03a Research

Case Study: Nestdrop for Fulldome

In the following video, Jason Fletcher who at the time worked at the Museum of Science Planetarium in Boston, describes how he uses the Windows-only Nestdrop which uses the Milkdrop engine’s generative visuals.

NestDrop allows you to perform with high-resolution high-fps visuals which react in realtime to the music and then broadcasts the video via Spout. Since the Milkdrop engine is at the core you can easily bring in your own Milkdrop presets. Use any audio source to drive the visuals, even live audio. We know that your attention bandwidth is already in high demand and so we’ve streamlined NestDrop to be simple and fast to use.

My notes on this approach:

• Cost: Classic version $0.01, Midnight version $50 one off payment
• Key advanced features of Midnight version;
  • MIDI control (needed for expressive live performance or controlling with other apps).
• Can output va Spout to many other apps
• Outputted visuals are 2D
• Extensive library of well crafted presets provides quick access to compelling visuals
• Visuals tend to all have a psychedelic look

This example is using the fulldome medium. To generate images suitable for projecting within a fulldome a format called a domemaster is required. Domemaster is basically a circular image which contains a fisheye lens view, so that when it is wrapped around the inside of a dome the desired visual result is achieved- as if the audience is placed at the location of the fisheye camera.

I found a very useful article describing fulldome and domemaster and how to generate content for them.