Home
Reference Index
Editor
Advanced Tab
Animated Light Pattern Creator
The Animated Light Pattern Creator (ALTPAC) tool can be used to create animated textures used for light bulb effects. The light effects used on loops of the Olympia Looping demo track were created using this tool. The interface is similar to that of a musical drum pattern sequencer.
An animation consists of multiple frames. Each frame is a rectangular grid of light bulbs with on/off states.
OffColMap
Displays the texture selected for the Off state.
GlowMap
Displays the texture selected for the glowing effect during the On state.
Bulb Picture
Displays the texture map that will display through the OffColMap mask.
Grid Size
Select the number and layout of the lights on the grid.
Output Size
Select the frame size the ALTPAC tool will output. Larger frames are not necessarily slower but take up more disk space and require more memory.
Speed (Hz)
Set the frame rate of the light animation.
Set On/Off
When in this mode, clicking within the light grid turn individual lights on and off.
Set Colors
When in this mode, clicking within the light grid brings up a color picker to set individual light colors. Note: Light colors are pervasive across all frames of animation.
File Prefix
Type a short string to prefix the file name of each frame exported from the ALTPAC tool. Useful for organization.
[-] (Minus button)
Remove the current frame.
[+] (Plus button)
Insert a frame by duplicating the current frame.
[<<<]
Rotate the frame's pattern to the left.
[>>>]
Rotate the frame's pattern to the right.
CLR
Set all bulbs to Off for the current frame.
FILL
Set all bulbs to On for the current frame.
RND
Set all bulbs randomly for the current frame.
Generate
Generate textures and save all frames and scenery object, if one was selected.
Load
Load the setup from an existing .nl2altpac file.
Save
Save the current settings as a new .nl2altpac file, or overwrite an existing file.
Preview
Opens the ALTPaC Preview window displaying the animated frames in sequence at the specified frame rate.
Scene Object
Generate SCO
Generate a simple scenery object following the path of the currently loaded coaster track.
Tiling
Adjust the number of times the texture will repeat on the scenery object.
Width
Adjust the width of the scenery object.
Height
Adjust the height of the scenery object.
X Offset
Shift the scenery object left or right from the center of the track.
Y Offset
Shift the scenery object up or down from the center of the track.
T
Add the bulb texture to the top of the scenery object.
B
Add the bulb texture to the bottom of the scenery object.
L
Add the bulb texture to the left side of the scenery object.
R
Add the bulb texture to the right side of the scenery object.