[colto]

Hey guys! I was wondering how one would go about creating a row of lights that flash in a sequence. I need to make a row of lights that flash in order like you might see running down a runway. If you don't understand here is what I mean: say I have a row of 50 lights. Now for the first 2 frames of my animation I want light number one to be on(100% intensity) with all other lights off. Then for the next two frames I want light number 2 to be on with all other lights off. This continues with each light turning on and off every 2 frames. However I need there to be many lights so manually keyframing each light's intensity envelope is out of the question.Any ideas?

Edit: I just thought of a MUCH easier way to describe it. Imagine a string of chasing christmas lights except there is only one light on at a time.

[Mark]

Hmm... you might be able to use IFW textures for the effect ... Check out the LEDs animation on the sample movies page (follow the animations link from the main page)...

http://www.shaders.org/ifw2_textures/index.htm

[colto]

That would work perfect, if I had the money. Here is what I am thinking might work. Maybe if I made a single light with an envelope intensity that was at 0% for 2 frames and then on 100% for the next 2 frames. Then if I put that envelope's post-behaviour on repeat. Then I would have a light that would blink forever. I could then keyframe that light to run down my path that I wanted the lights on once. I could then set the X,Y,and Z Position envelopes on repeat so that once the light reached the end of the track it would return to the beginning. Then with a little bit of volumetric lighting and lens flare I could make it look good. I'll test it and let you guys know.

[colto]

WoW! I just did a test and here is what I came up with.
DivX Codec

[Mark]

Nicely done sir!