## What's New in ColorPlay 3 v1.8

### New Effects

Video Effect - Add video effects to your ColorPlay 3 shows! Requires QuickTime, and allows all formats supported by QuickTime.

Node-based Sweep and Chasing Rainbow Effects - You can now create both chasing rainbow and sweep effects that use a group's node ordering as the path of the effect. This gives you a powerful alternative to ColorPlay 3's traditional geometrically-based versions of these effects.

### Modifier Effects

Modifier effects allow you to transform your regular effects. Placing a modifier effect above other effects in the timeline will cause it to modify any effects in that group. There are a number of different modifier effects available to give you increased control over your shows:

- Constant Modifier Effect - Modify the hue, saturation, or brightness of your effects.
- Wave Modifier Effect - Modify the hue, saturation, or brightness of effects using various common wave forms.
- Fade In/Out Modifier Effect - Fade the hue, brightness, or saturation of your effects in or out.
- Perlin Noise Modifier Effect - Modify the hue, saturation, brightness, or alpha of effects using a Perlin noise pattern.
- RGB Range Modifier Effect - Set range limits for R, G, and B for the modified effects.

### New Group Node Ordering Options

This version of ColorPlay 3 introduces the ability to use duplicate node numbers for nodes. Two new node ordering options -- repeating rows and repeating columns -- give you a quick way to designate how nodes will repeat in your group. These options are available in the same place as the existing node ordering shortcuts, which you access by moving your mouse pointer to the top left corner of your group. For more detailed control you can repeat node numbers while using the Change Node Order tool by holding down the Control key (or the Command key on Macintosh) when you click on a node to set its number.

### iPlayer 3 Settings Control

There's a new iPlayer 3 Settings tab in the Configuration section that provides a convenient place to adjust the various date, time, and location settings for your iPlayer 3.

### New Color Picker

The new color picking window gives you a faster way to create and adjust the palettes for your effects. It also introduces the ability to preview colors with Live Play while you pick.

### Other New Features

ColorPlay 3 checks automatically for software updates.

You can now set an End Time property for your effects.

ColorPlay 3 now supports 64 alarms (previous versions of ColorPlay 3 only supported 16 alarms.)

### Tips & Tricks

- Hold shift while resizing the right edge of an effect to push all following effects to the right
- Did you know you can double-click the resize handle to 'grow' an effect to meet the next effect?
- The timeline's background color is adjustable via the Preferences dialog.
- Use the arrow keys to move the playhead one frame at a time (hold down shift to move 10 frames at a time)
- You can alt-click to cycle through groups that overlap under the mouse.
- Use the alt key and your mouse scroll wheel to zoom the map in and out.
- When you drag effects around on the timeline, they will "snap" to other effects and to time boundaries. Hold down the alt key to disable "snapping".
- You can hide any unused groups in the active show (see the Shows menu.)

12/8/2009