VGA Visual Synthesizer
A realtime VGA visual synthesizer, Firefly contains over 30 controls accessible from keyboard and mouse controls, and generates moving imagery using oscillators.
FireFly 1.5 has been used as a main content generator for many nightclubs and concerts due to its ability to be tweaked and adjusted instantaneously. When projected on a large screen, along with music the effect is very hypnotic. The operator (VJ) is able to match the oscillations of the graphics with the beat of the music, and adjust about every parameter via the keyboard.
FireFly was an attempt to take the idea of an audio synthesizer , and make an analogous program for the visual sense. Starting
from the most basic building block of an audio synth, oscillators, FireFly displays arrays of oscillating waves in different coordinate
systems, color spaces and effects. This concept differs
from any of the 'VJ' programs such as RC FUSE, because while those programs contain some effects, the content is dependant
upon pre-existing material (AVI, MPG).
The goal of the real-time visual synth is ultimately to be an instrument that can be plugged in, and be ready to produce engaging material in real time.
Firefly could be described as a 'visual musical instrument'.
Since this program was created before I knew how to code for high res/color modes,
it synthesizes graphics in VGA mode 13, at a low resolution (320x200) and color depth (256).
This style of graphics is hit-or-miss with people's taste. The colors tend to be very bright/saturated/inharmonic, and the low resolution introduces
"jaggies" and other artifacts. Fans of lo-fi are usually happy...
FireFly 1.5 screenshots:
