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Prismatic Opticon Configuration

This art display is a series of light beams that can rotate, change color, shape and direction. Configuration is done via menus and clicking crystal end points.

This is a basic overview of the Opticon menus. It is not intended to be a complete "How To" or Template for a finished entry. The scope of this guide is limited to showing the primary functions of the menu.

The Menu

Title
Run
Copy Phase Full
Copy Phase Targets
Ray Color
Select Phase
Select Ray (rays are colored blades and flames from the end)
Select Rod (rods look like blades of a light saber)
Select Target
Target Movement
Gearbox
Reconfigure

Title

A text box to name the completed project

Run

Must have at least 2 phases to run.

Requires a gearbox. Every change to the opticon will require a different gearbox.

To "view" how the opticon will look use Select Phase menu list.

Copy Phase Full

A list of Phases

A quick way to duplicate all the rods/rays/target to another phase.

First use the Reconfigure Menu to add a Phase.

Default is Phase 1

Copy Phase Rays

A list of Rays

A quick way to duplicated all the rays/rods of a specific phase.

First use the Reconfigure Menu to add a Ray

Default is: Phase 1 Rays

Copy Phase Targets

A list of Targets

A quick way to duplicate all the targets (motions) of a specific phase.

First use the Reconfigure Menu to add a Target.

Default is: Phase 1 Targets

Ray Color

A list of Rays

Default Ray 1:

Colors: White / Green / Red / Blue / Yellow / Purple

Default Color: White

Select Phase

A list of Phases

Phases are motion segments of the opticon. Each opticon requires at least 2 phases.

To view how a phase will look, pin the Select Phase Menu and click the list of phases manually.

To test the opticon without installing a gearbox, you have to manually click through the Select Phase menu listing. You also will want to have each ray displaying their assigned colors and flames.

note: Running an opticon requires a gearbox.

Default is: Phase 1

Select Ray

A list of Rays (from a specific phase).

Rays show color of the rod (the blade of the light saber) and the flames that shoot from the end.

Every ray has its own end crystal controllers. Some crystals may overlap. The pole end crystals are spaced around the main post.

Default is: Ray 1

Select Rod

A list of Rods (from a specific phase).

Rods look the blades of a light saber.

Default is: Rod 1

Select Target

A list of targets

Click the rod (light saber blade) to select the target. Targets allow you to move the rods/rays or to draw light paths between the crystals.

Default is: Target 1 / Phase 1 / Rod 1 / Ray 1

Target Movement

 NOTE: YOU MUST HAVE THE MOUSE POINTED AT THE BASE TO USE THE HOT KEYS

Speed:
- Fast 1
- Medium 2
- Slow 3

Move
- Up w
- Down s
- Left a
- Right d
- In q
- Out e

Gearbox

 You guessed it, right?

To run it requires a gearbox
Every time you add or change something, the gearbox requirement will change.
The Run Menu will display the type of gearbox needed.

To test the opticon without installing a gearbox, you have to manually click the Select Phase menu List. You also will want to have each ray displaying their assigned colors and flames.

Reconfigure Menu

Similar to dancing waters mechanisms; there's a limit to the number of items that can contained in the opticon.

Maximum Complexity: (Rays + Targets) * Phases < = 300

ex: (5 rays + 10 targets) * 2 phases = 30 This will work.

ex: (20 rays + 10 targets) * 10 phases = 300 This is the upper limit.

ex: (100 rays + 100 targets) * 2 phases = 400 This opticon is too complex.

Clear the Opticon

Discards all work.

Discards ALL OF IT. Keep a paper trail just in case.

Leaves only the default Phase 1 items.

Adding components

After adding items you may need to toggle off/on the item to see newly assigned colors etc.

Add a Ray (Max 21) : Adds another light saber blade and color with its own set of crystal controllers.

Add a Target (Max 21) : Adds a motion direction to a specific ray/rod. The movement menu allows you to shift the end crystal to a new direction/orientation. (similar to art sculptures)

Add a Phase (Max 21) : Adds a sequencing segment. Opticons require at least 2 phases. Each phase governs the which rods/rays/targets are moved during operation.

Deleting Components

Select the item you want to delete before using these.

Default is to delete the previous item you had selected. You cannot delete the last item in any group.

Delete Last Ray
Delete Last Target
Delete Last Phase

Tutorial

Opticons have a non-removable default base of: Phase 1 , Ray 1, Rod 1, Target 1.

Opticons have a Total Complexity limit: (Rays + Targets) * Phases < = 300

Clicking the rod (the blades of the light saber) will select it and it will highlight as red.

Clicking the outer most crystal will toggle on the ray. It will be the color selected by the menu Ray Color.

The second click of the outer crystal will toggle on the flame end. It will be the same color as the ray. The third click will turn off the flame end. You have to cycle off the ray to get the flame again.

The crystal closest to the end pole will deselect a rod or ray

The following examples should be used as simple guides and are only meant to show the most basic operation of an opticon. These are not complete designs and should not be submitted for judging.

Configuration Example 1

Select Reconfigure > Clear the Opticon.
- Warning: This will remove any previous configuration designs.
Select Phase 1:
Select Ray Color > Ray 1 > Green
Use the end crystals to turn on/off this display.
Click the outer crystal to select Ray 1. It will turn the blade green.
Click the outer crystal again to turn on the flame. Green flames will appear at the end of the rod
Click a third time to turn off the flames.
Click the pole-end crystal to deselect.

Configuration Example 2

Select Reconfigure > Clear the Opticon.
- Warning: This will remove any previous configuration designs.
Select Phase 1:
Select Reconfigure: Add a Ray. 2 crystals will show on the end post.
Select Ray Color
1. Select Ray Color > Ray 1 > Green
2. Select Ray Color > Ray 2 > Blue
With some clicking on the 3 crystals (2 on the post 1 in the air) there should be 2 colored rays coming from the post to the outer crystal. One ray will be green and the other blue.
- Note: there are 2 rays but only 1 rod

Configuration Example 3

Select Reconfigure > Clear the Opticon.
- Warning: This will remove any previous configuration designs.
Select Phase 1:
Select Reconfigure: Add a Ray. 2 crystals will show on the end post.
Select Ray Color
1. Select Ray Color > Ray 1 > Green
2. Select Ray Color > Ray 2 > Blue
With some clicking on the 3 crystals (2 on the post 1 in the air) there should be 2 colored rays coming from the post to the outer crystal. One ray will be green and the other blue.
- Note: there are 2 rays but only 1 rod and 1 target and 1 phase.
Select Reconfigure: Select Add a Target. A new outer crystal will display.
- There are now 2 rays, 2 rods, 2 targets and 1 phase.
- The new rods and new crystals may appear overlapped. Use the Selection Menus to target to target them individually.
Pin the menu: Select Rod. There will be 2 rods listed. Select Rod 2. It should highlight in red (overlapping the ray color on the rod).
Pin the menu: Select Target. There will be 2 targets listed. Select Target 2
Pin the menu: Target Movement. This will allow you to position the location of the target (Target 2).
- NOTE: YOU MUST HAVE THE MOUSE POINTED AT THE BASE TO USE THE HOT KEYS
- It is easier to understand if you click the menu options instead of using the hot keys.
1. Select Speed Fast (1)
2. Select Move Up (w) about 10 times. Rod 2/Ray 2 (blue) should now be pointing up.
- You may need to Re-Select Phase 1 after any additions or changes. So if nothing is moving Re-Select Phase 1.

Configuration Example 4

Select Reconfigure > Clear the Opticon.
- Warning: This will remove any previous configuration designs.
Select Phase 1:
Select Reconfigure: Add a Ray two times. 3 crystals will show on the end post.
Select Ray Color
1. Select Ray Color > Ray 1 > Green
2. Select Ray Color > Ray 2 > Blue
3. Select Ray Color > Ray 3 > Yellow
With some clicking on the 4 crystals (3 on the post 1 in the air) there should be 3 colored rays coming from the post to the outer crystal. One ray will be green, one blue and one yellow.
- Note: there are 3 rays, 1 rod and 1 target and 1 phase.
Select Reconfigure: Select Add a Target two times. 2 new outer crystals will display.
- There are now 3 rays, 3 rods, 3 targets and 1 phase.
- The new rods and new crystals may appear overlapped. Use the Selection Menus to target to target them individually.
Pin the menu: Select Rod. There will be 3 rods listed. Select Rod 2. It should highlight in red (overlapping the ray color on the rod).
Pin the menu: Select Target. There will be 3 targets listed. Select Target 2
Pin the menu: Target Movement. This will allow you to position the location of the selected target.
- NOTE: YOU MUST HAVE THE MOUSE POINTED AT THE BASE TO USE THE HOT KEYS
- It is easier to understand if you click the menu options instead of using the hot keys.
1. Select Speed Fast (1)
2. Select Move Up (w) about 10 times. The Rod should now be pointing up.
- You may need to Re-Select Phase 1 after any additions or changes. So if nothing is moving Re-Select Phase 1.
- It may also be helpful to turn off the ray colors at this point. The rays are beamed from the post crystals to the outer target crystals.
Select Rod 1. Select Target 1. Set Speed to Fast (1). Move Right (d) about 10 times.
Select Rod 3. Select Target 3. Set Speed to Fast (1). Move Left (a) about 10 times.
- The 3 rods should now be rotated around the center post. There are 3 rays, 3 rods, 3 targets and 1 phase.
Turn on/off the color crystals and flames to see what it looks like. Click the end post crystals and select the outer target crystal to see the colors/flames.
Next change which target gets which color by clicking the end post crystals and selecting a different outer target. Each color is controlled by its own end post crystal. Select a color then click the outer target.
Once you have successfully reordered the colors from the end post crystals to the outer crystals the next effect is to chain the colored light path to more than one outer target. Select one of the color crystals and an outer target crystals then click a different outer crystal to direct the light along a secondary path.
- You may need to turn off all the colors to direct them to the new paths. You should now have the same color crossing from one outer crystal to another outer crystal.

Configuration Example 5

This is the final example with all the pieces in it. Notice that more of everything is added in this example.

Select Reconfigure > Clear the Opticon.
- Warning: This will remove any previous configuration designs.
Select Phase 1:
Select Reconfigure: Add a Ray two times. 3 crystals will show on the end post.
Select Ray Color
1. Select Ray Color > Ray 1 > Green
2. Select Ray Color > Ray 2 > Blue
3. Select Ray Color > Ray 3 > Yellow
With some clicking on the 4 crystals (3 on the post 1 in the air) there should be 3 colored rays coming from the post to the outer crystal. One ray will be green, one blue and one yellow.
- Note: there are 3 rays, 1 rod and 1 target and 1 phase.
Select Reconfigure: Select Add a Target two times. 2 new outer crystals will display.
- There are now 3 rays, 3 rods, 3 targets and 1 phase.
- The new rods and new crystals may appear overlapped. Use the Selection Menus to target them individually.
Pin the menu: Select Rod. There will be 3 rods listed. Select Rod 2. It should highlight in red (overlapping the ray color on the rod).
Pin the menu: Select Target. There will be 3 targets listed. Select Target 2
Pin the menu: Target Movement. This will allow you to position the location of the selected target.
- NOTE: YOU MUST HAVE THE MOUSE POINTED AT THE BASE TO USE THE HOT KEYS
- It is easier to understand if you click the menu options instead of using the hot keys.
1. Select Speed Fast (1)
2. Select Move Up (w) about 10 times. The Rod should now be pointing up.
- You may need to Re-Select Phase 1 after any additions or changes. So if nothing is moving Re-Select Phase 1.
- It may also be helpful to turn off the ray colors at this point. The rays are beamed from the post crystals to the outer target crystals.
Select Rod 1. Select Target 1. Set Speed to Fast (1). Move Right (d) about 10 times.
Select Rod 3. Select Target 3. Set Speed to Fast (1). Move Left (a) about 10 times.
- The 3 rods should now be rotated around the center post.
- There are 3 rays, 3 rods, 3 targets and 1 phase.
- Turn on/off the color crystals and flames to see what it looks like. Click the end post crystals and select the outer target crystal to see the colors/flames.
Next change which target gets which color by clicking the end post crystals and selecting a different outer target. Each color is controlled by its own end post crystal. Select a color then click the outer target.
Once you have successfully reordered the colors from the end post crystals to the outer crystals the next effect is to chain the colored light path to more than one outer target. Select one of the color crystals and an outer target crystals then click a different outer crystal to direct the light along a secondary path.
- You may need to turn off all the colors to direct them to the new paths. You should now have the same color crossing from one outer crystal to another outer crystal.
Opticons require a minimum of 2 phases. Cloning a phase is an easy way to get the next platform in the sequence. Depending on your final design, you may want to manually create the rays/rods/targets on the new phase.
Adding more phases adds more complexity to the options selected. Clicking or not clicking the proper menus will affect the results.
Use the Reconfigure menu to add a new phase
- However just because you add a phase there's nothing really there. There will be the base number of rods/rays/targets from Phase 1 but not much else.
- You can clone different parts of a phase (full, rays, target) to another phase. CLICKING THE RIGHT MENUS IN THE RIGHT ORDER determines success or failure of the copy. If the resulting images is not what was desired use the Reconfigure Delete options.
- If the thing has gone totally pear-shaped Clear the Opticon and start over. It is a good idea to keep a paper trail of your selections in case you need to restart the entire design.
Select Phase 1.
Select Reconfigure: Add a Phase. Repeat 3 times.
Pin the menu Select Phase.
1. There are 4 phases listed. Click thru the list.
- Phase 2, 3, 4 are the default layouts for the number of rays, rods, targets as setup in Phase 1.
- There are now 3 rays, 3 rods, 3 targets and 4 phases.
Select Phase TWO.
1. Select Copy Phase Targets: Phase 1 Targets.
- The outer crystals will display their location as defined by Phase 1.
Select Phase THREE.
1. Select Copy Phase Targets: Phase 1 Rays.
- The ray colors from Phase 1 will display but the outer crystal targets are still at their default locations.
Select Phase FOUR.
- Select Copy Phase Full: Phase 1 Full.
- The ray colors, outer crystal targets from Phase 1 are copied directly to phase 4.
From the pinned menu Select Phase click thru the list.
- You will see how the opticon looks so far. Each phase has a set of colors, rays, rods, targets and paths.
- Not everything is defined. Not everything has a color. This is an example of a starting point for additional customization.
Select the Phase you want to modify FIRST before making changes.
You will need a gearbox for your final configuration.
- The Run menu will tell you the type of gearbox needed.

From here, you are on your own in creating your own Prismatic Opticon Masterpiece. May the light sabers shine brightly for you!

Guides/Prismatic Opticon Configuration

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