Effects System
ASCII Motion includes an effects system with live preview for applying adjustments to your ASCII art and animations.
Overview
All effects feature live preview that starts automatically when you open the effect panel. See changes in real-time before applying.
The effects system provides five core effects:
| Effect | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Levels | Input/output level adjustments for tonal range |
| Hue & Saturation | Color adjustments |
| Remap Colors | Replace colors with auto-detection |
| Remap Characters | Replace characters with auto-detection |
| Scatter | Dithering patterns and noise |
Accessing Effects
Live Preview System
Every effect includes real-time preview:
- Preview starts automatically when you open an effect
- Changes update instantly as you adjust sliders
- See exactly how the effect will look before applying
- Toggle preview on/off to compare with original
Application Modes
Single Frame Mode
Apply effects to just the current frame:
- Select a frame in the timeline
- Open the effect panel
- Adjust and apply
- Only the selected frame is modified
Timeline Mode
Use Timeline Mode to apply effects across your entire animation at once, ensuring consistent results.
Apply effects to all frames:
- Enable "Apply to all frames" option
- Effect processes each frame in sequence
- Maintains animation consistency
- Great for global color corrections
Non-Destructive Workflow
- Open effect panel
- Adjust parameters while viewing live preview
- Compare with original using preview toggle
- Only click Apply when satisfied
- Cancel if you don't like the result
Canvas Analysis
Some effects (Remap Colors, Remap Characters) include auto-population:
- Analyzes your canvas content automatically
- Detects all unique colors or characters
- Populates the mapping interface
- Saves you from manual entry
Effect Descriptions
Levels
Adjust input and output levels for tonal range control. Use for:
- Setting shadow and highlight clipping points
- Adjusting midtone brightness with gamma
- Constraining output brightness range
Hue & Saturation
Shift colors and adjust saturation. Use for:
- Changing color schemes
- Creating monochromatic versions
- Adjusting color vibrancy
→ Learn more about Hue & Saturation
Remap Colors
Replace specific colors with others. Features:
- Auto-detects colors in your artwork
- Visual color mapping interface
- Batch color replacement
→ Learn more about Remap Colors
Remap Characters
Replace specific characters with others. Features:
- Auto-detects characters in your artwork
- Visual character mapping interface
- Batch character replacement
→ Learn more about Remap Characters
Scatter
Add dithering patterns and noise effects. Includes:
- Four pattern types (Noise, Bayer 2×2, Bayer 4×4, Gaussian)
- Blend colors option
- Adjustable strength
Tips & Best Practices
Effect Order
When applying multiple effects:
- Start with Levels for brightness/contrast
- Apply Hue & Saturation for color adjustments
- Use Remap effects for targeted changes
- Add Scatter for texture/dithering last
Performance
- Effects process quickly for most canvas sizes
- Larger canvases may take slightly longer
- Timeline mode processes frames sequentially
- Progress indicator shows status for long operations
Saving Your Work
Save your project before applying effects to preserve the original state. Effects modify the actual canvas data.
- Use Ctrl/Cmd+S to save before effects
- Create duplicate frames to preserve originals
- Use Session export for full project backup