It can be used as a call-to-action (ie: Move to Play), or to display a message or logo when no one is playing.
4. If you'd like to make your projected image a custom shape, you can upload a Mask image. The Mask image sits on top of everything else except the Idle Image. You can also add a Logo image, which will sit on top of everything except the Mask. Neither of these options were using in this example.
5. Open the Background menu and click the folder icon to choose your background image or video.
6. Open the Falling Shapes menu and select the Shape, Material, and Color(s) of the shapes you want. You can add multiple colors. Adjust the sliders to control the size, size randomness, and amount of the shapes.
Don't forget to give your app a name and save it. When you're done, click the X or press esc to return to the LUMOplay dashboard.
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 Falling Shapes app
Playmaker: When you're ready to publish your app to your account, click Publish and confirm. Remember that after your app is published, you will no longer be able to edit it.
Wait for the app to finish uploading.
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, 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!
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