Here is a video teaser for my new project... This was the first time I have tried taking a video of the NXT screen, and the dinky video camera I have was barely up to the task, but I'm sure you will get the idea.
One word: WOW!!! I've always wanted to make/build and Guitar hero, but I've always pictured it as four touch sensors and 2 NXT's. Thanks for this. Is it for NXT 1.x or 2.0? jojoguy10- President of Lego-Extreme
You could record a screencast of your NXT screen with NeXTscreen (from BricxCC), and connect your camera to your computer so you have a veiw of the rest of the robot. On a windows, you can use "Windows Media Encoder", which either comes with windows or is downloadable for free from Microsoft. On linux, go to Add and Remove Software, type "screencast", and pick a program. Or you can look up other options from the Wikipedia article "screencast".
Wow, this is really great. Were you at all inspired from the open-source-project Frets on Fire (it's guitar hero for your PC keyboard, written in Python). Can you load their file-format? That would be a great feature I imagine :-)
Is it correct that the the song playing in the background must be synced to the program running on the NXT (i.e. started at the same time or something like that)?
Apart from that, I believe the NXTScreen Tool (also available in BricxCC) can directly record avi-files on Windows...
After watching the vid all over again, I'm really excited for the final version (showing the actual guitar gameplay).
If you add this little fellow Drummer Bot (WMV Video), you can even create a whole rock band (as in the game). If Bluetooth transmission lags aren't too great...
The one shown is for NXT 1.0, I have an NXT 2.0 version too.
The mechanicals are a complete re-design of my original "Electric Guitar" project, made necessary by the need to remove the brick from the guitar so you can see the screen in "game mode". In "free play" mode, the brick can stay in the guitar if you want. But it still uses the same technique with the ultrasonic sensor to determine the note you are playing.
linus.atorf, thanks for the link to Frets on Fire, I had not heard of that, I gave it a quick try and it looks cool.
In my game, you play along with the actual music playing on your stereo or ipod or whatever. The only sound coming from the NXT is short beeps when you miss notes. Thus, I avoid music copyright issues..., and you can listen to the real recording of the real music by the real band (if you have access to it).
You sync the NXT with the external song by simply playing the first note at the correct time. A good choice of the first note allows you to hear the tempo/intro and anticipate it.
I have a recording tool for the NXT and the PC so that you can record the songs of your choice and thus use your own favorite music that you already own. On the NXT you just play the guitar along with the song, and on the PC you press keyboard buttons (tends to be more accurate).
I was not able to get satisfactory video results with NeXTscreen (too flickery), but I will ask around and see if I can improve it.
1 You can get rid of flicker by: 1.1 adjusting NeXTscreen refresh rate. 1.2 adjusting NXT program's refresh rate. (inserting waits between each time the screen is redrawn. I recomend the same, or a slightly different, refresh rate as NeXTscreen's)
2 What software do you use to determine what the NXT displays? I WANT A COPY. BECOMING OBSSESSED WITH VIDEOS FROM www.animusic.com. Uh, is the cat on top of the shift key again? Sorry about that...
3 building instructions and video of you w/ the controller would be nice.
4 Have any of you tried Linux MultiMedia Studio (LMMS: http://lmms.sourceforge.net/)? It is a cross-platform open-source synth, and I would like to hear some of the sample songs from it. They are in a format specific to the program, but it is freeware, (freedom software: anyone can modify it,) and it can render to wave or *.ogg. It is sometimes unstable, but eventually someone will fix it. For all I know, you will fix it, then publish the new release. I've even used my voice as an instrument, thanks to Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/), another freeware cross-platform synth.
5 If anyone figures out how to set up BricxCC, or any Mindstorms software/drivers, please let me know. My Email is nicknackgus@gmail.com. Do your worst spam! I know how to block you! (Round 1: GO!)
Comments
jojoguy10- President of Lego-Extreme
post some building instructions when it is done!
looks awesone :D
It's based on your brilliant Electric Guitar, right?
Is it correct that the the song playing in the background must be synced to the program running on the NXT (i.e. started at the same time or something like that)?
Apart from that, I believe the NXTScreen Tool (also available in BricxCC) can directly record avi-files on Windows...
If you add this little fellow Drummer Bot (WMV Video), you can even create a whole rock band (as in the game). If Bluetooth transmission lags aren't too great...
The mechanicals are a complete re-design of my original "Electric Guitar" project, made necessary by the need to remove the brick from the guitar so you can see the screen in "game mode". In "free play" mode, the brick can stay in the guitar if you want. But it still uses the same technique with the ultrasonic sensor to determine the note you are playing.
In my game, you play along with the actual music playing on your stereo or ipod or whatever. The only sound coming from the NXT is short beeps when you miss notes. Thus, I avoid music copyright issues..., and you can listen to the real recording of the real music by the real band (if you have access to it).
You sync the NXT with the external song by simply playing the first note at the correct time. A good choice of the first note allows you to hear the tempo/intro and anticipate it.
I have a recording tool for the NXT and the PC so that you can record the songs of your choice and thus use your own favorite music that you already own. On the NXT you just play the guitar along with the song, and on the PC you press keyboard buttons (tends to be more accurate).
I was not able to get satisfactory video results with NeXTscreen (too flickery), but I will ask around and see if I can improve it.
1.1 adjusting NeXTscreen refresh rate.
1.2 adjusting NXT program's refresh rate. (inserting waits between each time the screen is redrawn. I recomend the same, or a slightly different, refresh rate as NeXTscreen's)
2 What software do you use to determine what the NXT displays? I WANT A COPY. BECOMING OBSSESSED WITH VIDEOS FROM www.animusic.com. Uh, is the cat on top of the shift key again? Sorry about that...
3 building instructions and video of you w/ the controller would be nice.
4 Have any of you tried Linux MultiMedia Studio (LMMS: http://lmms.sourceforge.net/)? It is a cross-platform open-source synth, and I would like to hear some of the sample songs from it. They are in a format specific to the program, but it is freeware, (freedom software: anyone can modify it,) and it can render to wave or *.ogg. It is sometimes unstable, but eventually someone will fix it. For all I know, you will fix it, then publish the new release. I've even used my voice as an instrument, thanks to Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/), another freeware cross-platform synth.
5 If anyone figures out how to set up BricxCC, or any Mindstorms software/drivers, please let me know. My Email is nicknackgus@gmail.com. Do your worst spam! I know how to block you! (Round 1: GO!)