5

Like all other objects in Motion, generators can be moved, rotated, duplicated, copied
and pasted, and animated. Generators can be reordered in the Layers list and set to
different blend modes. Also, as with other objects, you can apply behaviors to generators
and apply Parameter behaviors to the individual parameters of a generator. You can also
apply filters to generators, or use a generator as the source for a particle or replicator cell.
All generators are modified, animated, and saved in the same manner. The best way to
see what generators can do is to experiment with their parameters.
The following sections discuss the types of generators, adding a generator to a project,
modifying and animating a generator, and saving a modified generator to the Library.
Applying a Parameter behavior to a generator is also discussed.
For an example of editing and animating a generator, see Editing Generators.
For an example of applying a behavior to a generator, see Applying Behaviors to
Generators.
Note: Performance may slow drastically when using generators in projects with large
resolutions and with better render-quality settings.
Generator Types
There are two categories of generators in the Library: Generators and Text Generators.
The Generator category includes static images, such as the Checkerboard generator, and
images animated by default, such as the Clouds generator. Although static generators
are not animated by default, you can keyframe their parameters to create an animated
pattern. All Text Generators are animated. You can use any generator as is or modify its
settings to create different effects.
Note: Generators contain Opacity and Blend Mode controls in the HUD. As with all objects
in Motion, the Opacity and Blend Mode parameters for any generator can also be modified
in the Properties Inspector.
Although the sliders in the Inspector are usually limited to a specific range, you can often
manually enter values outside of that range in the value sliders (the numeric fields to the
right of the sliders).
Adding a Generator
This section provides a quick introduction to adding a generator to a project. For a
description of each generator, see Generator Parameters.
To add a generator to a project
1 In the Library, click the Generators category.
2 In the stack, click a generator.
942 Chapter 18 Working with Generators