Debugmode Wax: Difference between revisions

'''Debugmode Wax''', known usually as just '''Wax''' is a video compositor by Satish Kumar for Windows, and was a commonly used tool for 3D [[tennis]] effects from the late 2000's to the early 2010's.<ref>https://www.debugmode.com/wax.html</ref> Known for its distinct look and unique set of capabilities, it was eventually replaced in the meta by more capable editors like [[After Effects]] and [[Blender]] or by 3D plugin sets like in [[BCC]]. The earliest known usage of the plugin is in [[YTP_Tennis#The_first_matches|the fifth match ever played]], GameCubeHero vs. BMATF(2007), in which it was prominently used by the former player.

While more primitive compared to modern editors, Wax shares many of the same basic features of other non-linear editors. Footage can be added into the "MediaPool", then dragged onto the timeline wherever you wish. From here, plugins and transitions can be added to footage as needed.

 

Wax can fail to render if the extension on the output file is missing.

==Importing 3rd-party Plugins==

 

=Video Plugins=

Wax has a small, but powerful collection of effects (known as "video plugins". It also has a very large set of presets to work with.

===Basic===

* '''Transform 3D''' - allows the footage to be transformed in 3D space (transformation, scale, rotation, etc.) This effect is prerequisite for all other 3D effects and is added automatically if not present when one is added in.

* '''Objects 3D''' - converts the footage into a 3D primitive object. These include a plane (default), a cube, a sphere, a cylinder, or a torus.  

* '''Lights 3D''' - adds lights to a 3D scene.

===General===

* '''Text 3D''' - creates text in 3D.  

* '''Shatter''' - "shatters" a 3D object. One of the more versatile Wax effects, as it can be manipulated to warp shapes and create interesting 3D shapes.

 

 

 

File:Shatter wax default.jpg|The default preset for Shatter. Keep in mind that the default is animated to "explode" over time.

 

* '''Vortex''' - creates a 3D vortex out of the footage. One of Wax's most well known effects.  

* '''[[Particles]]''' - "Creates natural effects using a group of particles to simulate fire, water, smoke etc."

 

 

* '''Model Loader''' - "Loads 3D models and objects from external files." Supports [[3DS Max|.3DS]], .MD2 (The model format for ''Quake II'') and .MS3d (''MilkShake 3D'')<ref>https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/MilkShape_3D</ref> models.

===General===

* '''Texture Generator''' - A [[Generated Media|media generation]] tool based on [[Noise]] functions that optionally can be overlaid over the source footage. Can also be used to [[Replication|tile]] the footage, based on the top left corner.

* '''Quick 3D''' - "Create a quick 3D view of a video. This is [[3D Space#Fake 3D|not a 3D plugin]] so cannot be used with other 3D plugins."

* '''PixelStretch''' - "stretches" pixels in any direction. Similar in effect to the "slide" tiling pattern in CC RepeTile or the "cropping" parameter of [[NewBlueFX|NewBlue Wiggle]].

* '''RotoMate''' - "Provides tools to rotoscope/paint on the video with shapes, masks, keyframes and more."

* '''Warp (WinMorph)''' - a plugin that lets you hook into [[WinMorph]] to use its warping functionality directly from Wax. "Warps the image/video using control shapes drawn by the user."

* '''Shatter Image''' - "Shatters images/videos into pieces. This is not a 3d plugin so cannot be used with other 3d plugins."

* '''[[Chroma Key]]''' - "Makes a portion of a video transparent based on the selected color so tracks below the keyed video show through in the composited (mixed) output."