Common text controls: Randomness controls

These controls show up in many of the text plug-ins. On this page, we discuss the Randomness controls, which add a random value to a related parameter's value range.

What are common controls? Many of the Text plug-ins share parameters that behave the same. To avoid having to repeat these definitions, we cover them once here. If a parameter has special attributes in a plug-in, it will be further explained on that plug-in's manual page.

 

 

 

How Randomness Works

Randomness allows certain attributes to vary, well, at random. The Randomness slider sets a percentage that creates a range around the associated parameter’s value, which makes the value range jump around.

Randomness plays a big role in filters like Text Matrix where text is generated randomly. However, even in filters like Cool Text which uses specific text input, there are attributes that are affected by Randomness. Randomness parameters usually look something like SBL Randomness or TBS Randomness. The ‘SBL’ or ‘TBS’ refers to the parameter that the Randomness slider affects. For example, SBL is Space Between Lines, and TBS is Time Between Streams. The Randomness slider appears directly below the parameter it affects.

Each character and/or stream is assigned a different value when Randomness is set above 0. This is easy to see, for instance, in the Font Size Randomness paraemter. As you increase the FS Randomness parameter, some characters grow larger, some smaller, as each character is assigned a different Font Size. Let's say Font Size is 16 and Randomness is 50%. This would create a range of 16 +/- 50% or 8 to 24. Each character is then assigned a value within this range.

You can set the Randomness to more than 100%. If a parameter can go negative then this will result in a range of something like –8 to 40. In the case of something like Font Size, 3 is the lowest minimum value, so the range is limited on the lower end, but not on the higher end. Font Size at 16 and Randomness at 600% would result in a range of 3 to 96. Hey, not only did you get a filter set, but you get a FREE algebra lesson as well. What a deal! We’ll be offering Ginzu knifes in no time.

 

Font Size is 48 points. At top, Font Size Randomness set to 10. At bottom, Font Size Randomness set to 100.

 

 

Randomness Seed

Sets the seed, or germination point, that all the Randomness values use. If you change this seed, any part of the animation that uses randomness will be changed. However, it will be changed in a predictable way. If Randomness Seed is set to 50 and you change it 98, the animation will change. If you then set it back to 50, the animation will revert back to exactly what it was.

This can be very useful for creating different animations by changing, literally, only one parameter. Depending on how many other parameters are affected by randomness, you could have a substantially different animation occur because of changing the seed.