Putting RGBs on stairs

[danj]

I plan to put some RGBs on some stairs leading up to a second story doorway then outlining the doorway.  I will put RGBs horizontally across the steps, up and/or down the vertical portions of the rails, and up the top & bottom portions of the railing.  I am thinking maybe I could model the rails as a vertical matrix, the steps as a horizontal matrix, and the top/bottom of the rails as outlines?

 Any advice on how to model in XL/NC?  Thanks very much in advance!!!!

One spin-off question--would it look totally horrible if I used bullet nodes on the rails and strips on the steps??

[jnealand]

I have six porch columns with RGB nodes on them.  I have them modeled two ways for ease in doing effects.  Once as a 6 column matrix for when I want them all to working in concert together and then each column individually so I can do things with them that I can't do on a matrix - like make each column a different color or use alternating colors that bounce back and forth or have althernating columns chase in different directions, etc.  I show them both in my preview just so I can see how things look.  And the models have the same channels assigned.

[danj]

Thank you sir.  I would like to model these in XL/NC, set the effects in XL/NC, then import into HLS but I wasn't sure how to do that in XL/NC without just setting them up in vertical/horizontal matrices.  I was thinking about setting up "segments" in HLS so I could do what you were talking about in your response--handling the different pieces as part of a matrix or as individual pieces.

Did you do your setup internal to XL/NC??
Thanks for the response!!!!

[jnealand]

I have 6 porch columns.  There are 7 models in nutcracker - PC1 ... PC6 and also a PC matrix model.

[danj]

I am going to try to model as follows:
1) stairs as a horizontal matrix==will use strips on stairs
2) vertical portions of rails as vertical matrices==will use bullet nodes on the verticals
3) Door frame as a three sided window frame (top/left/right)==will use strips on doorframe

Do you think this will work?  I only know how to show them as hor/vert in the XL/NC preview, but that is ok with me.  Will be interesting to see how a "matrix' looks that is not tightly packed!!

Jim-I just re-read your post.  I think based on my setup here I will stick with matrices.  I like your idea to setup channels as macro models (matrices) AND individual models.  I will not be able to do much "bouncing" between components, but that is ok as I will be scrambling to get this setup this year--just decided to setup here!!!

This will be my first "RGB only" setup.

[danj]

Ok so I changed my mind.  I want to do MS' version of Silent Night so I will need to have more than "just" three matrices.  If I am understanding correctly, I can map each vertical rail as a separate entity (like your PC1-PC6 columns) while also keeping them as components of a matrix and this will be a workable solution as long as I don't goof up & sequence the matrix and individual components at the same time, right?
Thanks!!!