Posts by Lux

Flipside Update #26 - Multiplayer improvements

- by Lux

Please note: This update is only available for those who are part of our multiplayer beta. If you're looking to collaborate on a show or just want some of the other goodies, sign up for the multiplayer beta here. We're working hard to quickly get these updates back into the general release branch so everyone can enjoy them, but that's still an update or two away.

Multiplayer improvements

With this update, Flipside's multiplayer connection routing is now using an all-new backend that will automatically scale to handle larger numbers of users, and does a better job routing peer connections through firewalls.

Microphone input fix

We fixed a bug in our microphone input that affected a few of our users since the last update which caused input to fail and lip syncing to stop working.

Note: After this update, if your microphone is not picking up or the lip syncing isn't working on any characters, click the settings icon in the bottom of the desktop camera switcher, then go to the General settings tab and select the correct microphone input device. Flipside should remember your input setting after that.

Bug fixes and other improvements

This update contains a number of smaller changes too:

  • Fixed camera cutting over multiplayer.
  • Hosts now share their teleprompter script with guests when they connect over multiplayer, just like their slideshow slides.
  • Fixed a teleprompter controller button issue causing buttons to press twice.
  • Fixed resetting PropElement objects (props that are built into sets) on resets.
  • Added a ResetProps() option to the FlipsideActions component in the Creator Tools so set designers can trigger scene resets through custom interactions.
  • Fixed a case where set configurations weren't being updated for guests joining over multiplayer if the guest was already on the same set.
  • Added missing neutral blend shape setting to the Creator Tools.
 

Flipside Update #25 - Multi-monitor desktop mirror, microphone input setting, and more

- by Lux

Please note: This update is only available for those who are part of our multiplayer beta. If you're looking to collaborate on a show or just want some of the other goodies, sign up for the multiplayer beta here. We're working hard to quickly get these updates back into the general release branch so everyone can enjoy them, but that's still an update or two away.

Desktop mirror multi-monitor support, embedding in custom sets

The desktop mirror feature that lets you bring your desktop view into Flipside now supports multiple monitors via a setting in the General settings tab.

It can also now be embedded directly into your custom sets using the ScreenElement component. This means you can do things like build a computer into your set whose screen reflects what your actual desktop is showing. Pretty neat stuff!

Note: You'll need to update to the latest version of the Creator Tools to see the desktop mirror option in ScreenElement.

Switch microphone inputs in the General settings menu

Tired of restarting Flipside to switch microphone input devices? Now you can switch in-app by clicking on the settings icon on the bottom of the desktop camera switcher, going to the General settings tab, and selecting your Microphone Input Device from the list. Change should happen automatically when you select a new one, and your preferences will be remembered for next time!

Bloom filter

We've added a setting to enable our first filter effect, Bloom. You'll find it under the settings icon in the desktop camera switcher under the Output tab, alongside the OBS settings.

Bloom Off
Bloom On

Use the slider to compare a shot from our Winter Cabin set with bloom on and off.

Other fixes and improvements

  • Slideshow waits for first "next" to play if first slide is a video.
  • Fixed UI layered-elements on characters so they stay on the UI layer.
  • Fixed slideshow and teleprompter bug that caused a VR headset to appear at (0,0,0).
  • Fixed teleprompter save errors.
  • Fixed issue with position resetting when jumping back into a character and placing you on the ground on sets with no NavMesh.
  • Fixed error disconnecting all users at once.
  • Fixed issue with correct playback when adding additional parts to a recording.
  • Fixed issue with Unity timelines restarting properly on playback.
  • Fixed issues with Ghost mode and mode switching over multiplayer and in playback.
  • Ghost parts are now shown as ghost cards on the recordings palette.
  • Renamed "Creatures" character category to a more general "Fantasy", matching sets.
 

Flipside Update #24 - Ghost Mode and a ton of bug fixes

- by Lux

Please note: This update is only available for those who are part of our multiplayer beta. If you're looking to collaborate on a show or just want some of the other goodies, sign up for the multiplayer beta here. We're working hard to quickly get these updates back into the general release branch so everyone can enjoy them, but that's still an update or two away.

Go invisible with Ghost Mode

You'll find our new Ghost Mode button on both the desktop camera switcher or the in-VR camera switcher. This will make your character invisible so you can play director without getting in the way of the shot, or animate props by grabbing them and moving them around. Ghost Mode also has the ability to move the world around and scale it up or down by grabbing it with one or two hands, just like Builder Mode.

Clearing sets got a little safer

It takes work to get a set setup exactly how you like, and it should be hard to accidentally undo all that work. That's why we've added a confirmation step whenever you use the "Clear All" and "Reset to Original" buttons on the underside of the Sets palette.

Additional bug fixes and improvements

We've also made lots of smaller improvements throughout the app. These include:

  • Added whitelist of components allowed to be used on sets and characters.
  • Improved foot distance calculation to fix bow-leggedness.
  • Fixed cases where imported props that were deleted online could cause a set to fail to load
  • Fixed "clear all" and "reset to original" on sets over multiplayer
  • Improved error handling when a sky is not found
  • Auto-retries multiplayer connections if disconnected unintentionally
  • Clear sent invites when you leave Flipside to prevent stale invites being received
  • Fixed order of notifications so most recent invites appear at the top and new ones appear at the top as well
  • Fixed recalling menu with the right hand on Vive returning it near the left hand
  • Disabled menu show/hide on Oculus running through Steam so teleprompter controls can be used
  • Handheld camera remembers its direction between uses
  • Active camera light working over multiplayer
  • Fixed issue with 360 video uploads generating black previews and thumbnails
  • Fixed issue preventing interactions from recording on larger sets
  • Fixed issue with OBS settings storage
  • Fixed issue with changing sets with a recording inserted causing the new set not to fully load
  • Fixed Twitch chat panel being ungrabbable and made in-app instructions clearer
  • Moved Twitch chat panel to UI layer like the other Show Tools
  • Fixed issue with unloading a recording cartridge while still loading
  • Fixed link to YouTube videos in slideshow
  • Various performance optimizations


 

Flipside Update #22 - Seeing yourself and beta bug fixes

- by Lux

While this is primarily a bug fix update for our multiplayer Beta branch, we did sneak one new feature in:

See your character while acting

When in character, you'll now see a ghost-like outline of your character, so you can see exactly where your hands and body are positioned. Here's what it looks like.

We experimented with a lot of possible solutions to this problem, which was made a lot more complicated by the fact that we don't control how most of our characters are made. Other solutions like just showing your body directly would fall apart with larger characters like our elephant, whose trunk being visible got in the way of seeing what you're actually trying to do.

This solution should work automatically with all custom characters, but if you spot any that don't work well, let us know on Discord. This is also the first step towards more improvements we have in development for characters.

Bug fixes and improvements

We also made the following bug fixes and improvements that should make things feel better across the board:

  • Flipside no longer waits for everything to load before you can begin
  • Improved caching of texture images
  • Improved Vive tracker support
  • More error checking when importing custom props
  • Improved collisions on hands in playback
  • Fixed switching sets in director mode
  • Fixed hand issue when switching in and out of puppet mode
  • Fixed various issues with imported cameras
  • Improved foot orientations for some custom characters
  • Improved behaviour of grabbing objects
  • Improved placement of feet using hip width and leg length

For details on what we're working on next, check out our roadmap!

 

A look back at 2018 and a look ahead

- by Lux

This month marked our 20th Flipside update of 2018, which included our much-anticipated cross-platform multiplayer feature, letting you create content together over distance.

That many updates feels crazy enough on its own, but it's also been one crazy year all-around. We started 2018 just getting Flipside ready to submit to the app stores, and we ended up accomplishing a heck of a lot since then.

A few highlights

We made a music video for Del Records artist T3R Elemento's single En Menos De Un Minuto, which reached 20M views this month!

Flipside was used live on stage more than a dozen times this year, first with Jasper de Tarr from Raktor being a guinea pig for our Mixed Reality support, followed by our CTO Lux's TEDxWinnipeg talk about how avatars are changing our sense of identity, then with acting duo Stephen and Caity in their Pixels live animated improv shows at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival and Winnipeg Improv Festival.

Flipside Studio was used to make a 30 minute show with the team at Tell 'em Steve Dave for their Patreon subscribers.

Bobjenz, one of our users, teamed up with Roblox for this year's Ready Player one release.

Josiah Brooks of Draw With Jazza created an animated short film titled "Sexy Benjamin" using Flipside.

And our list of custom characters is now over 125 strong and our list of custom sets is over 75 strong and growing all the time, thanks to prolific creators like Cybermynd and VRGameDevGirl.

To top it all off we were also nominated for VR Innovative Company of the year at this year's VR Awards held in London.  It's been an amazing year and it will only get better in 2019.

 


Looking ahead

Looking ahead, 2019 looks to be just as crazy. We have new shows in the works, new partnerships we're looking forward to sharing with all of you.

We have a ton of ideas, many of which come straight from our users on our roadmap, and a ton of polish to add to Flipside in order to make it the truly stand-out live animation platform it's quickly growing into.

We couldn't be more proud of how far we've come, and while we're looking forward to some rest over the holidays, we couldn't be more excited for what's to come!


Wishing the Flipside community a warm and happy holidays until we meet again on the Flipside in 2019.

Sincerely,
The Flipside Team

 

Flipside Studio Update #20 - Flipside goes MULTIPLAYER!!!!!

- by Lux

As we continue to build out Flipside Studio and learn from our users, we decided to make update #20 the first update that's only available to Flipside's Beta users. With so many new features, we want to work with our most active creators to make sure we get it right. If you want to explore the full potential of Flipside Studio, sign up or opt-in to our Beta. 

NOTE: This update is an experimental release. In order to use it, you will need to opt into our Beta channel on Steam (instructions below) or sign up here and we will add you to our Beta channel on Oculus.

Make shows together, the way it should be

When you press the Friends button on the palette, you'll see our new Friends & Notifications panel appear.

This is the new social hub in Flipside, where you can find your friends, invite them to collaborate, and find notifications for things like friend requests, invites, and also the occasional Flipside announcement.


Multiplayer works across platforms, so it doesn't matter if your friends are using an HTC Vive and you're using an Oculus Rift. You can still hop in, connect, and create content together over distance.

Please note that because multiplayer is still an experimental feature, some things may not work as expected. Please report any bugs on our Trello roadmap or Discord #support channel.

Creator Tools updates

We've also made a some big improvements to the Flipside Creator Tools. Note that these also require you to be on our Beta release channel (see above). Follow this link to update to v0.14 and enjoy the following improvements:

  • You can now specify multiple meshes on characters and Flipside will apply blend shape values to all of them. Note that the blend shape names must match the ones on the main mesh.
  • You can now specify a jaw bone to animate along with the open/closed mouth blend shape in Simplified Blend Shape animation mode.
  • Skies now load when you press Play to preview your sets in Unity, so you can get a better sense of how they'll feel in Flipside.
  • ColliderElement can now collide with one or more specific objects, or objects with a custom tag (note: uses a CustomTag component, not Unity's own tagging system).
  • Character elements that are placed on the UI layer are now hidden from cameras but visible in VR.
  • Thumbnails for sets will now always match the bundle file name, so they're easier to find.
  • Thumbnails for characters now have a light grey background and better capture larger characters.
  • Added quick links to the user manual and other improvements to make the steps clearer.

Other bug fixes and improvements

We've moved the second level buttons on the palette menus from the top to underneath the main menu buttons. This was something we've been meaning to do for a while and got it done just in the nick of time!


And that's not all! We also fixed:

  • Timeline-based animations in custom sets now play back in sync with Flipside recordings, just like Animator-based animations.
  • Fixed a case where hand movements could get screwed up on Oculus when leaving Set Builder mode.
  • Fixed the Magic Pencil's colour wheel flickering briefly when new instances are created.
  • The Vive tracker "Connect Trackers" buttons are now hidden for non-Vive users.
  • Google Drive links now work correctly with the slideshow.
  • Added a setting to completely disable the user interface sounds (currently auto-disabled when recording or when OBS is connected) under the General settings tab.

With 2019 just around the corner, stay tuned for more updates and improvements because our plan is to keep on keeping 'em coming your way!

 

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